The 2017 Fresh Produce Trade show Season officially kicks off next week and we’re here to share all of the tips, recommendations and information that will help you and your team make the most out of every show.
Southern Exposure, this year’s first high profile trade show of the season, takes place next week on March 9 -11.
To learn more about what attendees and exhibitors can expect during the expo and conference in Orlando, Florida, we asked David Sherrod, Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) Executive Director, to tell us 5 things attendees need to know. Here’s our Q&A with him:
5 “Need to Knows” before Attending Southern Exposure 2017
1. What is the SEPC show all about?
Our team here at Southeast Produce Council prides ourselves on striving for quality not quantity. Even though Southern Exposure is bursting with a flavorful variety of attendees, we still provide our members with an intimate setting in which to experience the various aspects of our three pillars: networking, education, and community.
2. What should attendees make sure to do while on the trade show floor?
We encourage our attendees to make meaningful connections with each and every one of our exhibitors. SEPC aids in this process by ensuring that everyone is on an even playing field with equal booth size. We also invite all attendees to join the conversation and share their conference experience using #SouthernExpo!
3. What educational workshops can your attendees look forward to?
We have three educational workshops this year. Our first educational session of the conference kicks off with the Fresh from the Farm Field Trips, a video series that will bring the farm to Southern Exposure attendees by providing them with a fun and educational field trip-like experience to learn about the grower/supplier side of the produce industry. This year’s Fresh from the Farm Field Trips will feature four SEPC member farms: Red Sun Farms, Southern Valley, L&M Companies, and the National Mango Board. Then be sure to join us for The Commissioner’s Corner where we’ll hear about the State of Produce in 5 of our Southern states: Sandy Adams of Virginia, Gary Black of Georgia, Adam Putnam of Florida, Steve Troxler of North Carolina, and Hugh Weathers of South Carolina. We will be culminating our series with a session led by David Sax, featured author, James Beard Award Winner, and sophisticated analyst of major consumer shifts.
4. Who are the keynote speakers?
The Southern Roots Ladies Luncheon on Friday will host keynote speaker Alison Levine, a mountaineer and author who has not only climbed physical mountains, but the corporate ladder. Her keynote will be focusing on leadership development. The main keynote luncheon held on Saturday will host Willie Robertson, CEO of Duck Commander, the parent company behind Duck Dynasty and Buck Commander. The Robertsons’ story is a great example of entrepreneurship and dedication, but it is also about love, faith and putting family first.
5. What else does SEPC provide beyond this event that your members can take advantage of?
Our mission is to provide education, networking, and community outreach while offering a platform for building professional relationships based on trust, integrity, and passion. Our year-round programming has a goal of providing our members with quality networking events such Southern Exposure and Southern Innovations (which will host a whole new platform this fall – more to come about Southern Innovations at Southern Exposure!), beneficial educational resources such as the STEP-UPP, STARS and Produce Inspection Training programs, and our community outreach, which is executed through scholarships, volunteer hours, and donations to our partner non-profit organizations in the southeast. We encourage all of our members to get involved year-round!
Armed with this great SEPC insight, make sure you set yourself and your team up for success with these 5 tips:
- Prior to the show, make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date
- Create a show schedule for yourself and/or your team
- Establish a goal of how many on-site meetings your team should aim for with prospective vendors or business partners
- Attend as many networking receptions as you can and obtain 3 new business cards each
- Include the show hashtag, #SouthernExpo, in 100% of your social media posts and respond to tweets
Do you want even more information about Southern Exposure or the Southeast Produce Council? Email info@seproducecouncil.com and one of their awesome team members will help you out!
Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) was formed by six members who had a vision for a southeastern-based produce organization. Their very first meeting took place at the Atlanta Farmers Market in August 1999. With the help of their passionate, dedicated members, SEPC continues to drive produce consumption in the Southeast and spread produce gospel through their educational, professional and philanthropic programs!
Have something to add? Leave us a comment below or reach out to us on Twitter @TheCoreBlog!
{{cta(‘fbc3d34f-cf67-49f8-9826-6a9a4c06733c’)}}
