The International Fresh Produce Association’s Foundation for Fresh Produce is gearing up for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo.
The event is one of the world’s largest meeting of food, nutrition and dietetics professionals, and the foundation will leverage its Have A Plant consumer campaign to educate and inspire dietitians during multiple exclusive invitation-only events, as well as through its exhibitor booth on the trade show floor, according to a news release. This year’s FNCE is set for Oct. 5-8 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
“Nurturing passionate fruit and vegetable professionals is a priority of the Foundation’s, particularly as consumers continue to seek expert advice when it comes to food choices, health and well-being,” Katie Calligaro, foundation director of marketing and communications said in the release. “Our efforts to promote fruit and vegetable consumption will be incomplete without the active engagement, education, and inspiration of registered dietitians, who advocate for health and the benefits of fruits and vegetables in their daily professional activities.”
For the second year in a row, the foundation said it will be nourishing registered dietitians throughout the expo with donated fresh produce, thanks to Bix/FreshPoint Minnesota.
T-shirt giveaways and fruit- and veggie-tattoos set the stage and will generate buzz, all while the team is engaging with the dietitians, asking them to join a “Hack-A-Thon,” offering their best fruit- or veggie-hack for use on the Have A Plant consumer-facing social media channels, the release said.
In addition to the expo, the foundation said its staff will attend education sessions focused on the latest food and nutrition science, such as “Unlocking Opportunities: Dietitians Leading the Food Is Medicine Movement Across Practice Settings,” “Transforming School Lunches: Strategies for Success” and “Feeding Soldiers in Complex Environments: Nutrition Interventions at Home Station and Abroad.”
Other boots-on-the-ground engagement and education opportunities to reach exclusive audiences throughout the five-day show include, according to the release:
• Friday, Oct. 4 — “FNCE Friday” event, an annual food-centric social soiree, presents an opportunity to network with 100-plus media and top-tier nutrition influencers, building excitement for the week’s events.
• Saturday, Oct. 5 — A few will attend an exclusive Pork & Partners luncheon hosted by the National Pork Board, a long-time partner of the foundation’s produce pairings promotions. Later that evening, IFPA is sponsoring the School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group reception from 7-9 p.m. in an effort to develop new and strengthen existing relationships with school nutrition professionals as part of its K-12 programming. There, the team will also reintroduce its K-12 breakfast recipes with minimal added sugar toolkit.
• Sunday, Oct. 6 — Following the expo exhibit, the team will split for various member and partner events, including a trivia night with the Healthy Family Project.
• Sunday, Oct. 6, to Tuesday, Oct. 8 — Team members will disperse and interact with Have A Plant ambassadors at various education sessions, as well as engage with current and new prospective produce partners, IFPA members and more during the three-day expo trade show floor.
• Monday, Oct. 7 — Team members will attend various public relations agency events, including Ketchum’s annual breakfast, where they’ll highlight the future of nutrition communications, as well receptions that evening with Eat Well Global and The Wonderful Company.
“This event offers numerous opportunities to advance our mission and position The Foundation for Fresh Produce as a valuable resource for these key professionals. It is equally important for the produce industry to be represented at the largest global nutrition-focused trade show for registered dietitians,” Alex Dinovo, president and chief operating officer of DNO Produce and foundation chair, said in the release. “We cannot effectively change the trajectory of human health without influencing real consumer behavior change, nor can we improve fruit and vegetable consumption without enlisting the support of this integral community.”
For more information about The Foundation for Fresh Produce and how to engage with this impactful health and wellness professional community throughout the year, contact Sharese Roper, director of industry and partner engagement.
Follow Have A Plant social media channels to get live updates from the show on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn.