The two major produce associations in the US are reportedly considering a merger in response to criticism from members of duplicated services.

Leadership and board members from the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) and the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association met on July 18 in Chicago, after insiders from both trade groups confirmed to US press at the PMA’s Foodservice Conference and Exposition in Monterey, California on July 12-15, that the possibility of a merger was to be raised and closely examined.

In a statement, the two associations said a merger is not inevitable, but six members from the PMA and United boards and their respective president and chief executive, Bryan Silbermann and Tom Stenzel, attended the meeting.

A statement released on July 16 by Silbermann, pictured, and Stenzel said: “This is not a secret meeting, and we of course intend to share information from the meeting with our memberships at some point after the meeting.

“The general purpose of the meeting is as follows: both associations’ priority is to deliver the best value to our members, and our volunteer leaders and staff have been talking about ways to do that better.

“We are now exploring ways to enhance member value through collaboration between our two associations, although there is no predetermined end point, such as a merger. Rather, we are focusing on enhancing value to members of both associations and letting that guide our discussions.”

Stenzel declined to identify the six members from each board.

This is not the first time the groups have re-examined their roles in the industry; in late June, Stenzel said there had been talks about possible mergers in 1958, 1969, 1975 and 1995.

TASTING THE DIFFERENCE

New research commissioned by the PMA has found that consumers are willing to pay more for produce with a better taste, but some feel the industry fails to meet this demand.

Nearly 92 per cent of the 1,000 primary shoppers surveyed by telephone in late April by Opinion Dynamics Corporation said that taste was somewhat or extremely important to them. Produce flavour is an important factor driving store choice for more than three-quarters of surveyed shoppers, yet in stark contrast, 30 per cent of those shoppers report only middle-of-the-road satisfaction with the taste of the produce they purchase, and only 25 per cent report they are very satisfied.

“We are responsible for some of the only foods consumers are being encouraged to eat more of, not less,” said PMA president Bryan Silbermann. “Fruit and vegetables promise great taste too, yet our customers tell us we are failing to deliver on that promise.”

A lack of freshness was highlighted in the survey as one of the causes of shopper dissatisfaction.

“Educating consumers about produce availability, handling and use is a tremendous opportunity to drive sales that is frequently under-utilised,” said Dave Corsi, PMA board of directors secretary-treasurer and vice-president of produce operations for Wegmans Food Markets.

“It’s really a win-win situation; showcasing flavourful, ripe products at their peak satisfies consumers and inevitably leads to increased sales,” he added.