ExecTrends to Look at Present, Future of Industry
When’s the last time you took stock of your company’s position in the competitive fresh-cut arena? How is your company dealing with the rapidly growing fresh-cut sector and what are your prospects for long-term prosperity? How much progress have you made toward achieving greater efficiency, growth and innovation?
Our industry is young but slowly maturing, which means now may be the right time to find answers to these challenging questions. If you’re already in the fresh-cut business, you need to anticipate where your competition will surface. If you’re just starting out, you need to see where your opportunities for success lie. And we all need to gain a better understanding of how we can anticipate future challenges and trends to more effectively execute today’s business planning.
One of the ways I think executives in our industry can “jumpstart” this strategic process of assessing the future is by participating in IFPA’s ExecTrends conference this September in Las Vegas. It’s the premier conference for knowledge leadership and business management in the fresh-cut produce industry. This year’s ExecTrends has a special focus: exploring the future of our industry and our individual businesses.
Knowledge leadership is at the heart of ExecTrends. You’ll hear insights from the exclusive IFPA Vision 2010 study examining the future of the fresh-cut industry. You’ll learn more about today’s shopping mindset and behavior, consumer lifestyles and changing demographics to help deliver what consumers want in their products in the year 2010. You’ll get innovative ideas and strategies for hiring, training and motivating today’s food industry workforce and learn how to employ the latest risk assessment management techniques. You’ll hear about the latest strategies in produce packaging and gain an inside look at key regulatory and legislative issues affecting the industry.
One of the other compelling reasons my company will be attending ExecTrends is because it’s connection with PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Food Processing Machinery Expo and the Converting Machinery and Materials show. ExecTrends was specifically scheduled during these world-class packaging/processing trade events to give conference attendees a two-for-one opportunity to gain new knowledge on fresh-cuts and see some of the latest technologies happening in the packaging/processing sector during the afternoon.
If your company is like mine, there’s never too much knowledge to gain on the rapidly changing fresh-cut sector. We’re always looking for new perspective, ideas and solutions to take home to our operations. Are you? If so, I look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas this September.
Bob Whitaker is vice president of product development and food safety for NewStar Fresh Foods and is serving as chairman of the board of the International Fresh-cut Produce Association.
