First Educational Session at the Organic Produce Summit Announced

The first of six educational sessions to be held at the Organic Produce Summit 2018 has been confirmed and will focus on the disruptive direct-to-consumer food business and its impact on fresh organic produce and the changing retail landscape.  “E-Grocery and the Future of Organic Fresh Produce at Retail” will feature representatives from three of the nation’s leading digital grocers and meal delivery companies at OPS 2018, July 11-12 in Monterey, CA.

The session will feature panelists Tony Stallone, vice president of merchandising for Peapod; Dan Bourgault, head of brand partnerships for Instacart; and Don Barnett, COO for Sun Basket.  Kevin Coupe of Morning News Beat will serve as moderator for the session, which will delve into the challenges and opportunities for organic fresh produce in the growing online grocery and food delivery category.

Tony Stallone, VP of Merchandising - Peapod

Dan Bourgault, Head of Brand Partnerships - Instacart

Don Barnett, COO - Sun Basket 

Moderator: Kevin Coupe, Morning News Beat

“OPS attendees will hear from three of the most innovative and progressive e-commerce companies in the organic food space today, “said Susan Canales, president of Organic Produce Summit.  “Each company has a unique business proposition, and each is positioned as a leader in their respective category of the online food business.  This session will be informative and insightful for those on both the production and sales side of the organic fresh produce industry.”

Panelists represent three of the most powerful online food organizations in the world and are industry leaders in direct-to consumer food sales.  They are:

• Peapod is owned by Ahold Delhaize and operates in 23 U.S. markets.  It is currently the largest online grocery delivery store in the United States.
• Instacart is a San-Francisco based company that operates as a same-day grocery delivery service. Customers select groceries through a web application from various retailers and they are delivered by a personal shopper.
• Sun Basket is a subscription meal delivery service that ships member’s fresh organic and sustainable ingredients and recipes every month, allowing them to cook their own meal.

The first of six educational sessions is in addition to two featured keynote presenters announced last month.  Ed Carolan, President of Campbell Fresh, and Dan Buettner, noted journalist, author, and discoverer of Blue Zones, will be featured keynote presenters at the third annual OPS to be held at the Monterey Conference Center. 

The educational sessions and keynote presentation are part of the two-day OPS 2018, bringing together organic fresh produce growers/shippers/processors and retailer and buying organizations from across North America. The third annual OPS will continue to announce additional educational sessions and an exclusive Retailer RoundTable in the coming weeks.

OPS 2018 will also feature a selection of field tours for retailers and buyers; a gala opening night reception and a sold-out trade show floor featuring 130 producers and processors of organic fresh produce from across North America and the globe.

For further information about OPS 2018, please visit www.organicproducesummit.com