Purple tomatoes, new convenience items, an increase of environmentally sustainable packaging as well as the appearance of farm stands that are vertical, and a look at recent developments in the food sector. Here’s a glimpse of what transpired during this year’s Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, California this past Friday and Saturday. This marked the first time that in nearly four years that this show was back in California. Over 1,160 businesses exhibited at the show, which attracted people from over 60 nations together. The Anaheim trade show draws a large crowd because people from the food sector love bringing their children to visit Disneyland. The event had a good numbers, the initial day definitely was more crowded than the following day.

Overall, the attendees were satisfied with retailer presence. “It was great to meet the entire clientele, but we also got to see several new faces,” adds Daniella Velazquez-De Leon of the banana business Organics Unlimited. “Lots of farmers and fruit people who are ripening stopped by our stand and it was a hive of activity,” comments Greg Akins from Catalytic Generators. Catalytic Generators’ booth was near the place in which two halls joined. A few exhibitors from the machinery area of the floor said they weren’t seeing the number of visitors they anticipated.

Click this link to view an account of the photos taken during the spectacle.

What’s new?

The one thing we could see this year was that the volume of acquisitions within the industry of produce continues to increase and is happening throughout all products. This is why some booths were occupied by multiple companies who had exhibited under one label.

In the horticulture sector it was evident that there were a greater amount of suppliers this year, largely due to IFPA with its dedicated CEA council. The first time this has happened, vertical farms made their way to the event with companies such as Bowery Farming, Plenty, and 80 Acres Farms. They showcased their lettuce offerings as well as a variety of newly launched fresh salad kit displays. In the greenhouse sector, fresh cucumber, tomato and sweet pepper varieties were introduced as well as an all-new greenhouse melons variety. Producing greenhouse-grown strawberries increases with an organic variety being offered as well.

A growing number of businesses are offering eco-friendly packaging alternatives as people are increasingly recognizing they need to lessen single-use plastic. However many consumer products are designed to be consumed by individuals, creating more packaging and generating garbage. Cardboard boxes, punnets as well as recycled mesh bags are gaining traction in the market. The labeling industry is working on labels that are compostable at home and recyclable.

One of the most enthralling new items that was showcased at the event is a red tomato. The genetically altered tomato was developed by inserting snapdragon gene into the DNA of tomato cells. The purple tomatoes have a greater quantity of antioxidants in comparison to typical tomatoes. They look stunning when placed on the plate. Are consumers likely to place them into their shopping carts?

Visit this link to access the FreshPlaza photos of the event.

Looking for next year’s show? Make your plans for 2024, the IFPA’s Global Produce & Floral Show will take place at Atlanta, Georgia from October 17-19.

Click here for photos of the reports from HortiDaily as well as FloralDaily..