Fresh Summit exhibitors earn product, packaging honors, Best of Show honors

Five companies stood out among more than 1,000 exhibitors at Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit’s 2017 Fresh Summit Convention & Expo, taking honors for Best Overall Product Promo and Best Packaging Promo, as well as Best of Show.

An anonymous panel of judges selected the Best of Show winners, while a panel of retail experts selected the Best Overall Product Promo and Best Packaging Promo awards. The retail panel included representatives from Ahold, USA, Inc., Grocery Outlet, Inc., The Packer, Tops Markets, Inc., and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Mucci Farms, Southern Specialties take marketing awards
Mucci Farms was presented Fresh Summit’s Best Packaging Promo award.

This new award is designed to encourage packaging innovation by recognizing pioneering ways that packaging is being used to market fresh produce and floral. This award recognizes packaging that generates interest, appeal and differentiation on the store shelf, that is novel, and/or that promotes product sales and consumption. Exhibitors in Fresh Summit’s Fresh Ideas Showcase, part of the Innovation@work area outside the expo’s main hall, were eligible to be considered for this award at their request.

“All of this year’s entries demonstrated that packaging can be a powerful marketing tool for products across our industry,” said PMA CMO Lauren M. Scott. “That’s true whether you are trying to capture attention for a new product, or making a familiar one more modern or convenient."

Southern Specialties was presented Fresh Summit’s Best Overall Product Promo award.

This existing award encourages marketing innovation by recognizing the produce or floral product that the panel of retail judges believes would drive sales and that they would carry in their stores. All exhibitors in the Fresh Ideas Showcase were automatically eligible to be considered for this award.

“I was very excited to be a judge, and to see the latest our industry has to offer,” said Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Senior Director of Global Sourcing Ron McCormick. The contest entries, he noted, demonstrate that “product packaging helps sell products, and is critical to our industry’s success."

Three exhibitors take Best of Show awards
Fresh Summit’s “Best of Show’ awards are designed to generate enthusiasm and excellence among exhibitors by recognizing effective exhibits. Judges look for:
Booth attractiveness;
Product displays and messaging; and
Staff performance.

The 2017 Best of Show awardees are:
Best of Show, in-line booth (10 feet deep and any length wide): Ripe
Best of Show, island booth (20 x 20 feet or larger, with aisles on all four sides: Zespri Kiwi Fruit
Best First-Time Exhibitor: Obrigado

“Each year, Fresh Summit exhibitors continue to amaze me with their innovative booth presences and marketing and merchandising approaches that show their passion for their businesses and this industry. We thank them all for helping to make this event such a continued success,” said PMA President Cathy Burns.

Image Source: PMA