The annual Fresh Connections: Southern Africa Conference hosted by the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) will take place on 18-20 August 2020 as a virtual conference with free registration.
Fresh Connections: Southern Africa is the largest gathering of the fresh produce industry in southern Africa. For the last decade, this event has brought together the entire fresh produce supply chain, from growers to exporters, produce markets, market agents, retailers, as well as input suppliers and service providers.
“The focus of this year’s conference is on critical issues such as health and wellness, and to help fresh produce businesses and industry stakeholders to prepare for the future landscape,” says Lianne Jones, Country Manager of PMA Southern Africa.
“The programme comprises keynote presentations from renowned top-class speakers inside and outside the industry, expert panel discussions and breakout streams focusing on industry-specific topics.”
Cathy Burns, Chief Executive Officer of PMA, will deliver the state of the industry keynote at the opening of the conference on 19 August by providing a glimpse on global trends in technology, e-commerce, talent, sustainability, and consumer trends, as well as how these have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Peter van Kets, a professional extreme adventurer, will inspire attendees to achieve and sustain true success. During this motivational session, Van Kets will use lessons learned from his expeditions and relate them to the business environment to take attendees on a powerful journey and change the way they think about themselves and their businesses.
Dr. William Li, a world-renowned physician, scientist and author of 
New York Times Bestseller Eat To Beat Disease will present at a PMA members-only session. He will share why now, more than ever, we must fuel our menus and our bodies with the power of produce. Dr. Li will explain how fresh produce can help build immunity, and tweaks one can make to existing dishes to maintain or rebuild immunity after a virus has hit.
During two breakout streams, attendees can choose to join the supply chain stream or the sustainability stream. Supply chains are the core of most businesses today and essential to keep all supply chain elements running smoothly to ensure on-time delivery of products and services. In this stream, industry experts and attendees will tackle supply chain issues. A panel of experts in the sustainability stream will help attendees discover what the future – 10 years from now - might hold and how to pivot a business strategy for long-term sustainable growth.
In a consumer/retail focused panel discussion, leading experts will share their insights and guide attendees to stay ahead of the curve, before they breakout into small groups for further discussions and to get answers to burning questions.
In an engaging, interactive PMA members-only session, dietitian Retha Harmse, and meal-kit chef Jolin Judd, will demonstrate how to prepare a healthy meal from a meal-kit.
For more information, visit www.pma/FCSouthernAfrica.com