First-ever Viva Fresh show a hit in Texas

The Viva Fresh Produce Expo, held in late March in Austin, Texas, was a major success for exhibitors and retailers, said show organizers.

The expo boasted sold-out attendance, high-level retail and foodservice attendance, cutting edge virtual field tours and chef-inspired menus. The Viva Fresh Open golf tournament raised $10,000 for the Just Keep Livin’ Foundation allowing the Texas International Produce Association to be able to give back to the local community.

Additional expo highlights include:

• Over 800 attendees
• Expo hall, hotel and golf tournament all sold out
• Local chefs from the Texas International Produce Association’s home base in McAllen, Texas provided a foodie flair at the Welcome reception
• Tex-Mex luncheon featured the Hilton’s chef inspired dishes that featured fresh produce grown in the southwest, Texas and Mexico with a southwest cuisine flare
• Educational seminars were well received with standing room only in the majority of the sessions
• The Virtual Field Tours brought the farm into the conference room providing live real-time feed of J&D Produce’s onions and Frontera’s cabbage
• Produce on the show floor was donated to Feeding Texas (local-area food banks)

Viva Fresh 2016 will be held in San Antonio, Texas at the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa, March 31-April 2. For more information, visit the show website. www.VivaFreshExpo.com.