PMA Fresh Magazine by Produce Marketing Association

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J A N UA RY 2015

THE HUMAN ELEMENT Talent as a Competitive Advantage

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contents

fresh

J A N UA RY 2015

46 4 W ELCOME LETTER PMA Board of Directors Chairperson and industry veteran Kevin Fiori shares highlights from this issue of fresh.

6 UP FRONT

FEATURES 22 THE HUMAN ELEMENT

24 Why Great Employees Are Key to Building a Great Business 28 Why I Chose Produce

Maximizing Millennials

30 Making the Business Case for More Women in Leadership

8 F LORAL Supermarkets in Floral See Challenges, Advantages

10 INDUSTRY TALENT Helping to Attract University Students to the Produce and Floral Industry

12 INDUSTRY TALENT Why Train Mid-Level Leaders?

14 G LOBAL CONNECTIONS PMA Fruittrade Highlights Business in South America

34 PMA Australia-New Zealand Members Talk Talent 38 Tech Experts Bring Food Safety Innovation to Produce

42 FRESH SUMMIT Highlights From a Whirlwind Weekend

46 eat brighter!™ Inside ‘eat brighter!’ with Peak of the Market

18 ISSUES LEADERSHIP Food Safety Modernization Act Update

20 ISSUES LEADERSHIP The Faces Behind PMA’s Issues Leadership

COVER ILLUSTRATION: ©ISTOCK.COM/ARTVEA

continued

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contents

fresh Executive Editor Elizabeth Rich Managing Editor Danielle Vickery Art Director Marilyn Steranko Design Director Kelly Carter Production Manager Jennifer Rodgers

52 50 MEMBER PROFILE Temkin International, Inc.

52 MEMBER PROFILE Camposol S.A.

54 PMA FOUNDATION Thank you to the Industry Talent Fund Contributors

56 WELCOME NEW PMA MEMBERS 58 PMA GOLD CIRCLE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS 60 LAST WORD A Year of Working Together

62 SAVE THE DATE Upcoming PMA and PMA Foundation Events

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Copy Editor Toni Eaton Advertising Sales Manager Robyn Florio

For subscriptions and address changes, call +1 (302) 738-7100. To view past issues, visit the fresh Magazine page under About PMA at pma.com. Editorial offices: fresh@pma.com Advertising offices: rflorio@pma.com Member services: solutionctr@pma.com © 2015 by Produce Marketing Association. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced or translated without permission.

welcome Kevin Fiori Vice President of Sales & Marketing Sunkist Growers/ PMA Board of Directors Chairperson

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Attracting talented, innovative employees is critical to our long-term success as individual companies and to the produce and floral industry. Competition to attain and retain talented, motivated workers is fierce. As the world becomes more interconnected, we are competing with business sectors and companies of all kinds for creative, smart individuals that can deliver value to our industry. We must articulate the tremendous value and opportunities our companies and the produce industry have to offer. We also must be willing to invest in employees for the long term. Companies not willing to do so will experience a revolving door of employees looking for growth, development and a brighter future elsewhere. Loyalty breeds loyalty and employee development breeds competence. The marketing landscape has changed and continues to transform rapidly around the world. We need talent that can help our industries navigate current and future consumer trends. New talent can help companies reach our younger target audience because they know how best to utilize these tools and connect to this new consumer. Millennials now comprise 25 percent of the U.S. population. This consumer group is very active on social media, spending an average of more than 20 hours on social channels each month. Millennials don’t merely appreciate when companies interact with them online, they expect companies to engage with them on social channels in a meaningful, authentic way. However, garnering interest and developing brand loyalty with younger consumers is not as simple as merely starting a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram account. The Internet has given rise to an explosion of media channels and networks. The sheer volume of information has created

a very crowded space, making it difficult to break through this cluttered environment to gain attention and market share. New talent can help our industry evolve to capture the attention, and wallets, of this important consumer segment. This will be accomplished by developing content and delivery methods that are relevant to today’s consumer. Health and nutrition are critical issues for all consumers across the globe, and our industry is perfectly positioned to leverage consumers’ desire to eat better and live a healthier lifestyle. We sell the healthiest products on the planet, yet the companies marketing fairly unhealthy product lines are spending a disproportionate amount of marketing money to drive consumer behavior in other directions. How do we compete against these highly funded industries? We may not be able to outspend these companies, but we can be smarter if we have the talent to help us do so. I believe strongly that an honest and relevant message can and will shine through the volume of misinformation that is out there. We must do a better job telling our stories and thus driving consumption for our fresh, healthy products. Through social media we have the opportunity to get our message out at a fraction of the time and cost it would have taken 10 to 20 years ago. Whether you are a sales and marketing cooperative, an e-commerce company, a foodservice distributor, a retailer or a floral distributor, it is critical to your long-term success to develop the next generation of industry leaders that will be the future of our industry. A diverse and competent workforce is needed to innovate, drive consumer demand and succeed in achieving business objectives. I am proud to be working with PMA, and the industry as a whole, to develop and implement strategies to attract, develop and retain talent for members worldwide. We hope you will join us in our efforts.

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F LO R A L

Supermarkets in Floral See Challenges, Advantages by Tom Coombe

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A single rose, given from a husband to a wife. Most people would see a romantic gesture. Cindy Rapshus, director of floral for Bi-Lo Holdings, sees a journey. “That rose might have been on a plant in Colombia a week ago,” she said. “When you think about that, it’s mind-boggling.” That journey represents both challenges and advantages for supermarket chains in the floral industry, said Rapshus, who has worked with flowers for 35 years. When asked about today’s biggest challenges, Rapshus cited freight and logistics. “The cost of that freight and the logistics of moving from farm to shelf. It not only adds another layer of effort, it adds

another layer of time.” Most cut flowers come into the United States from South America, specifically from Colombia and Ecuador. “The reality of our product is it has to be flown,” Rapshus said, but there’s an upside to that as well. “The advantage of our ability to fly product is that our customers get a much longer lasting product than if it was coming through a longer supply chain,” noted Rapshus. Think back to that rose from Colombia. It gets cut, processed, packaged, and boxed, then flown across the miles, through customs, possibly processed again, re-boxed, taken to a consolidation facility, and then shipped to a distribution center that takes it to a grocery store for sale, all in a matter of days. “We literally have product we’re putting into our customers hands that was cut a week ago,” Rapshus said. It wasn’t always this way. Thirty-five years ago, the floral business was more about wholesalers than the farm-to-shelf model. “In the early ’80s, much of the product mix sold in supermarkets was potted foliage and potted flower plants purchased from regional or local greenhouse growers,” Rapshus said. If you wanted fresh-cut flowers, you went to wholesalers. It was that way until the mid-to-late 1980s, when importers began selling flowers directly to the supermarkets. Jump ahead to 2014, and supermarkets account

for 32 percent of cut-flower sales, according to a report compiled by Euromonitor International for PMA. The overall floral business is expected to grow by $700 million in the next two years. The share held by supermarkets is expected to rise, the report says, “driven in part by stronger direct relationships with wholesalers that give leading supermarkets and mass merchandisers the ability to offer high-quality flowers at an affordable cost.” Rapshus said Bi-Lo Holdings, which owns BI-LO, Winn-Dixie, and Harveys, is already a huge part of that market and, “in many of our stores…we are considered the neighborhood florist, and the place to buy flowers,” she said. Another challenge floral retailers and suppliers continue to face is finding people to do the work.

“Whether it be a third-generation greenhouse or our own floral departments,” Rapshus said, “succession planning, training, and development are critical to continued growth.” BI-LO provides that training, she said, working not just with floral staff but other associates who might find themselves drafted into working with flowers. The company runs computer-based floral training classes as well as a “traveling university program” for more practical applications. There are also opportunities to partner with local junior colleges and universities to insure there’s a new generation able to handle the growing floral business. The journey of the floral industry continues, but like a flower, the path traveled may bloom differently each and every year.

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I N D U S T RY TA L E N T

Career Pathways:

Helping to Attract University Students to the Produce and Floral Industry by Alicia Calhoun PMA Foundation Program Director

Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture, health care, and life sciences is directly related to scientific advancement. — Christopher Bond Leaders in agriculture are trying to solve the challenges facing their business and whether the issue is sustainability, food safety, increased yield, decreased water use, better taste, can technology be the answer? Produce industry leaders think so and that’s why the PMA Foundation is expanding its Career Pathways programs to include students studying supply chain efficiencies, science, technology, and innovation.

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Designed to attract the best and brightest students to begin a career in the fresh produce and floral industry, Career Pathways connects the industry to future leaders by providing university students and faculty the opportunity to attend international, national, and regional events. Since its inception, Career Pathways has provided the opportunity to showcase our industry to more than 600 students worldwide. And of those students, 61 percent have taken their first co-op, internship, or full-time position in the industry. Held in conjunction with PMA Tech Knowledge, our newest Career Pathways program will provide the opportunity for the industry to engage students outside of the agribusiness discipline — those interested in supply chain, innovation, science, and technology. While attending Tech Knowledge, students will receive one-on-one mentoring from their Career Ambassador (industry mentor) as well as customized education including an industry overview and a career

panel discussion. Networking for the students will be in high gear as they attend industry workshops, social events and visit the Learning Lounge — a place where they can learn from leaders who will showcase the latest and greatest thinking in data science, detection technologies, and input management. What better way to get them excited about our industry? Students will also have a chance to observe What’s the Pitch — a session in which late-stage startups will present their ideas to a panel of two investors and two industry experts giving them a chance to watch new business unfold right in front of them. As you attend Tech Knowledge and are connecting with thought leaders, exploring emerging technologies, and meeting our industry’s entrepre-

“

Career Pathways taught me so much about the produce industry. The networking opportunities that were handed to me through this event truly exceeded my expectations. Not only did I learn more about the industry, but I was able to get feedback from industry leaders on my communication and self-marketing tactics. This opportunity has really helped in preparing me for a future in the industry.” — Phil Giles, CSU Monterey Bay

neurs, take time to say hello to the Career Pathways participants to share your passion, energy, and excitement for our industry. For questions or additional information on Career Pathways, please contact Alicia Calhoun at acalhoun@ pmafoundation.com.

I N D U S T RY TA L E N T

High Performance Management Conference Wrap-up:

Why Train Mid-Level Leaders? by Margi Prueitt PMA Foundation Executive Director and PMA Senior Vice President

According to Peter Walsh, senior director of Global Marketing for Harvard Business Publishing, “If you want a recipe for disaster, just follow in the footsteps of many businesses today: As organizations are getting flatter and pushing responsibility down the ladder onto middle managers, those middle managers are not receiving the leadership development training they need to handle these responsibilities.” This message resonated with dozens of companies who made the decision to send their midlevel leaders to the PMA Foundation High Performance Management Conference Sept. 9-11 in Chicago, Illinois. Forty-four individuals participat-

ed in this thought-provoking educational opportunity where they gained insight into horizontal leadership, developed business acumen knowhow, improved their project management skills and practiced these in a risk-free environment through a produce-specific simulation. At the conclusion of the program, Angela Fraser of the California Avocado Association said: “Overall the conference was outstanding, providing skills that can be used immediately. I liked that what I learned helps my job, me professionally and me personally.” Ryan Larkan, technical manager for Tesco, felt the conference provided “relevant content that felt

SENIOR LEADERS THE ROLE OF MID-LEVEL MANAGERS Implements strategy

MID-LEVEL MANAGERS

Leads change Manages budgets for a project, team, or department Builds relationships to enable business results Directs a team or leads as an individual contributor

EARLY CAREER

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like it was tailored for me.” Partnering with Advantexe Learning Solutions, PMA Foundation built a program that targets the largest group of employees in most companies – the middle level leader who executes the strategy set by the company’s top people and often the face of the company to a customer. The critical role played by these mid-level managers in the success of fresh produce and floral companies today is clear. The High Performance Management Conference is specifically designed to optimize the impact of these employees throughout the supply chain — both those who are likely to be

“pros-in-place” and those who might ascend to a more senior level. F. Scott Fein of Robinson Fresh might have said it best: “High Performance Management Conference is perfect for the veteran industry employee that is looking to develop and improve their skill set”.

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G LO B A L CO N N E C T I O N S

PMA Fruittrade Highlights Business in South America by Nancy Tucker PMA Vice President of Global Business Development

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The first PMA Fruittrade Latin America drew 2,100 attendees and 120 supermarket and importer buyers to Santiago, Chile on Nov. 12 and 13. This new event brought together industry leaders from each part of the produce supply chain to explore business opportunities in South America. An exposition with more than 100 exhibitors, a vi-

brant education program with 98 presenters from 11 countries and a unique international business roundtable created a valuable forum for all involved. This was possible thanks to the combined efforts of Produce Marketing Association (PMA), the FederaciĂłn de Productores de Frutas de Chile (Fedefruta) and Yentzen Group, who, with support

from ProChile (Chilean institution for the promotion of Chilean exportable goods and services) achieved this international summit. This is an important part of Fedefruta and PMA’s efforts to strengthen their members’ position in the supply chain and to make the Chilean and South American fruit and vegetable industry grow in every key market. “This event in Santiago, aside from providing a great excuse to do business in such great weather, gave suppliers a time and place at the start of the season to finalize plans for now, and for next year,” said Russell Mounce, Sam’s Club senior director of produce and floral. The educational program of PMA Fruittrade Latin America featured commercial sessions de-

veloped by PMA and technical sessions created by Fedefruta members. The commercial sessions focused on trends and developments in international retail markets, changing global trade flows, using marketing trends to create business strategies, the promotion of Chilean products, shipping developments, and disruptive technologies. The technical sessions pulled together key information for the citrus, avocado, grape, dried fruit, stone fruit, nut, berry, cherry, and kiwi sectors. “The incorporation of educational conferences gave industry members the tools to make good business decisions,” noted Fedefruta president Juan Carolus Brown Bauzá. “Here, it has been pointed out that the inter-

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national demand for fruit continues to be very consistent, and, as demographic data shows, the world population will keep growing,” said the Chilean Agriculture Minister, Carlos Furche, in the inaugural session of the event. Director of ProChile Roberto Paiva, who was also

present in the inaugural act, celebrated the fact that PMA Fruittrade Latin America brought together the producers and exporters of Chile and all of South America, to meet global buyers and increase their business opportunities. “This event was the launch of a dream, a dream that is not just ours but shared by many who looked to accomplish a global trade fair in Latin America,” Yentzen Group’s CEO Gustavo Yentzen said in the inaugural session. “And here we are, creating a new way to connect the Latin American horticultural industry with the rest of the world.” The number and quality of the attendees, the strength of the trade show, the excellent educational sessions, and the unique business roundtable made this event a great value for all.

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ISSUES LEADERSHIP

Food Safety Modernization Act Update by Meg Miller, Produce Marketing Association Director of Public Relations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) remains a top priority in PMA’s Issues Leadership work. Issues Leadership represents PMA’s unique approach to topics impacting the produce and floral industries, one that combines public relations, government relations and public affairs efforts to affect change on issues members tell us are most important. In the year ahead, our food safety staff experts will apply this holistic strategy as they continue working with PMA’s Produce Safety, Science and Technology committee to translate FSMA developments into industry context and help members prepare for implementation. PMA will also be working in 2015 with Hunt Shipman and the Washington, D.C.-based public affairs firm Cornerstone Group to engage state and federal government officials and advance members’ interests surrounding FSMA. Here, I talk with one of PMA’s food safety experts, Dr. Jim Gorny, PMA vice president of Food Safety and Technology, to recap FSMA’s year-end 2014 activity and learn what members can expect in 2015. Meg: What was FSMA’s status at the end of 2014?

Dr. Jim Gorny Vice President of Food Safety and Technology, PMA

Dr. Gorny: On Sept. 19, 2014, the FDA released supplemental proposals on four of the seven major FSMA rules: produce safety, preventive controls for human food, foreign supplier verification programs and preventive controls for animal feed. These supplemental proposals addressed a limited number of key areas that raised significant concern in the produce community during the first round of public comments on the proposed rule. It’s important to note FDA amended these key provisions and provided the produce community with a new opportunity to review and comment because the agency wants to set the highest standard for food safety and make certain final rules are practical for the industry. PMA submitted comments to FDA on the four supplemental proposed rules on Dec. 15, 2014. Executive summaries and the full text of these comments are available online at pma.com/topics/food-safety/fsma. Meg: What’s the outlook for the FSMA rule-making process in 2015? Dr. Gorny: A number of the rules will become enforceable regulations this year. FDA is under

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court order to finalize the preventive control rules for human feed and animal feed by Aug. 30. The produce safety, foreign supplier verification, and third-party accreditation rules must be finalized by Oct. 31. These rules will become enforceable regulations soon after FDA publishes their final versions in the federal register; required compliance dates will be vary depending on the specific regulation and enterprise size, with the largest companies having to comply first and delayed implementation dates for small companies. The two remaining major rules on sanitary transportation and food defense won’t be finalized until early 2016, and some proposed rules are yet to be published. For example, it’s anticipated at some point in 2015 FDA will publish a proposed rule surrounding traceability. Perhaps what’s most newsworthy is FDA is expected to begin a public conversation around implementation sometime in early 2015. This public conversation and FDA’s request for input will be important to facilitate a dialog between FDA and produce industry stakeholders to understand the “who, what, when and where” of FSMA implementation.

For example, what should FDA’s role be with regard to inspections versus states’ roles, who will verify that firms are in compliance, how will that work and who is going to pay for this? Meg: What should industry members be doing to prepare for implementation? Dr. Gorny: Industry members should get ready now by identifying such needs as training, recordkeeping protocol, technical resources, legal resources and necessary capital for one-time and reoccurring costs. Even though implementation dates are staggered based on enterprise size, members should not wait until August or October when the final rules are published to get started. It’s a good idea to do your homework ahead of time and not wait until the last minute.

Members should also join the public discussion around FSMA implementation through public meetings and any opportunities to submit comments. Plus, they should plug into PMA and any of our FSMA webinars or educational sessions that will take place throughout the year. Online at pma.com/topics/food-safety/fsma members will find a wealth of FSMA news and information, archived FSMA webinars and copies of all comments submitted to FDA. If they missed it, members can also access through freshsummit.com a recording of the “Recent FSMA Proposals and Their Impact on Business” session held at Fresh Summit with FDA Deputy Commission Mike Taylor and FDA Director of Produce Safety Dr. Samir Assar. And of course, PMA members can always contact me at jgorny@pma.com with any questions.

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ISSUES LEADERSHIP

The Faces Behind PMA’s Issues Leadership:

Cornerstone Group by Meg Miller

Hunt Shipman partner Cornerstone Government Affairs

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Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) focus on issues leadership, the approach to taking on topics impacting the fresh produce and floral industries, was reinforced this fall with the addition of Cornerstone Government Affairs. Cornerstone, a Washington D.C.-based firm, will guide PMA and its members on those issues through government relations, public relations, and public affairs. With a team of 50 senior professionals, Cornerstone puts hundreds of years of collective management, legislative counseling, communications, political, and government experience to work for a diverse group of clients. Among Cornerstone’s core competencies are agriculture, trade and public health — important areas of focus for PMA. Cornerstone’s team will be led by Hunt Shipman, whose previous positions include Deputy Under Secretary of Agriculture and Staff Director of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Hunt has 22 years of experience in Washington and has served as a member of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade for the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative. In addition to his government service, he served as Executive Vice President of the Food Products Association before joining Cornerstone eight years ago. “The past few months have afforded us the opportunity to attend Fresh Summit and meet with various industry leaders as well as PMA leadership. We have already begun to engage on important export, labor, and food safety issues for the produce and floral industry. We look forward to building on this record of success in the new year,” said Shipman.

MEET THE REST OF THE PMA-CORNERSTONE TEAM: Vernie Hubert Vernie has more than 25 years of experience in Washington, serving at the highest levels of both the House and Senate Committees on Agriculture where he has held the positions of staff director, chief counsel and legislative director. A native of Riviera, Texas, Vernie has led the development of numerous farm bills, as well as legislation regarding research and promotion orders, food safety, and research. Alice Gomez Since 2007, Alice has provided government relations services to Cornerstone clients on issues related to international trade, agricultural commodities, food labeling and nutrition, among other issues. Her client portfolio includes producer organizations, food manufacturers, food distributors, trade associations, and international organizations. Greg McDonald Greg started his professional career in the United States House of Representatives where he advised a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. Following his work on the hill, he worked as an attorney at a top-ranked law firm. There, Greg provided strategic legal and public policy counsel to a diverse group of companies and organizations, helping them to respond proactively to a rapidly changing marketplace. Greg also has significant experience in Democratic national politics. For the 2008 campaign, he worked on the national convention, the general campaign and the Presidential Inaugural Committee. John Crumbliss John joined Cornerstone in 2004. Since then, he has represented a broad portfolio of clients that includes technology companies, an athletic association, institutions of higher education, and health care. Leading these clients on a diverse range of issues, John has devised and implemented strategies that have resulted in concrete policy changes and subsequent federal support for the organizations he represented.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

ONE UNIVERSITY STUDENT AT A TIME

Career Pathways programs jump start careers. “My involvement in Career Pathways ignited my passion for produce. I knew this is where I wanted to build my career.” Lauren Crivelli, Sales Coordinator, Booth Ranches “Through my participation in Career Pathways I was able to build meaningful business relationships with people who care about my future success.” Peter Scalabrino, Carrier Representative, Entourage Freight Solutions “Career Pathways gave me an excellent opportunity to be mentored by our industry’s leaders which gave me a competitive advantage during my job search.” Mario Avina, Sourcing Representative, Robinson Fresh

THANK YOU INDUSTRY TALENT FUND CONTRIBUTORS YOUR GIFT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN OUR INDUSTRY’S FUTURE MAKE A GIFT

120

Each year, university students and faculty participate in Career Pathways.

61%

Career Pathways participants have taken their first job or internship in the industry.

The Human Element Talent as a Competitive Advantage As the competition to find employees with the right skills continues to escalate, employers are seeking new strategies to attract, develop and retain talent. The shortage of qualified candidates has become a global problem affecting all facets of our industry — including its ability to maintain long-term success through a new generation of industry leaders. In order to attract the “freshest” employees, companies are focusing on better jobs for young applicants and recent graduates. Realizing that this new generation of workers demand a career with a path toward advancement, industry leaders strive to promote the scale and breadth of opportunities. Companies have become increasingly aware of the need to show prospective talent they are willing to promote women to leadership roles, invest in the community and hire people with good interpersonal skills. The following section is devoted to stories about the challenges companies face when hiring and retaining people and the solutions they have adopted to ensure continued success.

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Why

Great Employees Are Key to Building a

Great Business by Elissa Vallano

Employers are both blessed and cursed in today’s job market. There’s no shortage of talented professionals willing to do whatever it takes to get hired, but how can employers tell if those applicants are a good fit for their company? According to ManpowerGroup’s 2013 Talent Shortage Survey, 35 percent of employers worldwide are having trouble finding staff with the right skills. At Campbell Soup Company, assembling the right team is all about strategy. Talent acquisition, development, and retention require a thoughtful and integrated approach. “Attracting and retaining high-performing, high-potential, and promotable employees should be part of a long-term strategic talent management plan,” said Denise M. Morrison, president

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and CEO of Campbell. “And that plan needs to be linked to the achievement of the company’s goals.” Before the hiring process begins, employers need to define who they are as a company and what they want to accomplish in the short and long run. “Our culture is influenced by our core values — character,

competence, courage and teamwork,” Morrison said. “And it’s driven by our purpose, ‘Real Food that Matters for Life’s Moments.’” Staffing needs of a company typically vary depending on its size. Most small businesses need jacks of all trades — one person to run all aspects of their marketing or finance, for example. But as companies evolve and grow, they’ll often need employees with more specific skills sets in order to keep moving forward. “We empower our people to be creative and take bold action to help the company grow,” Morrison said. “Campbell employees have the opportunity to do their best work and make a significant difference here. They are passionate about our brands, and I am inspired by their energy.” Having a clear understanding of what’s needed in terms of

talent, skills, volumes, and geographies is an important first step in the talent acquisition process. But employers must also assess which candidates would be a strong cultural fit. “In addition to evaluating skill sets, we look for candidates that fit the values of our culture,” Morrison said. “Values and skill sets are equally important, but we also look for individuals with the aptitude and desire to advance beyond the opportunity at hand.” In a recent CareerBuilder survey, 77 percent of employers said they wanted candidates with soft skills — the way employees relate to and interact with other people, for example. And 16 percent of those respondents prioritized soft skills over hard skills. Hard skills are quantifiable abilities, such as fluency in a foreign language or proficiency in computer programming. While

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“

Values and skill sets are equally important, but we also look for individuals with the aptitude and desire to advance beyond the opportunity at hand.” — Denise M. Morrison president and CEO Campbell Soup Company

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hard skills can be learned, soft skills are more difficult to teach. A company’s success can be impeded when employees lack these critical soft skills. That’s why employers who are willing to recruit candidates for their future potential, instead of just their current potential, will often surpass their competitors. Soft skills applicants are typically referred to as teachable fits, and it’s up to each company to define what that means for them. For Campbell, it comes down to leadership potential, different approaches to problem solving, a passion for food and business, a proven track record of high performance, and last but not least, diversity, across gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and generation. “Because we covet outside perspectives, we put a lot of effort into attracting people from varied industries or that have diverse ways of thinking,” Morrison said. Embracing diversity is an undeniable strength of the Campbell organization. For the sixth consecutive year, Campbell earned a perfect 100 percent score on the Corporate Equality Index, which is measured by the Human Rights Campaign — the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization in the United States. It’s that inclusive approach, plus the company’s dedication to its core values, that allow it to attract the top talent in the market. It’s also about making employees feel at home. “Building relationships is critical to a new employee’s success at Campbell,” Morrison said. “We create an onboarding plan for new employees that includes time with key stakeholders. The plan gives them an opportunity to form relationships, develop a Campbell network, and quickly get up to speed on our business strategies and opportunities.” Campbell understands that creating the best workforce possible doesn’t end at the job offer. Employers must always be aware of where their employees are currently and where they want to go in their careers. That forward momentum is crucial to getting the most out of employees — and keeping them engaged. Different companies have different approaches to boosting employee morale. Some promote social events and outings, such as happy hours and sports leagues, to encourage employees to build stronger bonds with one another. Others use employee recognition or reward strategies to acknowledge a job well done. However employee morale is approached, companies must always have their employees’ long-term career goals in mind to achieve lasting results. “The growth and development of people advances the

growth of business.” Morrison said. “It’s important to have a good understanding of where employees want to go in their careers. Be focused on providing the best solutions for building their capabilities. That means having strong internal processes — and also looking externally for best in class programs and strategies for nurturing talent. Great people build great business.” For many companies, employee retention can be a challenge. According to a recent study from the Center for American Progress, employee turnover can be a huge hit for a company’s bottom line. For workers earning less than $50,000 annually — which encompasses 75 percent of all workers in the United States — studies show the typical turnover cost to be 20 percent of an employee’s salary. The numbers are similar for employees earning $75,000 a year or less, which account for 9 in 10 American workers. But rapid turnover is avoidable. “People join a company, but leave a manager,” Morrison said. “Manager quality is crucial to retain top talent. Through our Manager Excellence program, we coach managers to drive employee performance and engagement.”

Morrison also points out that if a company wants its employees to make a long-term commitment to the company, it’s vital that they’re given a strong reason to stay. “Another key to retaining our best employees is to provide them with meaningful growth opportunities,” she said. “Stretch assignments and opportunities to work in one of our international locations are two examples of that.” Produce and consumer packaged goods can often seem like two completely different industries, but they face similar hurdles when it comes to attracting, developing, and retaining top talent. While there’s no single recipe for success, there’s no denying that hiring the right employees is a crucial ingredient. Campbell makes this a priority in all aspects of its organization — and it’s an approach that other companies can learn from as well. “Employers should acknowledge that the right talent in the right roles is vital for longer term value creation,” Morrison said. “Employers that make short-term decisions will run the risk of making costly mistakes. It is important that people feel like they have the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute.”

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Why I Chose Produce Joe Nava’s path to produce was set at a PMA Foundation program in San Diego. by Tom Coombe

Joe Nava

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Seven years ago, when Nava was a college student, he had his understanding of the produce business turned on its head. “I walked the floor and I was just so impressed at how large the industry was,” said Nava, a senior account manager for Calavo Growers in Santa Paula, California. “Just how many different avenues of business there was, from accounting to software.” At the time, Nava was a student at California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo, studying agribusiness with an emphasis on marketing. He’d received a Pack Family Career Pathways scholarship from PMA Foundation, but the idea of produce as a career wasn’t really on his radar. “I thought I’d be doing just some sort of business,” he said, “maybe the advertising side, the marketing side.” But Nava had found himself in a world that was bigger and busier than he imagined, and one that is extremely tight-knit. “When I was walking booth to booth…they were very forthcoming with information,” Nava says. “They all told me, ‘When you graduate college, give us a call.’ I kept in touch with everyone I interned with or met. The produce community is such a tight group. The people are so great, so welcoming.” Soon, Nava was interning for produce businesses, spending a three-month sales internship with Famous Software, a Fresno company that provides software solutions to produce growers, pickers, and shippers. Another sales internship followed in 2007, this

time seven months of selling berries for Driscoll’s. “I was able to see the day-to-day sale of produce,” he said. “It just got me excited.” Nava graduated in 2009 and landed an account manager job with Mission Produce in Oxnard. He spent four years with them before moving to Calavo in 2013. “I just love it. I have the passion for the sale,” Nava said. There’s something exciting, he explained, about working with a perishable commodity. Nava works mainly with avocados, his company’s flagship fruit. The challenge is moving it while it’s ripe — most of his customers are on “the ripe program” — but not too ripe. “We’re not selling widgets, where you can sit on it for a while,” he said. Fruit is real and perishable, and so are the relationships between seller and customer, Nava has found. “I think it’s still a people-to-people type of business,” he said. “You’re not selling online. People in this industry expect you to pick up the phone. The handshake still goes a long way in this industry.” Nearly 10 years after that PMA event, Nava says produce will be a lifelong career. “I find myself being in produce for the long run, and I’m hoping to take more of a manager position down the road.” It’s a long way from the way he used to think about produce. “It just blew my mind,” he said. “When I was a kid, I thought selling produce meant a fruit stand somewhere.”

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Making the Business Case for More Women in Leadership by Deborrah Himsel, Thunderbird School of Management We need more women leaders, but this isn’t a feminist argument, nor is it about diversity or fairness. We need more women leaders because the data tell us it’s good for business.

As you may be aware, a number of recent events have re-ignited the female leadership discussion: Hillary Clinton’s impending run for the presidency and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s faux pas in arguing that women should not ask for raises but have “faith in the system.” As people debate this issue, they should be aware of the data. For instance, a 2007 study by Catalyst (a nonprofit organization that promotes inclusive workplaces for women) of Fortune 500 companies found organizations with mixed-gender boards had a 53 percent higher return on equity, a 66 percent higher return on invested capital and a 42 percent higher return on sales. In the male-dominated high-tech world, womenoperated, venture-backed high-tech companies aver-

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aged 12 percent higher annual revenues. On the female CEO front, an analysis from Fortune magazine showed that Fortune 1000 companies with female CEOs recorded better stock market returns than the organizations with male CEOs. Leadership effectiveness that facilitates employee engagement is another metric. A recent Gallup survey found that female managers tend to be better at engaging employees than their male counterparts. Female employees reporting to female managers were the most engaged. The least engaged employees were male employees reporting to male managers. Consider the value of engagement in light of a Gallup/UK study that determined the financial impact of

PHOTOGRAPH: ©ISTOCK.COM/LAFLOR

The effectiveness of female leaders just cannot be disputed any longer.

Fortune 1000 companies with female CEOs recorded better stock market returns than the organizations with male CEOs Fortune magazine

freshâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; January 2015 Edition 31

disengaged teams to be between $70 and $112 billion annually. Female leadership traits of inclusiveness, collaboration, and comfort with ambiguity are often cited as key drivers of a more engaged workforce; the traditional male command-and-control style is becoming an anachronism. In addition, a research study conducted for the Ketchum Leadership Monitor surveyed more than 6,800 individuals worldwide and found people favored female leaders over males. Survey respondents saw their female leaders as more adept than males at handling crises in a more calm and confident manner. Deborrah Himsel is the Thunderbird School of Management lead faculty for So, if the business case is so the Emerging Leader Program. She is also clear-cut, why is there even a dethe author of the recently released book bate about the need for more feBeauty Queen: Inside the Reign of Avon’s male leaders? Two reasons: First, Andrea Jung. myths about women in leadership roles are still pervasive. For example, one of my clients, a Fortune 25 global company, has been unable to move more women into site GM roles due to the perception that these roles require more time and travel than working mothers are willing to handle.

When they surveyed the men in these roles, they found that the hours actually traveled and worked were over-inflated. When they surveyed the women in line for these roles, they found them willing to put in whatever time and miles that were required — two myths shattered in a single survey. Second, some women leaders have failed in highly public ways. In Beauty Queen, my book about former Avon CEO Andrea Jung, I found that her mistakes toward the end of her tenure obscured the tremendous accomplishments of her earlier years. While people may give male leaders who fail the benefit of the doubt, they can be overly harsh in judging female leaders’ failures. We need more women in leadership roles. It’s not only about promoting more women, but also understanding the type of talent and leadership skills that will be needed going forward. As many of my clients have indicated, traits and skills such as collaboration, transparency, communication, and empathy are critical for their enterprises–traits and skills that women tend to possess more often than men. We need to move past our unconscious biases and outdated assumptions and understand that an increase in female leaders is just plain good business.

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ATTEND THIS GROUND-BREAKING CONFERENCE Based on research that women are good for business, the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference is designed to strengthen the leadership skills of women throughout the produce and floral supply chain.

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April 26-28, 2015 | San Diego, California USA

PMA Australia-New Zealand Members Talk Talent by Erin Hart, Marketing Communications Manager, PMA Australia-New Zealand With competition to attract, develop and retain talented staff heating up around the globe, companies across the Australian and New Zealand fresh produce value chain are finding it increasingly difficult to source and keep appropriately trained staff. In Australia, one in six jobs depends on agricultural production, yet the industry has the lowest number of workers with post-secondary qualifications. In New Zealand, only 40 percent of the horticulture workforce has a formal qualification, compared to the estimated 66 percent that will be required by 2025. To find out how the issue is being tackled by fresh produce businesses in the region, fresh spoke to two PMA Australia-New Zealand members.

The PMA A-NZ Career Pathways Program will be run 12-14 May 2015 at PMA Fresh Connections. To find out more please visit pma-anz.com/industry-talent. The PMA A-NZ Emerging Leaders Program will be held from 20th to 23rd September 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. For further details please visit pma-anz.com/ELP

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GREIG PULLAR, HR MANAGER: MG MARKETING, NEW ZEALAND fresh: Is attracting talent an issue for MG Marketing? GP: At times we have struggled to fill critical positions that require produce knowledge. It seems that there is a small pipeline of new or experienced people within the NZ produce industry. fresh: What programs does MG Marketing have in place to attract, develop and retain talent? GP: MG puts significant emphasis on retaining our people and we have done it well for a long time. In some ways new talent management has taken a back seat due to this focus. Presently we are heavily focused on recruiting and developing new talent. Our programs include internships, partnerships with universities, and a youth and graduate recruitment program. As the requirements of our business change, so does the required skill set. We are continuing our focus on building capabilities, not just finding them, and PMA A-NZ programs such as the Emerging Leaders Program have played a large role in that. fresh: Why do you think the produce industry struggles to attract talent? GP: As an industry I don’t think we sell our value proposition very well compared to some large FMCG grocery corporates. In reality, we have many of the same career opportunities. MG Marketing, as a business-to-business marketer, has little connection with prospective employees through our brands; in the context of recruiting, it’s difficult for candidates to resonate with us without knowing anything about us. We aim to walk the talk and live up to our recruitment by-line, ‘Join the freshest in the business.’ For us, this means creating an outstanding value proposition to help attract the best new talent and keep existing employees loyal.

fresh: What more can fresh produce companies and the industry as a whole do to make fresh produce a more appealing career path? GP: Overall the industry needs to focus on providing a better quality of jobs at the youth and graduate recruitment level. The new generation of workers is demanding more than a pay check — they want a job that they can really sink their teeth into and develop rapidly. In addition to that, we need to promote the scale and breadth of opportunities within the industry and within our businesses. We also need to ensure we have tailored development programs for new entrants; for example, having these new entrants involved in industry events such as PMA Fresh Connections is a great way of giving them perspective on the scale of the produce industry.

Greig Pullar (center) and the rest of his team (L-R: Erin Hart (PMA A-NZ), Joseph Cartisano (Perfection Fresh Australia), Lee Hayward (previously of OneHarvest), and Xu Hongyu (Leo) (China Resources Ng Fung Ltd)

STATISTICS FOR NEW ZEALAND By 2025 New Zealand’s horticulture industry will need an estimated 44,100 workers (not factoring in support services such as seed companies, government etc.), which equates to a net increase of 7,800 workers from 2012; 14,900 more workers with qualifications; 7,100 fewer workers without post school qualifications (through training and natural attrition); and an additional 26,300 trained workers to replace the natural attrition of workers within the industry. Out of a population of 4.5 million people in New Zealand, the horticulture sector currently employs about 36,300 people.

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JOSH GRIMM, ACCOUNTANT: OAKVILLE POTATOES, PART OF MORAITIS GROUP, AUSTRALIA

also helped build it to what it has become. It’s an amazing opportunity to learn and develop my career alongside some of the greatest entrepreneurs in Australia fresh: Why do you think the produce industry struggles to attract new talent?

Josh Grimm (right) with his mentor, the late Mark Blue.

Note: Josh was a PMA A-NZ Career Pathways Participant at PMA Fresh Connections in 2012 fresh: What appealed to you about the produce industry? JG: Fruit and veg has always been a large part of my life. During my studies I would work nights and weekends replenishing the produce shop floor at my local supermarket, then in 2012, I was lucky enough to attend the PMA Fresh Connections in Australia as part of the PMA A-NZ Career Pathways Program. I was fortunate in meeting many key stakeholders in fresh produce at the conference, including a member of the finance team at Moraitis during a tour of the Melbourne Markets. The industry is dynamic and constantly changing. Developments in technology play a large part in this. So, too, does the large pool of knowledge from those who have not only remained in the industry for decades and generations, but who have

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JG: I feel that many organisations in the fresh produce industry have really failed to market themselves as an attractive workplace to young professionals and graduates alike. For students of finance and accounting, fresh produce doesn’t appear to have the glamour and perks of large banks and accounting firms, and any alternatives to this formulated career path are very rarely promoted at the university level. For those who have studied agriculture and related sciences, it seems as though the more united dairy and livestock industries have pushed more resources into university coursework and internships, and have been more successful at attracting graduates from these fields of study. fresh: What more can fresh produce companies and the industry as a whole do to make fresh produce a more appealing career path? JG: If fresh produce businesses can show prospective talent that the industry faces certain growth in decades to come, this would put us well on the way to attracting more talent. The largest impact fresh produce companies can have is through investing in the communities in which they operate. This is particularly the case for rural growers, as the majority of local young people do not see an attractive career path and aspire to make a permanent move to the cities. If more open days, work experience programs, scholarships and

STATISTICS FOR AUSTRALIA internships were offered to high school students, they may see the broad range of career opportunities that exist in the industry. Fresh produce businesses are in direct competition with every other business in every other industry, and quite often completely fall off the radar for those whose interests may not lie directly in agriculture, but in food production, marketing, finance or other areas of business administration. These competitors often have large graduate intakes with structured internship programs attracting students who are still in the midst of studying. I believe a united approach in running similar programs in-

In Australia, one in six jobs depends on agricultural production, yet the industry has the lowest number of workers with post-secondary qualifications. In 2009, only 7.8 percent of agricultural workers had tertiary qualifications, in contrast to 25 percent for the wider communities; but 62 percent of the agribusiness workforce is classified as managers or professionals. The Australian horticulture sector currently employs approximately 32,700 people. For context, the population of Australia is 23 million. dustrywide may be one answer to attracting more industry talent, but ultimately sowing the seeds early on in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career development and sparking interest in the sector through education can help to grow passion for fresh produce.â&#x20AC;&#x201A;

Tech Experts Bring Food Safety Innovation to Produce by Theresa Katalinas In 2012, Jim Byron incorporated Xgenex, a food safety innovation company, which aims to commercialize cutting-edge solutions, including green and sustainable technologies. He came to Xgenex following technical sales, management, director, vice president and chief executive positions. Prior to collaborating with an executive group to form Xgenex, Byron worked for SDIX, a division of Romer Labs, where his work centered on antibodies, immunology, immunoassays, genetically modified organisms and genetic traits, as well as water and pathogen testing. That work prepared Byron for Xgenex. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida-based company was formed as a means to collaborate with the food industry and technology innovators to further food safety and offer more environmentally friendly solutions. “We recognized a growing need for better solutions to solve the challenges of food production and to break out of the long established ‘habits’ that characterized the industry,” Byron said. “We were being approached

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by several companies to collaborate to bring new technology to the food industry — specifically in the area of food safety.” Adding urgency to the need for new solutions was Xgenex’s market assessment, which in 2012 projected world population rates of nearly 10 billion by 2050. At that rate, the global population would require 100 percent more food, driving home the need for efficiency and better technology. With a focus always on sustainability and advancing green solutions, Xgenex’s developments will “reduce costs and improve results” in the produce industry and align with social trends driving consumer decisions, now and into the future, he said. An example, according to Byron, is avoiding testing technologies that involve animals and instead producing test kit reagents. “Technology that Xgenex is working on is very different from solutions that have been in the market and will fundamentally change the way that food safety goals are accomplished. We are continually evaluating technologies that may have a role in the future,” Byron said,

Xgenexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s developments involve, in part, avoiding testing technologies that involve animals and instead producing test kit reagents.

freshâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; January 2015 Edition 39

“

The implications for the produce industry are new technologies that are green, sustainable, progressive, and aligned with social trends.” — Jim Byron CEO Xgenex

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adding that his office contains “several dozen” confidentiality agreements for technologies that Xgenex evaluated, but ultimately passed on. “We are very selective in what we are investing in.” Working with “harmless and beneficial” bacteria and eliminating harmful organisms is at the crux of food safety, according to Byron. His company is most interested in sanitation and interventions for pathogen control; shelf life extension; water management and water conservation; water testing; food pathogen and bacteria testing; and on-site laboratories and software. “It sounds like a lot, but all of these elements are interconnected and are aligned with our core mission of biology and advancing food safety,” he said. “Together with our collaborating businesses we’re working on some pretty cool stuff.” New solutions for water conservation and water reuse will allow processors to “maximize the value” obtained from fresh water, he said. In addition, improved intervention chemistry and biologics will ensure food is free of pathogens like listeria, salmonella, shiga-toxigenic E. coli, as well as other bacteria and viruses before food is packaged for sale, Byron said. In the fall of 2014, Xgenex announced a partnership with Kroff Food Services to offer sustainable and green technologies to enable food producers to control bacteria that cause food-borne illness and food spoilage. Tim Laube, Kroff Food Services general manager, said in a press release that his company’s customers could save 50 to 60 percent on their water bills alone, potentially saving up to $1 million per year. In August, Dow Microbial Control, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, announced a commercial agreement with Xgenex for the U.S. sales of Dow Advanced Oxidation System Certified Whole Room Sanitization for food processing and packaging environments. The sustainable sanitization solution developed specifically for the food industry is said to reduce and control pathogens on surfaces and in the air. Byron said the most “ordinary resources” — air and water — are fueling sanitation technology that he described as being “more powerful than chlorine.” “Our work on testing technology platforms will reduce the amount of time required to confidently test for food pathogens by half or more,” Byron said. “The implications for the produce industry are new technologies that are green, sustainable, progressive, and aligned with social trends.

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Fresh Summit: My Highlights from

FRESH SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

by Lisa Davis, Director of Business Development, Edge Sales & Marketing and 2014 PMA Fresh Summit chair

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I’ve been attending Fresh Summit for a handful of years now, in a variety of roles and for several different clients. I don’t think I’m alone when I say that no matter how many times you walk through the doors of whatever city the show has traveled to, you’ll never see everything. There will be some education sessions you miss, some receptions that don’t quite make it onto your jam-packed schedule, some booths you kick yourself later for not crossing off your list. As the 2014 Fresh Summit committee chairperson, even a sneak peek of the behind-thescenes workings left me saying, “Wait — that happened?” It’s just the nature of a show that is so much to so many. In order to walk away at the end with

your objectives met, one must prioritize. Prioritizing became a lot easier in recent years with the addition of personalized communities of interest. Let’s face it — with more than 20,000 attendees from across the globe (60+ countries), there’s going to be a lot of differentiation in goals. Some come to learn about emerging technologies, others come for solutions in sustaining the industry’s talent. The floral community has created a large presence to market their products, and one of the most popular reasons attendees give up their October weekend is to network with customers and peers from across the entire supply chain. With all of that going on, we need some way to dial into what will impact our day-to-day business most.

a Whirlwind Weekend

So, in case you missed it, here are some of the weekend’s biggest takeaways outlined by those personalized communities:

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS • The Hartman Group’s Shelley Balanko spoke to a crowd of produce and floral marketers when she presented “Product Transparency Meets Fresh Produce” during Friday’s full-day education session. She drilled down into a core issue when she said, “Consumers want to support ‘the good guys,’ and that’s where transparency comes into play. Consumers’ anxiety about food is rooted in fear — fear for their health and wellbeing, but also for the future. Since food is purchased at a greater frequency than other products, it’s where consumers feel they have the most influence.”

• The education was complemented by a Global Connections reception which hosted attendees from across the globe and provided a great opportunity to network and exchange ideas.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY • Among the education presented on Friday for the Science, Technology and Food Safety community was a session with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner Michael Taylor and Director of Produce Safety Samir Assar. They spoke to attendees about the recent Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) proposals and their implications for our businesses.

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• A handful of companies were awarded the Impact Award: Excellence in Packaging, a recognition given by a panel of judges from the produce and packaging industries to trendsetters that create and deliver bold new concepts for produce and floral packaging.

INDUSTRY TALENT • The annual PMA Foundation Women’s Fresh Perspectives breakfast was a sell-out this year, and it’s not too hard to figure out why women from all segments of the supply chain make this networking event a priority. ABC News Contributor and New York Times best-selling author Claire Shipman spoke to the 400+ attendees about “cracking the confidence code,” a message that made a lasting impression. • Our industry is constantly fighting the war on talent, so it was nice to see so many students walking the expo floor and attending education sessions to learn about the vast opportunities the produce and floral industries offer. This year’s PMA Foundation Career Pathways program hosted more than 40 students hailing from Australia, Chile, South Africa and the U.S.

FLORAL • The floral pavilion returned to the Fresh Summit expo floor this year and more than doubled in size since its introduction in 2013. More than 60 exhibitors filled the sold-out space with fresh, colorful and aromatic displays of product — drawing a huge crowd of buyers. • PMA’s research team hosted the Pantone Color Institute and Euromonitor International for two education sessions on Friday. Both sessions resulted in huge attendance and lots of takeaways, like lavender’s ability to release tension. There’s a lot more that happened at Fresh Summit that you can still take advantage of through pma.com, including recaps of education sessions from all of the communities I mentioned above. And, since no one can ever master all that there is to share (not even us behind-the-scene folks), I ask you to please share your favorite moments with me and your industry brothers and sisters on Twitter @PMA.

ORGANIC

Until next year! Lisa

Naturally Delicious www.freshexpress.com

Fresh Summit Award Winners SPEZZANO NAMED 2014 ROBERT L. CAREY LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNER

Jay Pack, right, presented Spezzano with the 2014 Robert L. Carey Leadership Award.

Dick Spezzano, president of Spezzano Consulting, received the 2014 Robert L. Carey Leadership Award. From the many nominations, a team of four past PMA chairmen selected Spezzano in recognition of his outstanding leadership and an uncommon commitment to PMA and the produce industry. “This is a man who epitomizes what it means to give back to the industry in which he’s worked for over 50 years,” said last year’s winner Jay Pack, while presenting the award to Spezzano. “He believes in reaching out to youth — to build healthy eating habits early and to attract the best and the brightest young talent. Together with his wife Carole, he’s also set the bar by making a legacy gift to the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent. Talk about the power of commitment.” “This award is very special to me as I was on the PMA Board of Directors for ten years while Bob was the association leader,” said Spezzano. “Under Bob’s leadership, I learned many things and especially the art of giving back to an industry that has been good to me.

PASSION GROWERS’ SAM FERRARA EARNS INDUSTRY HONORS Passion Growers’ Vice President of Sales and Marketing Sam Ferrara was named the 2014 PMA Floral Marketer of the Year at the annual floral reception. The award, now in its 34th year, recognizes an outstanding floral professional who has served the mass-market floral industry with dedication and distinction. “Sam’s leadership and innovative thinking has guided the creation of new merchandising, products and technology that have made a difference where it matters most: in a retail environment selling more flowers to consumers.” Joe Don Zetzsche, director of floral for H-E-B BLOOMS™ Floral Shops and 2013 winner said during the award presentation. “He believes we can always do more, never settles for status quo and always pushes to get ahead. It’s as if success is in his DNA.” Ferrara serves on the PMA Floral Council this year which represents the industry across the floral supply chain. PMA’s focus on floral began in 1977, and the council’s focus includes a continued emphasis on consumer research, net-

Sam Ferrara, center, received PMA’s 2014 Floral Marketer of the Year Award from 2013 recipient Joe Don Zetzsche, left, and PMA CEO Bryan Silbermann.

working and education through a variety of events, and a growing presence at Fresh Summit via dedicated workshop sessions and an expanding floral pavilion which doubled in size this year.

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Inside eat brighter!™ with Larry McIntosh, Peak of the Market by Meg Miller Larry McIntosh is President and CEO of Peak of the Market, a grower with roots in Manitoba and Alberta, Canada, and his company is an early adopter — a trailblazer — of the eat brighter!™ movement. The ‘eat brighter!’ program grants the fresh produce industry royalty-free access to Sesame Street character images and was forged by the Partnership for a Healthier America, which works with the private sector and PHA Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama to make healthy choices easier for busy parents and families. Peak of the Market has already launched a line of potatoes and onions adorned with Big Bird, Abby Cadabby and the fun, kidfriendly elements of the Sesame Street brand that can be found in supermarkets and other retail locations across Canada. I spoke with Larry about his involvement with ‘eat brighter!’ — why he got involved, what kind of impact he anticipates, and exactly what he plans on doing with the furry faces kids (and their moms) have grown to love. MM: What about the ‘eat brighter!’ program appealed to you? Why did Peak of the Market get involved? LM: The ‘eat brighter!’ program is a perfect fit for our company and, quite frankly, our industry. We want to be associated with a movement that is about health, children and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables. We take great pride in the quality of our vegetables and the Peak of the Market brand name that stands behind everything we do. This marketing campaign is different than anything else our industry has ever seen. By being able to use the very recognized and trusted Sesame Street characters on packaging and point-of-

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purchase materials, it raises the profile of the produce industry. MM: You say it’s different from anything the industry has seen. Can you tell me more about that?

“

This was the quickest launch of new packaging we have ever done.

The positive and enthusiastic comments from our customers and consumers made the effort well worthwhile.” — Larry McIntosh President and CEO Peak of the Market

LM: The ‘eat brighter!’ program is a game changer for our industry — fruits and vegetables have been competing with junk food for the attention of children and adults for decades. Unfortunately, our industry cannot compete with these companies when it comes to their advertising budgets or high profile sponsorships. However, if the produce industry gets behind ‘eat brighter!’ and its Sesame Street characters, we can compete with a unified image, brand and voice. Just imagine if every package of produce had ‘eat brighter!’ on it. MM: What was your process in deciding exactly how to apply the Sesame Street character images to your go-to-market strategy? LM: When the ‘eat brighter!’ program became available in Canada, we made it a top priority to redesign all of our potato and onion packaging. Programs like this rarely are available, especially royalty free. We could not let this opportunity sit for months — it was just too good to wait until our current packaging ran out. We signed up for the program, sent in the required paperwork to PMA and were approved the next day. We started designing immediately and submitted the designs to Sesame Street Workshops’ representative Paragon. Paragon was great to work with and provided helpful advice, suggestions and approvals very quickly. From the time we signed the agreement to the day the packaging arrived in the stores was just 10 weeks. This was the quickest launch of new packaging we have ever done. The positive and enthusiastic comments from our customers and consumers made the effort well worthwhile. MM: What do you think will help the ‘eat brighter!’ program make an impact? LM: The key to getting the ‘eat brighter!’ message across Canada and the United States is the industry getting behind it. Produce suppliers are all competitors in many ways but with this one program, we all benefit by working together as one. If Canadians and Americans are eating more fruits and vegetables, this is good for our citizens’ health and for the health of our industry. Learn more about the movement at pma.com/eatbrighter.

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MEMBER PROFILE

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Enhancing the Floral Experience from Grower to Consumer With Temkin

emkin International, Inc. was found in 1980 by Danny Temkin. Since then, the company has grown to employ 600 team members in Florida; Utah; Colombia; and Canada. Temkin’s passion has always been enhancing the floral experience from grower to consumer, and the company focuses on three core principles: service, value, and distinction. The idea is to enhance the already beautiful product that the growers produce. “The floral industry moves fast. That is why we use our resources to not only keep ahead of the trends but also to continually improve our manufacturing processes,” said Danny Temkin. Danny Temkin, who was the 2008 recipient of the PMA Floral Marketer of the Year Award, credits Temkin’s success in the floral industry to the team that makes it happen day in and day out. Temkin, a balance of manufacturing and marketing services, has the fastest turnaround in the industry and can implement comprehensive mass market programs from start to finish, giving peace of mind to the buyers. The right concept needs to be created and then executed on, making sure every detail is checked along the way. Temkin’s trend research includes not only the latest patterns and

colors but also the right messaging that will resonate with the consumer. Temkin knowledge of the industry is vast, and its team has expertise in all levels from growing and processing to distribution and sales. “We work hard and have fun in the process,” said Danny Temkin. “The best results come when we are able to fully engage with a customer and create an impactful program together.” For more information, visit gotemkin.com.

“

PMA has listened to the floral industry and created a venue with educational seminars with an eye on the future. I am excited that I can take this knowledge and inspiration and directly implement it into various aspects of our business.” — Noam Temkin Vice President of Sales and Marketing Temkin

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MEMBER PROFILE

Camposol Leads Agricultural Industry in Peru

amposol S.A. is the leading agro-industrial company in Peru, the largest producer of avocados, and soon the largest producer of blueberries in the world. It is involved in the harvest, processing, and marketing of highquality agricultural products such as blueberries, avocados, asparagus, grapes, mangoes, mandarins, pomegranates, peppers, artichokes, quinoa, and shrimp; all of which are exported to United States of

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America, Europe, and Asia. Camposol expects to see a large increase in demand for blueberries, up until the year 2016. It aims to become one of the largest suppliers of this fruit to the U.S. market, so it is an important focus for the company. Accordingly, it is investing around US$110 million in plants, processing and equipment for the next three years. Its blueberry production will increase to

2,000 hectares of planted area and, upon reaching full productivity, a harvest of approximately 30,000 tons per year is expected. On top of our current, 13,000 workers in high seasons, around 10,000 new jobs will be created by this growth, thus becoming the first employer in Peru. Camposol aims to produce blueberries with perfect bloom and color. The berries are selected for their roundness, firmness, and intense color. They also must be unbroken and carry a slightly white, waxy protection. Camposol produces its blueberries throughout the year but focuses on September to December for the U.S. market. Camposol is a vertically integrated company, offering fresh, preserved, and frozen products. It is the third largest employer in the country, with more than 13,000 workers in high season. It is committed to support sustainable development through social responsibility policies and projects aimed to increase the shared value for all of its stakeholders, such as: •C omprehensive Pest Management System: Treatment of crops with biological methods, as well as alternative natural products instead of pesticides. •C arbon Footprint Calculation: Works to reduce the carbon footprint of all of its operations. • S olid Waste Management: Promotes awareness of segregation and separation of solid waste. • Environmental Compliance and Management Program: Developed to comply with its environmental commitments. •C omprehensive Conservation Plan: Establishes guidelines and procedures for the conservation

of the landscape and different animal habitats. •A nnual Wildlife Census: Measures Camposol’s actions for the protection of biodiversity on its farms. • F orestation: The company plants native species such as Algarrobo, Faique and Huarango as well as seeds of casuarinas equisetifoli, molle costeño, tara or taya and pink cedars. •W ater Footprint Calculation: Agreement with Swiss Cooperation Agencies which allows it to measure the water footprint of its asparagus. Among its social responsibility activities, Camposol has started a project in Peru which will provide housing to workers and their families in the areas around the new growing regions. This project will include schools, health and transport services, and other key infrastructure facilities, as well as green areas and security. Camposol was the first Peruvian agro industrial company to present annual audited Sustainability Reports and has achieved the following international certifications: BSCI, Global Gap, IFS, HACCP, and BRC, among others.

“

We face huge challenges as an industry: water scarcity, land availability, lack of industry talent, enormous growth of the middle class around the world and an increasing need for food, especially healthy food. These

challenges need to be tackled together because no company could overcome these by itself.” — José Antonio Gómez Chief Commercial Officer Camposol S.A.

To learn more about Camposol, please visit camposol.com.pe.

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THANK YOU

FOR GROWING OUR INDUSTRY’S TALENT

2014 INDUSTRY TALENT FUND CONTRIBUTORS

For information on how you can make a tax deductible gift to support PMA Foundation or to learn more about its initiatives to attract, develop and retain industry talent, please visit pmafoundation.com.

$100,000 and above

$2,500 – $4,999

Produce Marketing Association

AlphaKOR Group Boskovich Farms, Inc. Brinker International Caito Food Services, inc. The Fonzo Family Indianapolis Fruit Company Legacy Farms LGS Specialty Sales, Ltd. LiveGourmet/Hollandia Produce Ocean Mist Farms The Packer Sol Group Marketing Co. Temkin International, Inc. Turbana Corporation WJL Distributors, Inc.

$75,000 - $99,999 Jay and Ruth Pack Family Foundation

$25,000 – $49,999 Georgia-Pacific Packaging Taylor Farms

$10,000 – $24,999 AndNowUKnow Blue Book Services Castellini Group of Companies Consolidated West Distributing, Inc. The Giumarra Companies Lipman Mission Produce, Inc. Oppy The Produce News Sun World International LLC

$5,000 – $9,999 AgroFresh Domex Superfresh Growers Moonlight Companies Naturipe Farms, LLC North Bay Produce Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Prime Time International Progressive Produce Corporation Vic & Karen Smith

March 8 -12, 2015 | APPLY TODAY!

Preparing the next generation of global leaders.

$1,000 – $2,499 4Earth Farms AgCareers.com Aribel Aguirre-Beck Alsum Farms & Produce, Inc. John Anderson Andrews Brothers, Inc. B&C Fresh Sales Bronco Packaging Corp. Cathy and Ty Burns Buurma Farms, Inc. Coast Produce Company Concord Foods, Inc. Costco Wholesale

Attracting university students to the industry.

Matt Curry Darden Restaurants D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of NY, Inc. Delaware Valley Floral Group Diversified Restaurant Systems D.L.J. Produce, Inc. DMA Solutions, Inc. Enza Zaden Field Fresh Foods, Inc. Fox Packaging Fresh Direct Produce Ltd. Jim Gorny Grimmway Farms Grocery Outlet, Inc. John Vena, Inc. Kincannon & Reed Kwik Lok Corporation L&M Lakeside Produce Jim and Marcia Leimkuhler Limoneira Company Robert C. Lucy Marsh Supermarkets, LLC Midwest Commodities, Inc. MIXTEC Group Mucci International Marketing, Inc. Musical Harvest Vicki L. Myoda Navajo Agricultural Products Industry Margi Prueitt Rainier Fruit Company

Gaining insights and growing networks for career development.

Janis and Jim Richter Kent and Lynn Shoemaker Bryan and Bonnie Silbermann Spezzano Consulting Service, Inc. SunFed To-Jo Mushrooms, Inc. Tom Lange Company, Inc. Vision Produce Company Westlake Produce Co. Bob Whitaker Wilcox Fresh

$500 – $999 A.J. Trucco, Inc. Leonard Batti Bonipak Produce Co. California Strawberry Commission Capespan North America Capital City Fruit, Co., Inc. Michael Cochran Concord Foods, Inc. Anthony D’Amico Del Campo Supreme, Inc. Jan & Duane DeLyser Duane and Toni Eaton Exp Group, LLC. Frieda’s Specialty Produce G.O. Fresh Ralph Heimann Hugh H. Branch, Inc. Kelly and Brandon Jacob J & J Distributing Co. Jem D International Partners North Shore Greenhouses, Inc. Overwaitea Foods John and Lee Anne Oxford Ben Reilly Marc Solomon Jorge Suarez Sun Pacific Vick Family Farms Partnership Max and Wendi Yeater

$100 – $499 Nelia Alamo Juan Alarcon Anthony Barbieri Jeannie Berger Alicia Calhoun Continental Western Corp. Marty Craner Vernon Crowder CS Sales and Marketing for Results Kevin Delaney Fresh Gourmet Company Barbara Hochman Michele Hoffman Kerlin’s Mid-Atlantic Distributor’s Casey Kio Julie Koch Crystal J. Mayfield Elaine McGrath M. Jill Overdorf Richard Owen Sentier Systems Inc.

Up to $99 Kent Allaway Robin Bednash Sally A. Bedwell Michael Bondar Vicki Bonvetti Gail Carpenter Kathy Coyle Christina D’Allacco Patricia Dominguez Lynda Fisher Robyn Florio Nicole Fullmer Criztal Hernandez Jamie Hillegas Holland Fresh Group Patti Shanks Johnson Belinda Keota Cheryl Kitchen

Jill LeBrasseur R Mandes + K Means Shawn Merrifield Meg Miller Brian Moran Megan P. Nash Dot Siegfried Marilyn Steranko George Szczepanski Edmund Treacy Nancy Tucker Lola Van Gilst Bob Whitman Tracy L. Wise Shawn Wootten

2014 Tribute Gifts Contributors names are listed in italics below honoree name. In Memory of Alderico Peter Batti PMA Foundation Staff Dallas Bednash Robin Bednash Anthony “Duke” Bonvetti, Sr. Vicki Bonvetti Theresa M. Coyle Kathy Coyle Henry D’Allacco Christina D’Allacco PMA Foundation Staff Frank Hoffman Barbara Hochman Joe Krafick Kelly and Brandon Jacob George Morgan PMA Foundation Staff Wm. T. Pohlman Marty Craner Michael Silbermann Richard Spezzano PMA Foundation Staff

April 26-28, 2015 | REGISTER TODAY!

September 14-17, 2015 | Chicago, IL

January 13-15, 2016 | Dallas, Texas

Cultivating women’s potential.

Optimizing the impact of mid-level leaders.

Offering senior executives an atmosphere for growth and creativity.

Welcome

Produce Marketing Association is pleased to welcome the following corporate members who have recently joined our organization.*

NEW PMA MEMBERS AUSTRALIA Agribusiness Recruitment Aherns Fruit Markets Alfred E. Chave Pty., Ltd. Berry Yummy Marketing Department of Environment and Primary Industries Harrowsmiths Internatinal Pty National Australia Bank Plunkett Orchards Specialty Packaging Total Food Network Australia Withcott Seedlings QLD. Pty, Ltd. BRAZIL Alfa Citrus Com De Frutas Ltda Frutas E Verduras AP Horticeres Sementes Ltda. Isla Sementes Ltda Jacarei Agricultura Comercio Villa Barrichello CANADA Sunny Sky Produce Ltd Traffic Tech, Inc. CHILE Cherry Traders SA Coface Chile S.A. Frutera Aguas Blancas Oxyion SA Pack-Man Ltda RIOblanco SpA Transitex Chile SPA Union Pacific Trading Ltda. Van Amerongen South America Ltda. CHINA Changsha Greenery Agriculture Gogo Qingdao Limited Hunter Food Services Shanghai Supafresh Trading Co., Ltd. Shanghai Yechen Industry Co. Ltd Suho Whole Food Company Xiamen Bona Industry Co. Ltd. XinWoDingTai Trade Co. Ltd. ECUADOR Tuchok S.A.

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FRANCE Fructidor.com Marfret Compagnie Maritime Richel Group INDIA Mahindra ShubhLabh Services Ltd. ISRAEL J. Brosh Industrial Group LTD Pimi Agro Cleantech ITALY Polenghi Las MEXICO Agricola Amigo S PR Agroscience Biochemical S.A. de C.V. Distribuidora De Papa Costeña Empaques San Javier SPR De RL EXPO FRESH SA De CV Fresh Export SPR de RL Frio Express S.A. De C.V. Frutas Finas Sanchez Hnos., S.A. de C.V. Inposa Jifkins SA de CV Jorge Luis Zazueta Borboa Limonik Produce Inc. Papas Selectas SA De CV Pecam Produce Rancho El Tiron, SA De CV REX PRODUCE DE MEXICO Sabrimex SA De CV SPAC SYS21 Mexico, S.A. Tajin International Corp. MOROCCO Les Domaines Export PERU Agricola Pampa Baja, S.A.C. Mar Line Sac Odebrecht H2Olmos S.A. Ransa Comerical, SA SOUTH AFRICA Evergreens Massmart Services Division of Massstores PYT LTD Standard Bank Westfalia Marketing (PTY) Ltd.

UNITED STATES Agro Innova All Natural Quest Inc. Amerijet International, Inc. Andnowuknow Apeel Sciences Associated Grocers Baton Rouge Automated Packaging Systems Band-It Rubber Company, Inc Bell-Carter Foods, Inc. Berry Fresh LLC Borges, USA Borray’s Plastics MFG Inc. BrightFarms California Olive Ranch Carson Technology Caterpillar, Inc. Chipotle Mexican Grill Commercial Food Sanitation Commercial Lynks Inc. Custom Pro Logistics CUTCO Business Gifts dailyServing LLC Dallas/Fort Worth Int. Airport Dave Wilson Nursery Daymon Worldwide, Inc. DCI Flooring Deep Deluxe Packages Display Pack, Inc. DuPont Teijin Films EcoPack Systems ERC Trade LLC Everett Graphics Fairtrade America Fine Mexican Food Products Inc. FJ Packaging, Inc. Food Marketing Resources Fresco Produce, LLC FruitGuys Fuji Robotics Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association Global Cooling Inc. Globopak, LLC. Graley Marketing Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, LLC HM Clause, Inc.

Howard Sheppard Inc. InterLink Marketing Group International Exports International Farming Corporation Inverna Tecnologies S.A. De C.V Joe Arevalo & Associates, Ltd. JTP Transportation Inc Kam-Way Transportation Inc. Maja Food Technology Major Transportation Marabella Produce Markem-Imaje Marra Brothers Dist. Inc. MCS Midwest Commodities, Inc. Montero Farms, Inc. Navis Produce Nicholas & Company, Inc. Nielsen Citrus Oliver Search Consulting ORBIS Corporation Packaging Products Corporation Perfect Harvest Inc. Persevere Produce Peru Trade & Investment Office PGI Pinnacle Fruit Port Everglades

Port of Miami Premier Melon Co., Inc. Primera Technology Produce Depot Progistix Worldwide Proseal America Inc. Pure Bioscience, Inc. Quality Logistics, LLC Rhythm Superfoods Shamrock Foods Company Simplyfresco LLC Smart Food International LLC Sprouts Farmers Market Styrotek Inc. Sunny Gem Juice Company SUNworks Sweetleaf Produce Inc Tambo Sur Terry & Joe Baker Farms, LLC The Baddish Group The Chia Co. Trimble Navigation Limited Universal Custom Display Urban Soil, LLC USA Food & Produce Worldwide Utopia Produce Inc. Vega Produce LLC Verigo

Veritable Vegetable World Direct Shipping WP Global Partners LLC

NEW PMA FLORAL MEMBERS AUSTRALIA Wafex Pty Ltd COLOMBIA Deliflor Latinamerica COSTA RICA Plantas Y Flores Ornamentales UNITED STATES Betallic, Inc. CallaCo Costa Farms Garden State Bulb Company Gardens America, Inc. IEF Corp. dba Golden Eagle Jacobson Floral Supply JetRam, Inc. Mellano & Company Packaging Corporation of America The Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bouquet Network *New PMA Members (August 29, 2014 to January 2, 2015)

Thank you to our valued Gold Circle Campaign Contributors PMA’s Gold Circle mission is to protect the public health by providing fresh fruits and vegetables that give consumers a safe and healthy eating experience — every bite, every time. These efforts are made possible by the generous contribution of $1,000 from each of the following industry leaders.* To learn more about becoming a Gold Circle Campaign Contributor, please visit pma.com/GoldCircle. *Gold Circle members as of December 31, 2014

4Earth Farms A & J Produce Corp. A & W Food Services of Canada, Inc. A.J. Trucco, Inc. Able Freight Services, Inc. Ace Customs Broker, Inc. Ag-Fume Services, Inc. Agricola Amigo S PR Agromod, S.A. de C.V. Akin & Porter Produce, Inc. Alpine Fresh, Inc. Alsum Farms & Produce Inc. Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce Andrews Brothers, Inc. Apache Produce Imports, LLC Apio, Inc. Archibald Fresh Associated Wholesale Grocers Awe Sum Organics, Inc. Babe’ Farms, Inc. Bailey Farms, Inc. Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Bay Valley Foods Bayer CropScience Beachside Produce, LLC Ben B. Schwartz & Sons, Inc. Ben E. Keith Foods Ben Litowich & Son, Inc. BFC Associates Big Red Tomato Packers, LLC Bi-Lo/Winn-Dixie Birko Blue Book Services, Inc. Blue Creek Produce, LLC. Bonipak Produce Co. Booth Ranches, LLC Borton & Sons, Inc. Boskovich Farms, Inc. Bozzuto’s, Inc. Braga Fresh Family Farms Brinker International Bronco Packaging Corp. Burris Logistics C & D Fruit & Vegetable Co. CA Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement Cady Bag Company Caito Foods Services, Inc. Calavo Growers, Inc. California Avocado Commission California Pear Advisory Board California Strawberry Commission

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California Sun Dry Foods Canadian Produce Marketing Assn. Capespan North America Castellini Company CDS Distributing, Inc. Charles E. Gilb Company Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, The Chelan Fresh Marketing Chiquita Brands N.A. Christopher Ranch, LLC Church Brothers, LLC Ciruli Brothers Citricola Lucato, Ltda. Classic Fruit Company CMI Columbia Marketing Intl Coast Citrus Distributors Coast Produce Company Coast To Coast Produce, LLC Coastal Fresh Farms, Inc. Coastline Family Farms a dba of Sunridge Farms, Inc. Coliman Grupo S.A. de C.V. Columbine Vineyards Concord Foods, Inc. Coosemans LA Shipping Coosemans Worldwide, Inc. Corona College Heights Country Fresh Mushroom Co. Critcher Brothers Produce, Inc. Crown Jewels Produce Company Crunch Pak Darden Restaurants D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of NY, Inc. D’Arrigo Bros. Co., of California Dave’s Specialty Imports, Inc. Dayka & Hackett, LLC Del Monte Fresh Produce NA, Inc. DiMare Fresh, Inc. Diversified Restaurant Systems Dixie Produce, Inc. DNE World Fruit LLC Dole Food Company, Inc. Domex Superfresh Growers Double Diamond Farms Driscoll’s Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc. Dulcinea Farms-Pacific Trellis Fruit Duncan Family Farms, LLC Earthbound Farm Easterday Farms Produce Co. Eastern Produce Council

Empacadora G.A.B., Inc. Enviro Tech LA, S.A. de C.V. Family Tree Farms Famous Software, LLC Field Fresh Foods, Inc. Fillmore Piru Citrus FirstFruits Marketing of Washington Fisher Ranch Corporation Flagler Global Logistics Flavor Pic Tomato Co. Florida Specialties LLC Florida Strawberry Growers Association Four Star Sales, Inc. Fowler Bros., Inc. Fox Packaging Fresh Direct Produce Ltd. Fresh Gourmet Company Fresh Solutions Network, LLC Fresh Taste Produce, Ltd. Fresherized Foods FreshPoint, Inc. Freshway Foods Freshworld (Pty), Ltd. Freska Produce International, LLC Frieda’s, Inc. Fruits CMR SA G & R Farms G.O. Fresh GFF, Inc. Giant Eagle, Inc. Giorgio Fresh Co. Giro Pack, Inc. Giumarra Companies, The Gold Coast Packing, Inc. Gourmet Garden Herbs & Spices GreenGate Fresh, LLLP Greenhouse Produce Company Grimmway Farms Grocery Outlet, Inc. Growers Marketing, LLC. Grower’s Pride, LLC Guy J. Varley, Inc. H. Brooks & Company Ham Farms, Inc. Hass Avocado Board Heartland Produce Company Highline Mushrooms HM-Clause Hollandia Produce, L.P. Horton Fruit Company, The Hugh H. Branch, Inc.

Hyde & Hyde, Inc. IFCO SYSTEMS Index Fresh, Inc. Indianapolis Fruit Company Itaueira Agropecuaria, S/A J & J Distributing Co. J & K Fresh, LLC J&J Family of Farms J. C. Watson Company J. Marchini Farms J. Margiotta Company, LLC. JAB Produce Jac. Vandenberg, Inc. JO’H Produce Companies John Vena, Inc. JR Simplot Company JV Smith Companies Keystone Fruit Marketing, Inc. Kingdom Fresh Produce Kroger Co., The Kurt Zuhlke & Assoc., Inc. KVAT Food Stores, Inc. Kwik Lok Corporation L&M Lakeside Produce Leger & Son, Inc. LGS Specialty Sales, Ltd. Liberty Fruit Co., Inc. Limoneira Company Litehouse, Inc. Locus Traxx Los Angeles Salad Company Louis Melbourne Lowes Food Stores, Inc. Maddan & Company, Inc. Manfredi Companies Marc Glassman, Inc. Markon Cooperative, Inc. Martori Farms Maryland Food Center Authority Mastronardi Produce Meijer, Inc. Melissa’s Miami Agro Import Military Produce Group LLC Misionero Vegetables Mission Produce, Inc. Monsanto Company Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. Moraitis Group Mucci International Marketing, Inc Muranaka Farm, Inc. Murphy Tomatoes National Mango Board National Produce Consultants National Resource Management, Inc. Nature Fresh Farms NatureSeal, Inc. NatureSweet, LTD Naturipe Farms, LLC.

Navajo Agricultural Products Industry New York Apple Sales, Inc. Nonpareil Corp. North American Produce Buyers North Bay Produce, Inc. North Shore Greenhouses, Inc. Northwest Horticultural Council Ocean Mist Farms Oneonta Trading Corporation Onions Direct LLC Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Orange County Produce Organics Unlimited, Inc. Pacific Coast Fruit Company Pacific International Marketing Panorama Produce Sales, Inc. Paramount Citrus, Inc. Paramount Farms, Inc. Peak of the Market Pear Bureau Northwest Performance Food Group Phillips Mushroom Farms Potandon Produce, LLC Premier Citrus Packers, LLC. Premier Fruits Group, Pty., Ltd. Premier Mushrooms LP Prime Time International Pro Act, LLC Pro Citrus Network, Inc. Produce Packaging, Inc. Progressive Produce Corporation Provincial Fruit Co., Ltd. Publix Super Markets, Inc. Pure Hothouse Foods, Inc. Rainier Fruit Company Raw Foods International, LLC Red Blossom Sales, Inc. Red Sun Farms Redline Solutions, Inc. Reinhart Foodservice Rio Fresh, Inc. River Point Farms, LLC Robinson Fresh RockTenn Company Rocky Produce, Inc. Roland Marketing, Inc. Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc. Rouses Supermarket, LLC S. Strock & Co., Inc. Sage Fruit Company Saladino’s Sanson Company, The Save Mart Supermarkets Sbrocco International, Inc. Schnuck Markets, Inc. Seald Sweet International Sendik’s Food Markets Sensitech, Inc. Service First Logistics Inc. Shuman Produce, Inc.

Sinclair Systems Int’l LLC Sobeys, Inc. Southern Specialties, Inc. Spice World, Inc. Spokane Produce, Inc. State Garden, Inc. Stemilt Growers LLC Sterilox Fresh Success Valley Produce LLC Sun Belle Inc. Sun Pacific Sun Rich Fresh Foods, Inc. Sun World International, LLC. SunFed Sunkist Growers, Inc. Sun-Maid Growers of California Sunny Sky Produce Ltd. Sunrise Produce Company Superior Sales, Inc. Sydney Markets, Ltd. Sysco Corporation T. Marzetti Company Tanimura & Antle Taylor Farms, Inc. Tesco Stores, Ltd Thermal Technologies, Inc. Tippmann Construction To-Jo Mushrooms, Inc. Tom Lange Company, Inc. Total Quality Logistics, Inc. TRADECORP Mexico Trinity Fruit Sales UniPro Foodservice, Inc. Unitec S.P.A. United States Potato Board, The US Foods Valley Fruit & Produce Co. Ventura Pacific Company Village Farms, LP Vision Produce Company Volm Companies, Inc. Wakefern Food Corporation Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Well-Pict, Inc. Wells Fargo Bank West Pak Avocado, Inc. Western Precooling Systems Westlake Produce Co. Westmoreland Sales Westside Produce Wholesale Produce Supply Co. Wilcox Fresh WinCo Foods, Inc. Windset Farms Worldwide Produce Direct Xgenex LLC Yerecic Label Company Youngstown Grape Distributors, Inc.

fresh January 2015 Edition 59

A Year of This year, with the help of volunteer members and industry leaders across the fresh produce and floral supply chains, we’ve reached some amazing milestones. It’s proof that when we work together we can accomplish great things. From the rollout of eat brighter!™ to the launch of new technology resources, PMA has committed to focusing on areas that you’ve told us are important for your business.

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Working Together

freshâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; January 2015 Edition 61

save the date

PMA/PMA Foundation Calendar of Upcoming Events Mark your calendar for these upcoming PMA and PMA Foundation events … and watch your business grow!

FEBRUARY Tech Talks Feb. 4, 2015 Charlotte, North Carolina USA PMA Tech Talks sets the stage for innovative thinking and groundbreaking ideas. It is designed to spark conversation and connections through powerful and thought-provoking videos and presentations. It is a place where possibility converges with reality – from science to business to global and local issues. pma.com/events/tech-talks

MARCH Emerging Leaders Program March 8-12, 2015 Glendale, Arizona USA PMA Foundation Emerging Leaders Program, brought to you in partnership with Thunderbird School of Global Management, prepares highpotential leaders from all segments of the global produce and floral supply chain to embrace increasing levels of responsibility and handle both challenges and opportunities inherent in future leadership roles within the industry. pmafoundation.com/ emerging-leaders/

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Webinar: Color Is Key March 13, 2015 Online Staying on top of the latest color forecasts in a highly visual world is vitally important to selling your products or services. Join Produce Marketing Association and Pantone LLC, the world-renowned authority on color, for this exclusive webinar addressing color trends for 2016. pma.com/events/webinars/ color-is-key Fresh Connections: China March 26-27, 2015 Shanghai, China With the world’s largest population, a rapidly growing economy and an expanding middle class hungry for imported for imported products, China offers enormous business opportunity. But tapping into this market, especially for companies outside China, presents unique challenges: understanding consumer tastes and retail preferences, adapting to supply chain differences and navigating a complex matrix of regulations and customs protocols. pma.com/events/freshconnections-china

APRIL Fresh Connections: Retail April 8-9, 2015 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA Fresh Connections: Retail is your opportunity to forge new strategic partnerships and understand the consumer trends shaping your business. For 2015, we’ve designed a program that offers a combination of experiences you won’t find at any other industry event. Now more than ever, produce and floral suppliers need to leverage partnerships and consumer intelligence to stay ahead. pma.com/events/freshconnections-retail

Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference April 26-28, 2015 San Diego, California USA The Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference is developed specifically for women in the produce and floral industry regardless of their career stage, with a mission to cultivate women’s potential. The conference sessions will sharpen participants’ business acumen and further develop their leadership potential so they may advance their careers and bring additional value to their companies and organizations. pmafoundation.com/ womens-fresh-perspectivesconference/

Fresh Connections: Netherlands April 29-30, 2015 Rotterdam, Netherlands Together with leading international experts and regional decision makers, you’ll explore the latest trends spurring industry growth in the Netherlands, Western Europe and other global markets. Get in-depth knowledge on consumer trends, retail trends, global trade, and innovative technologies. And, secure global and regional contacts that will make a difference to your business. pma.com/events/freshconnections-netherlands

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