Viva Fresh Expo

The Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) just completed its inaugural Viva Fresh Expo in Austin, TX at the end of March.  In President Bret Erickson's words "the show was a smashing success."  I have attended most of the TIPA shows over the past few years and they were predominately a get-together for members  and growers to reconnect in August when there was no local produce to speak of available, few if any retailers would attend and exhibits were very small.

A couple years ago the Texas Produce Association changed its name to the Texas International Produce Association, but outside of the members and locals, outsiders would not have noticed much difference; Viva changed all of that!  According to Erickson the Viva Fresh Expo had approximately 900 attendees, 160 buyers, and 141 booths set up much other regional produce shows you're accustomed to.  As stated by Keith Durham, produce category manager for Brookshire Grocery based in Tyler, TX "we've been waiting for a show like this in Texas."

The Texas Rio Grande Valley has always been known for fresh produce, though it was more regional and the larger retailers seldom were in direct contact with producers and shippers.  With the growth of imports of Mexican produce through Texas, as well as other Central and South American countries, Texas is all of a sudden becoming a leading player in the produce world and will soon be the top source of USA produce, either grown in or shipped through a Texas Port of Entry.  Produce imports through Texas have been increasing by double digits year after year and up over 67% over the past 6 years.  In 2012 there were 160,000 truck load equivalents, by 2020 that is expected to be 360,000 truck equivalents, well over double the amount of trucks moving through the Valley.

The Viva Fresh Expo is going to be the premier event to bring growers, shippers, buyers, and associated vendors together as we work to educate the marketplace and consumers that the future of produce in North America is rapidly becoming the Texas-Mexico connection.