The California Avocado Commission (CAC) marketing team brought this year's California Avocado Grower Campaign with the Hand Grown in California messaging to life at the largest produce convention and exposition in the United States, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Fresh Summit convention and exposition. CAC Chairman Rick Shade, Vice Chair Carol Steed and California grower Jamie Johnson joined the CAC team in Florida for the event that draws an audience of leading produce decision makers and global avocado stakeholders.

CAC's exhibit pulled together all assets of the campaign, including the "Insist on California Avocados, Peak Season Spring - Fall messaging, photos of California's avocado growers, samples of the campaign's ads and several different stations including a "Meet the Growers" station, the chef's station and a meeting area.



Visitors to the booth were greeted by CAC personnel and provided with valuable information on the potential for California Avocados at retail. CAC's booth, located near the entrance of the exhibit hall, received excellent traffic throughout the three day show. PMA reported that over 17,500 people attended the expo, a record for their east coast conventions.


At one of the educational sessions titled "Telling Your Story to Drive Sales and Generate Profits," Jan DeLyser, CAC Vice President Marketing, presented the rationale behind the California Avocado Grower campaign to a large audience of produce industry leaders and media. DeLyser explained the research findings that showed consumers want to associate "a face and a place" with the foods they eat. She provided examples of how the campaign used authentic stories of California Avocado Growers, communicating the benefits of the fruit and the brand. DeLyser also provided recent research results demonstrating the campaign's effectiveness.

At his annual PMA State of the Industry presentation, Bryan Silbermann, PMA President, spoke about putting a face to the place to connect consumers to the people who are responsible for bringing their food to them. In his speech, available to view online at http://www.pma.com/events/soti2008.cfm, Silbermann references the California Avocado Grower campaign, calling the California Avocado Commission innovative and commending CAC for "offering buyers and consumers the opportunity to meet on line the farmers that grow their food." Silbermann continues to substantiate the direction CAC is taking by stating "I applaud these market leaders and as I did last year, I encourage you all to start telling your story. Strategies like these are closing the distance from field to fork, by putting a face on our fresh produce."

The Packer, business newspaper for the produce industry, stopped by the booth for a chance to speak to DeLyser and CAC Chairman Shade. With lights, cameras and microphones, Shannon Shuman - publisher of The Packer - proceeded to interview the two on sales performance and consumer insights. The video would later be distributed via The Packer's e-newsletter on October 29, 2008. The video is also available on their Web site at: http://www.thepacker.com/livefrompma/pmavid-cac.asp



With another successful exhibit at the annual PMA Fresh Summit, the Commission will now focus on following up on retailer meetings that took place and planning for next year's Fresh Summit in Anaheim, California to continue the California Grower campaign efforts.