6 | Winter 2021/22
foundation of the Fresh Produce
& Floral Council. One of our main
tenants is to bring the industry together
in social settings so competitors
and colleagues can share ideas
and good times for the betterment
of our industry.
The FPFC Expo is another
great event with a long tradition. It
also embodies our Mission Statement
“to connect members to
the information, education and
professional network they need
to increase knowledge, grow their
businesses and collectively advance
the industry.” There will be scores
of booths promoting new products
and new innovations, and hundreds
of buyers and sellers doing what
they can to advance their companies
and our industry. We have
changed the venue to the Anaheim
Convention Center to offer much
more flexibility in scheduling and
floor layout. The trade show will be
easier to navigate as it incorporates
floral, produce and complimentary
suppliers in the same space.
We are anticipating a big crowd
for both these events, and we hope
to see you there. We do not forget
that it is the people that make this
industry and the FPFC what it is.
EXECUTIVE NOTES
By Don Gann
Looking Forward to an Exciting Year
We’re building on what we
accomplished in 2021
despite the challenges and
are planning on a great 2022 full of
activities that the Fresh Produce &
Floral Council is noted for. But we
are also forging ahead and looking
for new opportunities and new
events to bring value to our membership.
Speaking of our members, we
are very happy with those of you
who have stuck with us through
this difficult 20 months. We have a
great membership core that is only
going to grow throughout 2022.
Those of you sitting on the sidelines,
come on back. We welcome
you with open arms. It’s a new day
at the FPFC.
We held a very successful
Holiday Auction Luncheon that
epitomizes what the FPFC does so
well. We basically had a standing
room only crowd that celebrated
the opportunity to break bread
with their fellow colleagues in the
produce industry, while giving to
those less fortunate. The Holiday
Luncheon’s partnership with Chef
Bruno Serato’s Caterina’s Club
has a long tradition and once again
we were able to make a significant
contribution to both Chef Bruno
and the Second Harvest Food Bank.
The FPFC is proud of the work
we do to help those less fortunate,
which is an important reminder of
just how fortunate we are in this
industry, despite the challenges of
the recent past.
Looking forward, rest assured
that your safety will continue to be
the primary consideration for all
events in 2022. We are eager to get
back to normalcy, but we are doing
it in a measured way, mindful of the
safety and needs of all our members.
We are currently finalizing
the plans for our upcoming Dinner
Dance on Feb. 5, and the FPFC
Expo on April 6. Both events are
important for the FPFC. They are
our largest two events of the year,
and they illustrate how the FPFC
has been a vibrant and relevant
organization for more than 50
years. They also point to our desire
to both look ahead and respect
tradition as we move forward. Both
events are detailed a bit more in the
pages of this issue. And registration
for each event is open on the FPFC
website.
The Dinner Dance will be held
at the Langham in Pasadena. That
has been a great venue in the past
and promises to be just as good in
2022. Our annual Dinner Dance
celebrates a cornerstone in the