With a trade show packed with more than 3,400 industry members, the Southeast Produce Council's annual flagship event, Southern Exposure, delivered on everything it promised — including more than 700 buyers. This year's event took place March 7-9, in Tampa, FL, and earned widespread praise from attendees.

Southern Exposure Produce: The Unseen Heroes kicked off March 7 and ran through March 9 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, FL. On Friday, March 8, after a day of educational sessions, produce industry members gathered at SEPC’s opening gala for an evening filled with music, dancing and entertainment.

The Southeast Produce Council delivered once again as its Southern Exposure show received rave reviews. Record numbers poured onto the expo floor at the Tampa Convention Center, which ran a little longer than previous years. At the keynote address, prior to the opening of the expo, Hall of Fame National Football League quarterback Kurt Warner discussed his journey from stocking grocery store shelves to winning the Super Bowl.

Top photo: Mike Roberts cuts the ribbon to open the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure, joined by David Sherrod, Kristin Yerecic Scott, Sloan Lott, Gary Baker

The Southern Flavor Cocktail reception was held last night to help kick off the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure show. Taking place at the Six, located at the new JW Marriot in Tampa, FL, the guest speaker was National Football League Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.

Brooks, who is currently the NFL appeals officer, was interviewed by Tampa Bay Buccaneers team reporter Casey Phillips and entertained a packed house with stories about achieving success, developing leadership skills and his experiences as NFL appeals officer adjudicating fines doled out by the NFL to its players.

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TAMPA, FL — The Southeast Produce Council held its annual VIP dinner Wednesday evening, March 6, at Ulele, just prior to the opening of the 2024 Southern Exposure conference and trade show, here.

A full schedule of events was planned for Southern Exposure over the next three days, including the annual Tom Page Golf Classic (named for Tom Page, one of the founders of the council), the Future Generations Celebration Dinner, two educational workshops, the Southern Roots luncheon for women in produce, the new Good Seeds MENtor Program, the opening gala, the keynote luncheon and the expo.

Produce was quite literally front and center at Bozzuto's Independent Retailer Conference, with a massive produce display greeting attendees as they entered the trade show floor. This year's event, held March 5-6 in Uncasville, CT, took place at Mohegan Sun for the third year.

Produce vendors from all over the country were on hand to display their latest products at the two-day event.

Bozzuto's, headquartered in Cheshire, CT, is a total service wholesale distributor of food and household products to retailers in New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.