The Ultimate List of Food Trade Shows for Logistics, Freight & Supply Chain Professionals

It’s tough to beat the networking and learning opportunities that an industry trade show presents. These events offer the perfect occasion to meet new business connections while delving into areas such as current challenges and innovations with like-minded people in your industry. The prospect of meeting potential customers and partners—while expanding your brand—is a situation that can’t be passed up. For logistics, freight, and supply chain professionals, constant learning is needed to keep pace with the changing times—and it never hurts to create and cultivate relationships with others in your field. 

There are numerous food trade shows on tap for 2023 that will be worth the price of admission, and these annual events are now must-sees for anyone in the industry. Tive is leading the way in making certain that perishable foods stay fresh during the entire supply chain process, and it is extremely interested in what is on tap at these events. 

10 Trade Perishable Shows that Tive Will Attend

From California to Germany to Florida to Mexico, there are a plethora of food trade show options in 2023 that professionals in logistics, freight, and supply chain  attend.These shows present the chance to meet and greet other industry insiders—while also providing fun opportunities to have fun and relax with events such as golf, pickleball, dinner, receptions, live music, and more. 

Following are the 10 perishables-related events Tive is looking forward to attending this year, in chronological order:

Global Organic Produce Expo 

January 30 through February 1 in Hollywood, FL. GOPEX 2023 is returning to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for three days with the theme of “Reaching the Conscious Consumer.” It is the only globally-driven show for organic produce—and features keynote presentations, educational sessions, and plenty of networking opportunities. Subjects covered will include “How the U.S. and its southern neighbors ensure fresh produce is always in season” and “How social media is driving fresh produce consumption.” More information: https://www.globalorganicproduceexpo.com/ 

Fruit Logistica

February 8-10 in Berlin. This annual trade show features events such as the Fresh Produce Forum, The Tech Stage, Logistics Hub, and Future Lab. Expert panels will discuss the current state of the fresh produce industry—and will talk about innovative solutions in technology and machinery, including analyzing subjects such as global challenges, making food last longer, food supply chain automation, and geopolitical tensions. Groundbreaking innovations will be at the forefront as 20 tech startups will present their ideas on how the industry will be shaped in the future. The three-day international trade fair features more than 3,100 exhibitors and 77,000 visitors from 86 countries. Almost 90% of last year’s attendees plan on returning to Fruit Logistica in 2023. More information: https://fruitlogistica.com/ 

SEPC Southern Exposure

March 2-4 in Orlando, FL. The happiest place on Earth in early March will be at the Swan & Dolphin Resort, part of the Walt Disney collection of resorts. The show includes educational sessions and networking opportunities galore at the “Produce: The Final Frontier” show—which boasts a mission “to boldly go where no produce association has gone before.” Hundreds of exhibitors will be on hand to showcase the best products and services from the produce industry at the SEPC Southern Exposure event. Agricultural leaders and product innovators will be in attendance, and keynote speakers and educational sessions will discuss topics such as food waste, nutrition insecurity, and the power of produce. More information: https://seproducecouncil.com/events-networking/southern-exposure/

Seafood Expo North America

March 12-14 in Boston, MA. This expo, held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, features exhibitors, educational seminars, and networking opportunities for seafood processing professionals. More than 25 educational sessions will cover important and timely issues at this show, North America’s largest seafood trade expo. Suppliers from more than 50 countries gather in Boston each year to access everything seafood-related, discover and sample products, and network with industry leaders. According to 2022 visitors, 86% were involved in or influenced purchasing decisions for their company. In addition to the array of knowledge that will be imparted, don’t miss out on the oyster shucking competition. More information: https://seafoodexpo.com/north-america

Viva Fresh

March 30 through April 1 in Grapevine, TX. The Gaylord Texan Resort, just northwest of Dallas, hosts the largest fresh produce trade show in the Southwest—and focuses heavily on networking and education. The fast-growing, three-day show has increased buyer attendance by more than 140% in three years: what started as a small regional trade show has blossomed into one of the most important trade shows in the industry. This can’t-miss event features exhibits from growers, shippers, distributors, packers, commodity boards, and industry suppliers and brings together the entire fresh produce industry—plus, a golf tournament kicks off the event on the first day. More information: www.vivafreshexpo.com

Seafood Expo Global

April 25-27 in Barcelona. The world’s largest seafood trade show brings together top seafood producers, buyers, and suppliers. This event—part of a global seafood portfolio produced by Diversified Communications—will host more than 20 educational sessions, and 29,000 buyers, suppliers, and other seafood professionals from more than 150 countries. The most important and timely issues in the seafood industry for retail, restaurants, catering, food service and processing will be covered in detail. Attendees can also meet face-to-face with suppliers from around the world to learn about new products, services, and equipment to take their businesses to the next level. Another event in the global Seafood Expo series—to accompany March’s Boston show—is scheduled to be held at Seafood Expo Asia on September 11-13 in Singapore. More information: www.seafoodexpo.com

West Coast Produce Expo

May 19-20 in Palm Desert, CA. The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa hosts the 10^th edition of this show, which is the premier fresh produce summit in the West—and features suppliers, buyers, and distributors from the region. This show features farm and field tours, keynote speakers, and theme receptions. The WCPE attracts an industry-best 3:1 buyer-to-supplier ratio, and 90% of buyers who attend WCPE recommend or make final purchasing decisions. Games are also on the menu, as there will be golf and pickleball tournaments—as well as a scavenger hunt. 

More information: www.westcoastproduceexpo.com

IFPA Foodservice Conference

July 27-28 in Monterey, CA. Nearly 2,000 potential business partners will partake in the trade show at both the Monterey Conference Center and Portola Hotel and Spa to discuss the latest trends in the industry. The IFPA Foodservice Conference is the place to be for buyers, growers, shippers, processors, and solutions providers dedicated specifically to fresh produce. More information: https://www.freshproduce.com/events/the-foodservice-conference/

Food Tech Summit & Expo

September 27-28 in Mexico City. The 14^th edition of this show will be held at the Citibanamex Center. The three-day Food Tech Summit & Expo will focus on the latest developments in food tech—including innovative products and services—to ensure that its members stay competitive. This is a must-attend event for logistics, freight, and supply chain professionals in the food and beverage industry in Mexico and Latin America. International speakers will discuss food innovation, packing, and solutions, and the event features 35+ free conferences and food innovation workshops as part of its large exhibition floor. More information: https://expo.thefoodtech.com/ and https://www.cantonfair.net/event/5033-food-technology-summit-exp

IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show

October 19-21 in Anaheim, CA. The most up-to-date consumer trends will be analyzed at the Anaheim Convention Center at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce & Floral Show. Buyers, growers, importers, and solutions providers will come together at this premier food service event in California—which features the leading suppliers, buyers, and distributors from the region and around the world. Important connections can be made with important players in the global produce and floral supply chains alike.  

More information: https://www.freshproduce.com/events/the-global-produce-and-floral-show/ , 

Other 2023 Industry Events that Should be on the Radar of Food & Beverage Shippers 

Following are other 2023 perishable events that offer a great opportunity to learn about the latest food and beverage logistics industry developments:

• Refrigerated Foods Association: The 42^nd annual exhibition will be held from February 26 through March 1 in Kiawah Island, SC, and will cover current trends in chilled foods, food safety information, and the newest packaging and equipment options.
• Food Shippers of America: Palm Desert, CA, will host this show from March 5-7, bringing together a large variety of members of the food and beverage industry to address critical topics facing this industry.
• European Cold Chain Conference: The 26^th event will be held March 20-22 in Barcelona, with over 200 cold chain professionals and executives in attendance to discuss market trends and industry opportunities.
• ProMat: The 2023 supply chain event—scheduled from March 20-23 in Chicago, IL—features over 150 educational supply chain seminars, including deep discussions on food logistics.
• SIAL America: The event—held in Las Vegas, NV from March 28-30—features food and beverage information for companies, importers, distributors, retailers, and wholesalers alike.
• GFSI Conference: The focus of this conference will be on how to deliver food in a safe manner around the globe, as well as the challenge of disruptions in the food supply chain. It will take place in Atlanta, GA from April 24-27.
• IFDA: The Learning Exchanges program is hosting this event June 5-7 in St. Louis, MO to build connections by discussing experiences, challenges, and solutions for food service distribution.
• NFRA Convention: This San Diego, CA event will be held Oct. 7-10 and will feature speakers and 1:1 business meetings for retailers, manufacturers, sales agents, logistics providers, and suppliers.
• Cool Logistics Global Conference: The 15^th version of this show—scheduled from October 10-12 in Genoa, Italy—will feature discussions about the cold chain and logistics for perishable foods.

Tive is Looking Forward to a Pivotal Year of Trade Shows

The Tive calendar is chock full of perishables trade shows that deal with logistics, freight, and supply chain visibility and management. The networking and educational opportunities at these summits can’t be beaten, and Tive is eager to play an active role in these industries. Tive’s temperature tracking and technology—which provides end-to-end visibility solutions across cold chain shipments—is a perfect fit for the companies who attend these shows and face the challenges involved with shipping perishable foods. Contact Tive to see how its logistics experts can help provide peace of mind with your deliveries.