Purple colored vegetables, greenhouse grown berries, single packaged potatoes, salad bars, juices, snacking products, sustainable packaging, and company partnerships are some of the trends witnessed at the Global Produce & Floral Show that took place in Atlanta, Georgia last week. It was the first time the show returned to Atlanta since 2015, and it had one of the largest floor plans in over a decade. More than 1,100 companies exhibited, and the event attracted attendees from more than 70 countries.
What's new?
In the world of fruit, conversations are increasingly centered around specialty varieties. The popularity of jumbo blueberries has grown and in the pineapple segment, specialty varieties like pink glow are well on their way. This development is also starting to be seen in bananas. Will fruits like mango also have the ability to become variety driven in the next few years, like grapes and apples?
Demographics continue to have a big impact on the produce sector and drive produce trends. Millennials are all about berries and avocados while Gen Z and Gen Alpha are interested in products their parents or Gen Xers enjoyed. They would rather buy record players instead of listening to music on their phones and they are trending towards grapefruit and stone fruit.
Many hydroponic lettuce growers were present with extensive salad bars this year. Their proposition was to show the difference in quality and shelf life compared to open field products. In addition, their flexible systems allow them to respond to market demand more precisely, resulting in less food waste and a better ROI for the retailer. Their focus seems to have shifted from a few years ago when they primarily made the case for growing in a sustainable way, including pesticide-free cultivation and using less water. In addition to lettuce blends, vine-ripened tomatoes, snacking peppers, melons, and strawberries, other greenhouse grown berry varieties are making their way into the category. This includes blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
Sustainable packaging solutions are still expanding. Recyclable and home compostable plastic as well as paper packaging and net packaging were well represented in the Fresh Ideas Showcase. Simultaneously, convenience products packed for individual consumption continue to be launched, creating more waste and a higher need for packaging. Will Canada's goal of 75 percent of produce offered in bulk and/or plastic-free packaging by 2026 be realistic? The labeling segment continues to innovate by offering labels that are recyclable and sometimes home compostable. The trend towards creating more fresh produce brands continues with characters on packaging help illustrate grower values.
While companies from all over the world exhibited, the large majority of exhibitors were US and Canadian based. In addition, companies with Mexican American roots had a strong presence. In many cases, their produce is grown in Mexico and exported to the US and Canada where a US-based sister company brings the products to market. However, with exhibitors from 32 countries, it was a show with a true global representation.
Click here for the photo report.
Floorplan
Not only did the horseshoe shaped floor plan make the event seem bigger, many exhibitors and attendees mentioned it was sometimes challenging to navigate. Overall, the event saw great attendance, but there was a sheer difference between day one and day two with the first day being much busier. While this was no surprise, attendees that were present on the second day left the venue earlier than usual due to traffic concerns around the Georgia Tech game and Vice President Kamala Harris being in town.
Feelings about booth placements were mixed. Some exhibitors were extremely pleased with the location of their booth as it was in a high-traffic area. They saw everyone they needed to see on the first day of the event and day two was a bonus with high quality visitors purposely making the trip to their stands. Other exhibitors on the other hand felt they were located in a back corner and traffic never really took off. The Business Solutions section in particular was quieter and exhibitors felt isolated.
2025
While the temperatures in Atlanta turned out to be below average, shorts, flip flops, and Mickey ears can be packed for next year's event as IFPA's Global Produce & Floral Show will return to Anaheim, California. It will take place October 16-18, 2025.
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Photo reports of the Latin American companies as well as HortiDaily and FloralDaily are also available.