Taylor Farms Plays Active Role In Annual PMA Foodservice Event

Annual PMA

With the inviting theme “Innovate the Plate,” the annual Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Foodservice Conference and Expo — the only such event focused on fresh produce in foodservice — drew nearly 2,000 participants to the Hyatt Regency Monterey, July 29-31.

Taylor Farms played a large role in the event as a platinum sponsor, displaying a variety of products at our booth and providing processing facility and field tours. We also hosted a dinner and fielded a team to run a 5K race raising funds for the PMA Career Pathways Program that encourages college students to seek careers in the fresh produce and floral industries.

Romaine Field Tour

The Annual PMA conference participants had a range of networking opportunities and learned from top chefs and industry experts. Bravo’s “Top Chef All-Stars” winner Chef Richard Blais discussed the country’s top menu trends and New York Times bestselling author and marketing expert Jonah Berger presented strategies to grow sales by building better relationships with customers.

Throughout the conference, Taylor Farms offered plant and field tours of the Salinas Foodservice processing facility to explain how product gets from the field, to the bag, to the consumer. During the tour, we showcased some new items and sampled lemon cauliflower cupcakes and chocolate cauliflower cupcakes made from our Cauliflower Creations.

At the expo we debuted a new booth displaying our full line of products, from specialty salad blends to cut vegetables and showcased our new products- Mire Poix kit with diced onion, diced carrots and diced celery; Superfoods Blend; and we also introduced shredded beets in two new salads- Spinach with Shredded Beets and Carrots and Romaine Blend with shredded beets and carrots.

Foodservice booth display

The company also hosted its first-ever onsite dinner at corporate headquarters for more than 240 customers, vendors and industry friends.

Bruce Taylor Welcoming Dinner Guests

PMA Foodservice Dinner Party at Taylor Farms Corporate Headquarters in Salinas, California

Pictured: Tonya Giotta, Lisa Hearne, Scott Horton, Tanya Mason, Mike George

The 5K PMA Race for Talent on June 30 was another important part of the event. Each year runners, sponsors and sideline supporters make this event a huge success. Proceeds provide crucial support for the development and execution of PMA’s Career Pathways, a webinar series, and leadership development programs designed to attract the best and brightest students to consider a career in the fresh produce and floral industry.

Taylor Farms Runners at the 5K PMA Race for Talent

Taylor Farms was pleased to be an active partner in this important industry event.