"The Shifting Organic Assortment at Retail"- OPS 2023 Ed Session Announced

As inflation and rising costs have impacted organic sales over the past year, producers and retailers are seeking new ways and opportunities to grow sales. The Shifting Organic Assortment at Retail will be the subject of the fifth-announced educational session at Organic Produce Summit 2023, featuring an exclusive analysis of organic fresh produce sales through the first half of this year, an examination of how consumer purchasing behavior is changing, and an exploration of opportunities to drive sales in an inflationary environment.

Moderated by Tom Barnes, CEO of Category Partners, panelists for the session will include Scott Dray, global buyer for Walmart, and Greg Veneziano, vice president of perishables for Bozzuto’s.

Panelists Scott Dray, Global Buyer for Walmart, and Greg Veneziano, Vice President of Perishables for Bozzuto's

Barnes will kick off the session with an overview of organic fresh produce sales through the first six months of 2023, analyzing the price gap between conventional and organic produce, geographic differences, and the performance of specific organic commodities. The retail panelists will discuss the changing grocery landscape of the organic fresh produce category, with an overview of consumer trends and an exploration of future opportunities for growth.

“This session will not be one to miss if your company has any organic products in a retail store,” said Barnes. “I am excited to discuss the change in demand and consumer behavior toward organic produce with Scott and Greg and hear how suppliers can potentially pivot their organic assortment to meet these changes.”

Moderator Tom Barnes, CEO of Category Partners

The announcement of this data-driven educational session completes the OPS 2023 educational program. Other ed session topics for OPS 2023 include sustainability, the growing importance of CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture), the power of plants, and new organic rules and regulations.

OPS 2023 is a two-day event specifically designed to bring together organic fresh produce growers, shippers, and processors with retailers and buying organizations from across North America. The seventh annual event will be held July 12-13 at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, CA.

“I am excited to discuss the change in demand and consumer behavior toward organic produce with Scott and Greg and hear how suppliers can potentially pivot their organic assortment to meet these changes.” - Tom Barnes

Also slated for OPS 2023 are a pair of keynote presentations. In the first keynote, Divert’s Co-Founder and CEO Ryan Begin will share about his company’s leading role in addressing the human and environmental crises created by food waste in a TED Talk-style presentation titled, Protecting the Value of Food: Learning to Value Food at All Stages of Its Lifecycle—from Seed to Wasted Food to Renewable Energy.

The second keynote is the Retailer Roundtable: What Lies Ahead for Fresh Produce and Grocery Marketing, featuring leadership from three of the nation's most progressive retailers. Panelists include Abhi Ramesh, founder and CEO of Misfits Market; Sonya Constable, vice president of produce for Sprouts Farmers Market; and Daniel Bell, director of produce for Grocery Outlet.

OPS 2023 also includes a selection of field tours for qualified retailers and buyers, a gala opening night reception, and a sold-out trade show floor featuring over 170 producers and processors of organic fresh produce from across North America and the globe

Registration to attend OPS 2023 is available at www.organicproducesummit.com.