Show Spotlight: The Global Produce & Floral Show Takeaways

The Global Produce & Floral Show, organized by the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), brought more than 20,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors to Orlando, FL. New product lines, packaging formats and sustainability innovations lined the show floor.

For Grimmway Produce, which was recently named 2026 Grower-Partner of the Year by the California Farmworker Foundation, the event provided an opportunity to showcase new offerings across carrots, organic vegetables and potatoes. “Our focus is on staying ahead of how consumers are changing the way they eat, snack and cook, and translating those shifts into meaningful innovation across our categories. The Global Produce & Floral Show gives us the opportunity to bring that thinking to life and share how we’re shaping what’s next in fresh,” said Ken Silveira, CEO of Grimmway, in a statement.

The company emphasized flavor, functionality and convenience with an expanded snacking lineup built around crisp carrot chips. Grimmway Farms Protein Snackers deliver up to 10 grams of protein per serving in select varieties, while Carrot Dunkables offer a kid-friendly, lunchbox-ready option. Cal-Organic Farms also introduced an organic carrot chip and dip tray. “Snacking has become an integral part of how consumers eat throughout the day, increasingly serving as a mini-meal occasion and creating demand for options that deliver more than convenience alone. From protein and functionality to kid-friendly and organic choices, our focus is on delivering fresh snacking for every lifestyle,” said Eric Proffitt, Chief Commercial Officer of Grimmway.

Grimmway’s Cal-Organic Farms brand also showcased Veggie Crunch, Coleslaw and Shredded Watermelon Radish, giving consumers versatile new ways to bring texture and color to everyday meals. In potatoes, Tasteful Selections showcased Crispy Potato Bites, an air-fryer-ready offering available in Garlic Herb, Buffalo Ranch and Sweet Onion Asiago flavors.

Beyond new product introductions, the show also provided an opportunity for Avocados From Mexico (AFM) to connect with retailers ahead of key promotional periods. Stephanie Bazan, SVP, Commercial Strategy & Execution, explained, “We are heading into FY27 with a full pipeline of national programs, including ‘Saturdays Start with Guac’ and our Fanatics partnership for college football, ‘Prepare Like a Pro’ with Julian Edelman for the Big Game, and a second year of partnership with the American Diabetes Association. The show allows us to share our category expertise and understand how it can be applied to help drive traffic and basket ring for our retail partners. At the show, we have conversations with retailers about how our national programs can help translate into sales by showcasing all our tools and resources such as our eye-catching thematic packaging and displays. The timing of the show allows AFM to unveil its programming and help retailers plan for the #1 consumption occasion: the Big Game.” 

The brand brought its football-themed promotions to life with an immersive booth experience. “As the #1 avocado in the US, we built ‘Avo Stadium’ to showcase the close tie between Avocados From Mexico and football. Guacamole is a watch party staple, and the viewing occasions run from early fall straight through to the Big Game, acting as a critical driver of avocado consumption and demand,” described Bazan.

She continued, “College football alone offers roughly 1,600 viewing occasions, and each one means guacamole at tailgates and home-gates. The Big Game is the #1 consumption occasion for the category. As the #1 avocado in the US, we want to use that moment to drive consideration and purchase among the hosts planning their game-day spreads.”

The Idaho Potato Commission has participated in the Global Produce & Floral Show every year since its inception in 2022, building on more than 30 years of involvement with the event and its predecessor. “The value is the opportunity to connect with so many of our customers in one location. Those face-to-face conversations help us understand retailers’ priorities and share specific opportunities to grow their potato category,” said Ross Johnson, Vice President, Retail/International. 

The commission also drew attention with a giant claw machine that attracted crowds throughout the show. “Our giant claw machine was a big hit! At times, the line extended into the trade show aisles—we joked that we almost felt bad about creating a traffic jam,” Johnson said. “It gave people a fun reason to stop, but the real value was in the conversations with our customers.”

“Two topics stood out in our conversations: helping shoppers stretch their grocery budgets and helping retailers capture growth within the potato category. The 10-pound Idaho russet bag fits squarely into that value conversation,” noted Johnson. “It gives households a versatile foundation for multiple meals and gives retailers an opportunity to retain shoppers who might otherwise turn to club stores for larger packs. Our message is to add a meaningful value option alongside a profitable 5-pound business while focusing on total category growth.”

Johnson continued, “Yellow potatoes were another major topic. Idaho is now the nation’s largest grower of yellow potatoes, and they are one of the most exciting growth opportunities in produce. We want retailers to recognize that Idaho can support both their core russet business and shoppers’ growing interest in yellows.” 

That emphasis on retailer relationships was also evident at Bland Farms, where the show offered buyers a chance to shake hands with the people who grow their onions. Sloan Lott, Director of Sales, described what kept the traffic flowing to the company’s booth. “We debuted new booth graphics this year with Vidalia Brands front and center. The Vidalia Brands design is bright, bold, and a lot of fun, and it stopped people in the aisle. The booth just really tied together who we are as a brand and a family. It did a great job of telling our story from our roots to where we are today and the products we carry,” relayed Lott.

“Then there was the onion,” Lott continued. “This summer, Bland Farms was one of five exhibits chosen to represent Georgia at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration in Washington, D.C. The same onion that stood on the Mall came to Orlando with us. Buyers who’d heard about it wanted a picture with it. Buyers who hadn’t wanted the story. Either way, it opened the conversation, and every conversation found its way back to Vidalia onions and the family that has grown them since 1948.” 

Nash Produce has participated in IFPA’s Global Produce & Floral Show since its inception. “This year, we were excited to debut a completely new booth design that gave Nash Produce a fresh, updated look. We wanted our booth to reflect the growth and innovation happening within our company while showcasing our full lineup of sweet potatoes, including our increasingly popular Murasaki variety and convenient, value-added packaging options. The new design created an inviting space to connect with customers and highlight our Mr. Yam brand,” said Robin Narron, Marketing Director & Sales Support. 

Nash Produce also emphasized its ability to maintain a consistent supply. “Through strategic crop planning, proper curing, and our extensive climate-controlled storage capabilities, we are able to provide customers with a consistent supply of high-quality sweet potatoes 52 weeks a year,” said Narron.

Naturipe has exhibited at the show annually since 2022. Jim Roberts, President of Naturipe Farms, described highlights from this year’s show. “We showcased new packaging for our premium varieties, including Organic Mighty Blues, Sweet Selections, and our seasonal packages around summer, Halloween and the holidays.”

He added, “Our booth is a standout for lots of reasons. One, the design of a two-story, treehouse-like structure. is impressive. Anyone upstairs appreciated the new vantage point! We also brought back our Innovation Center and introduced a tasting bar where visitors could experience select proprietary varieties firsthand. The tree house was a big hit and will return next year. It added additional meeting space, and we loved being able to display berries and our new water cans.”

Naturipe also participated in the show’s regenerative agriculture tour, a guided walk highlighting exhibitors that practice regenerative farming. Roberts described, “We had two farmers on hand to talk with groups about regenerative efforts. It was great to be able to let the group hear from the people who literally have their hands in the dirt on a daily basis and are committed to finding the best growing practices.”

Stemilt Growers also used the show to highlight its consumer brands and strategic merchandising. “We focused on bringing the retail experience to life through merchandising displays that showcased both our core fruit categories and differentiated consumer brands, including Happi Pear, Aura Apples, and Lil Snappers,” said Auna Lundberg, Senior Marketing Manager at Stemilt Growers. “Our goal was to demonstrate how strategic branding and merchandising can help retailers create excitement and drive category engagement.”

Stemilt also highlighted its Happi Pear variety, which offers a bright, zesty flavor and can be enjoyed both green and yellow. “As shoppers increasingly seek new flavors, premium experiences, and healthier snack options, varieties like Happi Pear provide retailers with opportunities to differentiate their assortment, attract new consumers to the category, and drive long-term growth,” explained Lundberg.

Beyond introducing new varieties, Stemilt is focused on maintaining a consistent supply. “The opportunity is providing retailers with consistent access to consumer favorites like Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Cosmic Crisp, and d’Anjou pears, while the challenge is maintaining the premium flavor and eating experience consumers expect throughout the season,” Lundberg added.

Shuman Farms has been participating in the Global Produce & Floral Show for nearly two decades. This year at the show, the farm celebrated the 25th anniversary of its RealSweet sweet onion brand with the debut of a refreshed logo and packaging. 

John Shuman, President & CEO of Shuman Farms, described the heritage of the brand. “RealSweet sweet onions first hit produce department shelves in 2001 and have since become one of the most highly recognized brands in the produce department, with shoppers turning to them all year long as a staple ingredient to add unique, sweet flavor to their favorite dishes.” 

“RealSweet’s new look celebrates the brand’s legacy with a simplified, modern design, positioning it to continue driving category success for years to come. The updated logo and packaging bring a fresh look while preserving key components and colors to maintain brand equity and consumer recognition at the shelf,” elaborated Shuman.

The company also highlighted its commitment to providing retailers with a year-round supply of sweet onions. “Building on the success of Vidalia sweet onions at retail, we became one of the early pioneers in the Peruvian sweet onion industry in 1998, with a vision of delivering year-round supply of premium sweet onions to our retail partners and consumers,” said Shuman. 

On the floral side of the show, Designer Greetings connected with retailers and showcased its expanding collection of floral gifting products. 

“This year, our primary focus was introducing retailers to our Bouquet Bags and Plant Bags, which are designed to offer a fresh, attractive, and convenient way to package and present flowers and plants. With major floral occasions like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and other celebrations driving demand throughout the year, we see tremendous potential in helping florists elevate their product presentation and create additional sales opportunities. The show allowed us to demonstrate these products firsthand, gather feedback, and introduce practical merchandising solutions tailored to the floral industry,” commented Steven Gimbelman, CEO of Designer Greetings.

When asked how the show could better support exhibitors, Gimbelman offered a suggestion for future events. 

“We appreciate the opportunity IFPA provides to introduce new products and merchandising ideas to the floral industry. Looking ahead, additional opportunities for hands-on product demonstrations and dedicated time for retailers to explore new floral accessories and packaging solutions could make the show even more productive.”

Beyond product launches and booth displays, exhibitors highlighted several trends shaping the produce and floral industries, including sustainability, value, convenience, technology and changing consumer expectations.

Stemilt Growers earned IFPA’s Best Sustainable Packaging Award for its compostable fruit stickers. 

“We saw significant interest in our partnership with Sinclair and the rollout of certified compostable T55 PLU stickers across select apple programs, as retailers increasingly seek solutions that support sustainability goals while maintaining operational performance,” said Lundberg.

“Being recognized with IFPA’s Best Sustainable Packaging Award was especially rewarding because it demonstrates how practical innovations can create meaningful impact across the produce supply chain,” she added.

“Technology was the other big thread on the floor, from automation in the field to data that helps produce teams make smarter merchandising calls,” reported Lott from Bland Farms. “And underneath all of it was flavor. When shoppers are stretching their grocery budget, they want to know what goes in the cart will be worth it. A sweet onion that tastes sweet every single time is a pretty good answer.”

In the floral category, Gimbelman of Designer Greetings pointed to convenience, presentation and seasonal selling as key themes.

“Flowers and plants are already popular gifts, but attractive, ready-to-use packaging can make them even more appealing to shoppers. We also recognize the importance of efficient merchandising, which is why our display fixtures are designed to help retailers showcase multiple designs while making effective use of their available space. These are practical solutions that can help florists improve presentation, simplify the gifting experience, and encourage additional purchases.”

For Nash Produce, conversations centered on supply, quality, pricing and continued demand for convenience-driven products.

“Retailers are looking for consistent, year-round supply while also finding new ways to attract consumers through innovative packaging and value-added options,” revealed Narron. “We also saw growing interest in specialty varieties like our Murasaki sweet potatoes, as consumers continue to explore new flavors and products. Labor challenges, rising production costs, and the importance of investing in technology and automation were also major topics. At Nash Produce, these conversations reinforced the importance of continuing to invest in our facilities, technology, and product offerings to better serve our customers and meet the changing demands of the industry.”

At Naturipe, discussions focused on premium produce, flavor and innovations that encourage repeat purchases.

“Shoppers have more options than ever, so delivering a consistently great eating experience is critical to growing the category. It’s also incredibly important given how expensive groceries are right now, whatever it is you’re buying. When consumers turn to their trusted retailer for produce, they won’t be disappointed in Naturipe berries,” explained Roberts of Naturipe Farms.

He continued, “Convenience is another important theme. Consumers want healthy options that fit their busy lives, which creates opportunities for products like our SnackBites and Berry Buddies. We’re also seeing the importance of helping retailers understand their customers and make informed decisions through stronger category insights and data.”

Shuman Farms highlighted the importance of driving consumption through retail merchandising.

 “An issue that continued to be top of mind for our retail partners at this year’s show was driving consumption. Conversations centered around the importance of merchandising to drive sales and maximize sweet onions’ role as a basket-building staple item,” reported Shuman.

“Conversations kept coming back to occasion-based merchandising,” reported Bazan from Avocados From Mexico. “Pack format came up often too. Bags make up a large share of the category and help raise units per trip, which sits around 2.13 nationally. Bulk is still essential, and retailers want to know how to cover both. We also heard a lot about regional growth, especially in the South.”