CPMA show in Toronto was largest ever
The Canadian Produce Marketing Association has confirmed that this month’s show in Toronto was the organization’s largest to date as measured in booth space.
The show, April 17 to 19 at the Direct Energy Centre, attracted 277 companies who took up 524 booths. Each booth is 10 feet by 10 feet in size.
Total attendance reached 3,933 people, which officials with the CPMA said was up 42.5% from the last time the show was held in Toronto, in 2009.
The CPMA show is held annually, rotating each year among four cities: Montreal, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver.
READ: At CPMA show, busy aisles and tasty fruit
In addition to the action on the show floor, several awards were handed out. The winners were:
• Adrian Huisman, who was given the CPMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Huisman recently retired after 48 years in the tender fruit industry in Ontario.
• Stephanie Lariviere, sales and regulatory manager at Erie James Ltd. in Leamington, Ont., won the Mary Fitzgerald Award, given each year by Chiquita to an individual under 40 demonstrating dedication to the produce industry.
• Bayshore Vegetable Shippers of Burlington, Ont. won the Produce News Fresh Health Award. The award, presented to Bayshore’s Hugh and Joni Bowman, recognized their support in the development of a curriculum package to help teachers of grade one to six classes educate students about eating healthy.
• Pom Wonderful's new line of juices (Hula, Mango and Coconut), which combine Pom's pomegranate juice with other flavours, was named the show's Best New Product. The award was presented by Canadian Grocer.
• EarthFresh won the Best Booth Award. Second place went to Mastronardi Produce and third place to Procyk Farms.
SLIDE SHOW: View photos from the CPMA show
Next year’s CPMA show, the 89th edition, will be held in Vancouver April 2 to 4.