NEWARK, DEL. – The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has announced that Fresh Summit 2021 will take place, in-person, this fall, Oct. 28-30 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.   

PMA will welcome the industry back to the event with a variety of safety protocols and modifications developed with guidance from public health authorities. 

“We all had that moment in the last year when we knew that things would never be the same,” said Cathy Burns, chief executive officer of PMA. “I shared my belief I have no interest in going back to normal. I am much more interested in using this opportunity to create our ‘new extraordinary’. I look forward to welcoming the industry back in person to grow a healthier world, which is especially powerful and essential in these times.” 

Fresh Summit 2021 will be the 72nd year of the event. This year, while there will be new modifications to ensure safe and socially distanced interactions, the purpose and possibility of the show floor will be the same: to make connections and be introduced to new products. PMA opened the booth application March 1 on www.freshsummit.com for all companies interested in exhibiting at Fresh Summit.  

“We are grateful to have such engaged and invested partners who believe in the power of produce and floral,” said Jamie Romano Hillegas, director of events for PMA. “Bringing people together to do business and explore new items, innovations and solutions is a highlight of the Fresh Summit experience. The industry has been resilient, and I know we’re all looking forward to coming together safely and feeling that buzz of the show floor.” 

PMA is consulting global and local public health authorities and will develop guidelines and protocols based on this guidance. Some of the modifications that have already been made include strategies to control crowd density to enable safe, socially distanced interactions including expanded lounge sizes, adding and increasing the width of main aisles and more.  

PMA is also finalizing plans for the PMA Foodservice Conference that takes place at the end of July in Monterey.     

All available updates, including the booth application, are shared on www.freshsummit.com.