Some of the leading names in the Southern Hemisphere's fresh produce export business are preparing to participate in the upcoming Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere, the region's leading fresh fruit and vegetable industry conference and networking event which takes place on 17-19 October in Cape Town, South Africa.
Senior executives from Walmart-Massmart, Waitrose, Capespan, San Miguel, Turners & Growers and The Greenery, now confirmed among the speakers and panellists for this year's conference, will discuss several topics of major importance to the sector, including export market diversification, consumer trends, cost cutting in the supply chain, corporate responsibility and modern retail development.
Nazlie du Toit, chief executive of the Waitrose Foundation, will take part in a special debate on the future of ethical trading schemes within the fresh produce business, while a session looking at how exporters can expand beyond their own borders will bring together Johan Dique of South African group Capespan, Geoff Hipkins of New Zealand company Turners & Growers and Alejandro Lucas of Argentinean citrus specialist San Miguel for an in-depth discussion.
The final session of the conference on 18 October will see Kobus Pienaar, who heads up the direct farm programme for Walmart-Massmart in Africa, talk about the work he has done to establish a new fresh produce sourcing team at Massmart and how he plans to help small and medium-sized farming operations to expand and improve their business.
With delegates from right along the fresh produce supply chain due to attend this year's Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere, the event is set to provide those attending with valuable opportunities to learn more about their industry and to network with some of the trade's top decision-makers.
More details on how to register for this year's Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere can be found on the official event website at www.eurofruitcongress.com/sh
