The International Fresh Produce Association closed its 2026 Global Produce & Floral Show in Orlando, Florida, after three days of commerce and connection, drawing more buyers from more global markets than ever before, including a 10 percent increase in participation from retailers outside the U.S.
Attendees came from nearly 70 countries and more than 400 retail and wholesale banners, creating a buyer-to-attendee ratio of almost 1-to-9. Buyers met more than 1,050 exhibiting companies on an expo floor spanning produce, floral, complementary items and business solutions. This year marked the show’s first midweek Wednesday-Friday schedule, a change made at members’ request.
“This week showed what our industry can do when it shows up for one another, particularly after the challenges we’ve faced in 2026,” said IFPA CEO Cathy Burns. “Buyers and sellers from around the world gathered to work through the issues that affect everyone in fresh, from food safety and trade to sustainability and increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Our members came to Orlando to grow their business and left with the connections, insights and tools to keep doing that all year.”
Curated tours and more
Beyond floor traffic, curated tours took buyers to solution providers, including the new Fresh Supply Chain of the Future Tour, the Regenerative Agriculture Tour and Ag Attaché tours of key production regions. The Innovation Hub paired first-time exhibitors and the Fresh Ideas Showcase, which featured 235 new innovations, with the Food Safety & Tech X-Change.
Themes carrying through Burns’ State of the Industry address, general sessions and the Education Festival included rebuilding consumer trust through food safety and traceability; protecting year-round supply through trade, labor and policy; workable approaches to extended producer responsibility, including $5 million in grants secured for IFPA’s Packaging Innovation Program; putting AI to work through expanded capabilities in the association’s Global Intelligence Engine; and making fruits, vegetables and flowers central to health strategy.
Expo Awards
On the show’s final day, IFPA announced its Expo Award winners:
- Best first-time exhibitor: ESU
- Produce: Altar Produce (island booth); North Shore Greenhouses (inline booth)
- Floral: Passion Growers (island); Charme Flowers (inline)
- Complementary items: Oasis Dates (island); California Walnuts (inline)
- Business solutions: Ocean Network Express (island); Royal Interpack (inline)
- Fresh Ideas Showcase: Stemilt Growers’ Compostable PLU (best sustainable packaging); Offshoot Brands’ Baby Beets (best product promo)
“Thank you to our exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers and guests for joining us in Orlando,” Burns said. “We’ll see you next year in Atlanta!”
IFPA is the largest international association serving the fresh produce and floral supply chain, representing growers, shippers, fresh-cut processors, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, foodservice operators and industry suppliers worldwide.
Related: IFPA’s Burns Calls For Collective Action In State Of Industry Keynote
IFPA 2026 in Orlando, FL
