The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) will host its 10th annual Fresh Connections: Mexico conference and expo May 24-25 at the Poliforum in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. At this two-day event, PMA will bring together produce suppliers and buyers from across the globe for networking, education sessions, and an expo featuring nearly 40 international product and service providers offering business solutions across the supply chain.
Participants include produce buyers from the United States, Mexico and abroad; top Mexican retailers, growers, shippers, processors, distributors and wholesalers; as well as international importers.
Inés Masallach, Marketing Director for Imalinx, SA , and Chairperson of Produce Marketing Association’s Mexico Country Council, speaks at the 2016 Fresh Connections: Mexico event.
“Fresh Connections: Mexico brings together members from each part of the produce supply chain to encourage networking, business development, and learning about key industry issues,” said Roberto Salazar, Director of Commercial Perishables for Calimax, and Vice Chairman of PMA’s Mexico Country Council. “Those who attend the event are able to meet new contacts, strengthen relationships and become more competitive in the marketplace.”
Nancy Tucker, PMA Vice President of Global Business Development agreed. “Most of Mexico’s major retailers attend this event, offering an unparalleled networking experience. PMA Fresh Connections: Mexico does what its name says — it connects people with each other, brings new opportunities, new products, information, technology and more,” said Tucker.
The conference includes a session titled “The First 100 Days: The U.S. Administration & You.” Alice Gomez, an attorney in United States and vice president of the food and agriculture practice group at Cornerstone Government Affairs, will lead this session. She will discuss the new U.S. administration and policy decisions that may affect imports and exports between Mexico and Canada and the United States. Ernesto Cardona, Director General for Austral Trading Mexico, Salazar and Gomez will participate in a question and answer panel as part of this session.
PMA’s Chief Science and Technology Officer Bob Whitaker will share information on the latest food safety technologies, innovations and trends in the United States and Canada. Whitaker’s “Food Safety: Trends & Technologies to Grow Your Business” education session will help participants understand what’s required to meet regulatory and consumer demands for safe produce. Putting knowledge gained from this session into practice will help participants protect their businesses and consumers.
The session titled “Fresh, Healthy, Organic: Consumer Trends That Drive Sales” will provide actionable insights from leading companies that are using trends, sales methods and technologies to increase market share. Servando Carbajal from Super del Norte will share innovations his company is using to differentiate from competitors.
The event will close with a leadership development session titled “Thinking Like a Global CEO.” The session is intended to help members of the produce industry develop global vision and strategy, including exploring characteristics of successful leaders and what qualities help such leaders adapt in ever-changing market conditions.
Again this year, the Center for Growing Talent by PMA (CGTbyPMA) will host a Young Professionals Networking Coffee Hour to start the day on May 24. Geared toward produce professionals 35 and younger, participants will start their day meeting peers and expanding their networks. According to Alicia Calhoun, PMA Vice President, Talent Portfolio, the morning session will provide an opportunity for young professionals to mix, mingle and exchange ideas with their contemporaries in the industry. CGTbyPMA offers training, talent development and education programs for people at all levels of experience in the industry, from new employees to top management.
Contact:
Lisa McVey
PMA
TEl: +1 (302) 738-7100, ext. 3081