Global Produce & Floral Show Preview: Onions
Distinguished onion suppliers, Shuman Farms, Peri & Sons and Bland Farms, are eager to get in front of industry peers during The Global Produce & Floral Show. The show fuels innovative ideas, provides stakeholders with a forum to exchange ideas for a more sustainable industry and promotes partnerships at local, regional and global levels. Exhibitors share like-minded goals of setting up future generations of farmers for success, developing new and established partnerships with retailers and distributors while demonstrating their trustworthiness, commitment to sustainability and creating fresh ideas that drive sales.
“We began exhibiting in 2012, a couple of shows before the transition from PMA and United Fresh to IFPA and have participated in The Global Produce & Floral Show ever since,” said Kelsey Weingart, Brand Manager, Marketing for Peri & Sons. “The show is an invaluable opportunity to connect face-to-face with industry leaders, buyers and innovators from around the world, while showcasing our products and sharing our sustainability story. Its diverse mix of attendees from retail and foodservice to floral and technology provides insights into emerging trends and consumer preferences, making it an ideal place to strengthen existing relationships, create new ones and stay engaged in the conversations shaping the future of produce.”
“Delbert and Sandra have been attending the Global Produce & Floral Show for 42 years,” said Bland Farms CEO Troy Bland. “What makes it so valuable is the chance to connect with buyers from every corner of the country. Unlike regional shows, this one truly draws a national audience, so in just a few days you can meet with customers from all over. That kind of reach makes it one of the best uses of our time and resources every year.”
“This year’s show presents an exciting opportunity for us to deepen our connections with existing partners and introduce our innovative products and sustainability initiatives to new buyers,” Weingart explained. “We’re eager to learn about emerging market trends that will shape our future strategies. Success for us means walking away with new business opportunities, enhanced relationships in the industry and valuable insights to share with our team. We’re also committed to reinforcing Peri & Sons Farms as a trusted, forward-thinking and sustainable grower/packer/shipper in the produce sector.”
“Our goals for The Global Produce & Floral Show are straightforward: reconnect with partners, share what’s new and listen to what their customers are asking for. It’s also a chance to collaborate with industry leaders and celebrate what’s working across the produce space,” Bland elaborated. “For us, success means buyers leave confident in the consistency we deliver—from Vidalia Sweet Onions to our Premium Sweets from Peru and Mexico and our Sand Candy Sweet Potatoes. We want attendees to view Bland Farms not just as a supplier, but as a marketing partner focused on supporting their efforts, whether [it’s] through our new Retailer Marketing Toolkit or seasonal promotions. We also want to share our commitment to advancing sustainable farming and investing in the communities we serve. At the end of the day, it’s about building trust and protecting the land for future generations.”
“This year, we’re making the Peri & Sons booth a must-see by creating an engaging space that highlights both our innovative products and our long-standing commitment to quality and sustainability,” Weingart said. “We’ll be showcasing our complete line of premium and USDA organic onions, shallots, cipollini and garlic. Visitors can also learn about our sustainable packaging solutions including our plastic-free Earthbag, which sets us apart. Our goal is for every guest to leave with a clear understanding of how Peri & Sons delivers value, innovation and trust to the onion category.”
At their booth, the Bland Farms team will highlight its fall Gameday Sweetness campaign, built around tailgating and football-season excitement with recipes, contests and social media engagement. “We want buyers to leave our booth confident that Bland Farms delivers more than consistency and reliability—we deliver turnkey programs that connect with consumers and create measurable results at retail,” Bland said. “With the holidays right around the corner, we’ll showcase our seasonal offerings and merchandising support designed to help retailers maximize sales.”
Another major player in the onions category is Shuman Farms that is proudly “laser focused” on its sweet onions. “It’s not so much what we do, but who we are,” President and CEO John Shuman said earlier this summer. “We continue to stay focused on pushing, promoting and getting the word out on sweet onions. This year, we’ve had a good reception to our Vidalia Sweet Onions. It’s such a popular item, and there’s such an affinity for the Vidalia Sweet Onion in the marketplace, that it’s always an exciting time for us, particularly being from this growing region and being in this area.”
“The Peruvian and the Vidalia varieties are the two anchors of our sweet onion program throughout the year,” Shuman said. “It’s getting back to the basics. We stay focused on creating those points of difference and paying attention to the small things. We are focused on connecting with the next generation of shoppers.”
