The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Annual Convention and Trade Show held last week in Vancouver April 23-25 attracted more than 4000 participants.
See Grocery Business’ Photo Gallery for more scenes from the event.
630 exhibit booths representing over 300 companies accounted for 63,800 square feet of booth space on the trade show floor. Among those were 148 international exhibitors from 12 countries, 161 Canadian exhibitors, and 78 exhibitors who were new CPMA members. The leftover produce which filled five trucks was donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. The 2024 New Product Showcase included 60 products from 36 different companies.
“CPMA’s Annual Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for the fresh fruits and vegetable industry in Canada,” said Ron Lemaire, CPMA President. “The event offers unique opportunities for companies in our sector to make valuable connections. Each year, the event continues to grow attracting a big turnout of participants from across the globe. This year’s edition was another success as the attendance exceeded the size of all past shows in Vancouver.”
The event included several award presentations, including several presented during a Awards Breakfast:
Fresh Health Award – City Wide Produce
Young Professional Award – Jessica Levac, Bellmont Powell
CPMA Lifetime Achievement Award – Murray Driediger, BC Fresh Vegetables Inc. (BCfresh)
The Packer’s Produce Person of the Year Award – David Karwacki, former CEO of The Star Group
Following a successful Annual Convention and Trade Show, CPMA, in partnership with the International Federation for Produce Standards and the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce, hosted the International Sustainability Summit in Vancouver. The event attracted 100 participants from 7 countries.
