The International Fresh Produce Association and The Foundation for Fresh Produce are making their FNCE debut to engage with thousands of food and nutrition professionals, including registered dietitians/nutritionists (RDNs) from 60+ countries around the globe, at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) – the world’s largest meeting of its kind. The organizations will bring to life the Foundation’s vision to grow a healthier world by improving access, boosting appeal and forging strategic alliances that increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. This year’s FNCE will take place October 7-10 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
“This group of professionals is exceptionally important as we drive to ensure all consumers are eating more fruits and vegetables. There are perhaps no better communicators than dietitians who have multiple touchpoints across our food system,” says Mollie Van Lieu, Vice President, Nutrition & Health, IFPA. “One year after the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, IFPA continues its commitment to make sure that resources and tools are available to nutrition and health professionals that keep fruits and veggies top of mind with consumers – whether they’re at school, shopping for groceries, interacting with a medical professional or just scrolling online.”
The IFPA team will engage with the what’s expected 10,000-some health and nutrition professionals in various ways throughout the five-day show:
- Sunday, October 8th – Tuesday, October 10th: Presence on the Expo Show Floor for the first time! IFPA/FFP will have a 20×10 Booth, #761 where, thanks to FreshPoint Denver, they will hand out fresh produce to attendees. Have A Plant® T-shirt giveaways and a fun 360 Photo Booth will generate buzz on both the show floor and on social media. Have A Plant® Ambassadors will also be popping in to meet and greet with attendees and serve as content creation experts for best practices on promoting fruits and vegetables to consumers. A group photo will take place at 12:00pm local time on Sunday in the booth for anyone interested in engaging or catching a photo opp!
- Friday, October 6th – The IFPA team will engage with 100+ media and top-tier nutrition influencers during the infamous “FNCE Friday” event hosted this year by Potatoes USA, and annually as a food-centric social soiree, allowing an opportunity to network and build excitement for the week’s events.
- Saturday, October 7th – The IFPA team will engage key nutrition experts who have an interest in agriculture, during an informal local botanical garden tour and luncheon hosted by Bayer.
Later that evening, IFPA is sponsoring the School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group Reception in an effort to develop new and strengthen existing relationships with school nutrition professionals as part of its K-12 programming. There, the team will also introduce its new toolkit featuring K-12 breakfast recipes with minimal added sugar.
- Sunday, October 8th – Following the Expo exhibit debut, the IFPA team will split for various member and partner events, including receptions with The Wonderful Company, Party In The Pink with Maggie Moon, RD in partnership with several California grown commodities, as well as a Trivia Night with the Healthy Family Project.
- Monday, October 9th – IFPA team members will attend various PR Agency events, including Ketchum’s annual breakfast, where they will release new Gen Z research, as well as a reception that evening with Eat Well Global.
All the while, the IFPA team will be engaging at the Booth #761 and will disperse and interact with Have A Plant® Ambassadors at various education sessions, as well as engage with current and new prospective produce partners during the three-day Expo Trade Show floor.
“This event presents many opportunities to spread our mission, and position both IFPA and FFP as a resource to these important professionals, but it’s also important that produce in general be present and show up at the largest global nutrition-focused trade show for registered dietitians,” says Alex Dinovo, President & COO, DNO Produce, and incoming chair for the Foundation for Fresh Produce. “We cannot effectively change the trajectory of human health without affecting true consumer behavior change, or ultimately improve fruit and vegetable consumption without engaging with, educating and inspiring those who are on the front lines promoting health, and fruits and vegetables, every single day.”
Follow along on IFPA’s LinkedIn as well as Have A Plant® social channels on Facebook @fruitsandveggies; Twitter @fruits_veggies; and Instagram @fruitsandveggies as we bring highlights from the show to life for followers.
About the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. We exist to bring the industry together to create a vibrant future for all. We grow our member’s prosperity by conducting advocacy; connecting people and ideas; and offering guidance that allows us all to take action with purpose and confidence.
About the Foundation for Fresh Produce (FFP)
The Foundation for Fresh Produce’s (FFP) vision is to grow a healthier world by changing the trajectory of human health. We believe the produce industry has the potential to provide solutions for many of the world’s greatest health and economic challenges – especially those surrounding nutrition and hunger. The Foundation focuses on improving the appeal of fruit and vegetables as an integral part of people’s diets, supporting the development of infrastructure and supply chain solutions that provide easier access, and establishing strategic alliances that enable children and families to form healthier eating habits. To galvanize the industry efforts to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, the Foundation for Fresh Produce merged with the Produce For Better Health Foundation (PBH) in January 2023. PBH programming (inclusive of the Have A Plant® Movement) continues under FFP, dedicated to helping consumers live happier, healthier lives by eating more fruits and vegetables every single day.
