PORTLAND, OR - Have you ever wished a trade show was longer? Whether it be to really, truly savor all the opportunities available with most of produce’s heaviest hitters in one room or because getting out of the office for a couple of days is a sweet relief? Well, you’re not alone! As Sydney Fairchild, Marketing, Sustainability, and Compliance for Bridges Produce, and I discussed the upcoming Organic Produce Summit (OPS), she let slip that this is one show she wishes never ended—and honestly, I concur!

“OPS is an amazing show, especially because it provides wonderful face-to-face opportunities for us to connect in person with buyers from across the country. OPS feels more personal thanks to the limited number of exhibitors and attendees and the ten-by-ten booth format, which makes it easier to see all that the organic industry has to offer,” Sydney shared with me. “To take advantage of this, Bridges Produce includes sales reps from different divisions with different specialties–apples, pears, squash, potatoes, onions, berries, and Mexican veg–in OPS. This helps us demonstrate the strong relationships between our category leads and farmers that are crucial to us being able to provide the best service to the customers as well as the growers.”

If you happen to stop by Bridges Produce’s booth (which you should in order to talk it up with the company’s savvy team), you’ll have the chance to hear about their growing berry program, another season offering year-round hard squash availability, and the fall and winter Mexican season.

“One of our goals for OPS is to work with the buyers to optimize their upcoming programs. This is a crucial time to be discussing our customers’ needs when it comes to squash, melons, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplant out of Mexico as we are buying the seed and finishing up crop planning for our fall season now. By working closely with the buyers, we can ensure we are not able to only meet but exceed our customers’ expectations,” Sydney noted.

OPS is a spot-on show for the company as Bridges Produce was founded on the premise of organics (in 2002) and hasn’t strayed from its roots in its 17-year run.

“We believe organic agriculture is crucial to nourishing the health of our families, the environment, our customers, our grower partners, and the farmworkers.” Sydney explained. “We pride ourselves on being able to support Fair Trade and ethical labor practices, and we’re fully dedicated to prioritizing sustainable business.”

Stop by booth #722 to find out more about what Bridges Organic Produce has to offer now and next season!

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Bridges Produce