PMA Vice President of Global Development Richard Owens affirms that “we actually have a much deeper footprint in Australia, since they’ve been coming to the Fresh Summit in large numbers for several decades. This (A+NZ) was the first Fresh Connections we did anywhere in the world, and it has offered plenty of opportunities to grow globally.”
Currently, in addition to Australia, PMA organises Fresh Connections in Mexico, Chile, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand and China, which are the target countries. PMA CEO Cathy Burns explains that the benefits of being a PMA member are many. “Our end goal is to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables and floral products across the world; we connect people globally, we have a research centre and conduct consumer trend studies. We also have a PMA Foundation of industry talent that focuses on developing and retaining talent.”
She assures that science and technology is a huge part of the value PMA gives. “We’ve been building up our technology portfolio to look for technologies that can support this industry to make it more efficient and make food safer. Keeping produce safe across the entire supply chain is paramount to us.”
While food safety is such a big issue, both Richard and Cathy agree that the greatest concerns in the industry at the moment have to do with driving consumption. Cathy affirms that there are two components to that: “driving consumption in terms of marketing (with innovation as a key element), but also in removing barriers to be able to trade products across nations.”
Furthermore, she states that “we have a really differentiated approach to issues of leadership; a strategic pillar that we pay plenty of attention to. We aim to take a holistic approach, defining issues of leadership as government relations, public relations and public affairs.” All in all, “PMA is here to drive agendas no single company could manage on its own, and that’s how it delivers value at the end of the day.”
PMA, with members in over 40 countries, represents the entire supply chain, from seed manufacturers to growers and shippers all the way to wholesalers and foodservice providers. “The collective power of the supply chain as a whole moving the industry forward is very unique and differentiated,” she affirms.
Cathy concludes by stressing the importance of social media in the supply chain, stating that “it all starts with a good, solid brand, and then have the brand’s core values transcend all of your communications. Your strategic planning has to be really holistic and social media is another medium that allows you to engage with your members or customers.”
