EDINBURG, TX - Little Bear Produce will be bringing added value to the Viva Fresh Expo this year, according to Bret Erickson. I recently sat down with the Executive Vice President of Business Affairs to discuss his excitement, expectations, and more for the upcoming show.
“We are incredibly excited to showcase our newest fresh-cut value-added offerings. Our fresh-cut program has grown significantly in the last couple of years, and the customer response has been outstanding, so much so that we have expanded our fresh-cut footprint and are developing new and exciting mixes, blends, and package sizes,” Bret told me. “It has never been clearer that consumers love the convenience of washed, chopped, and bagged items.”
Little Bear offers smaller serving sizes for convenience and minimal food waste at home, as well as large foodservice packs. Bret said that no matter what size the customer needs, the shelf-life on these bags are some of the best in the business, which means less food waste in the store and at home.
“Without a doubt, our favorite part of Viva Fresh is being able to connect in person with customers, colleagues, and friends. Viva is such a unique and intimate event—it’s always a great opportunity to catch up in person and mingle with folks. The produce industry is loaded with the best people in the world, and we love sharing our passion for produce with other attendees,” Bret explained. “In addition to seeing friends, old and new, I am particularly interested in the keynote speaker this year. Max Lugavere is not a household name, YET, but attendees are in for a potentially life-changing presentation on health and wellness, his perspective has blown my mind. I definitely suggest people check him out.”
One of Little Bear’s primary goals at the expo is to showcase its newest and most innovative offerings and to connect with customers, both current and future. The company has some impressive items rolling out this year, and Bret and the team are eager to get customer feedback.
“Networking is the number one reason people should attend. The Viva Fresh Expo is designed to maximize networking time for buyers and suppliers, in particular for the companies doing business through the Texas/Mexico corridor,” Bret went on. “Attendees have the opportunity to see people at Viva Fresh that they don’t normally see at any other expo the rest of the year.”
Last year at the show, Little Bear served a mixologist-inspired Dino-melon Margarita in the booth and was swamped by margarita lovers. This year, the team is bringing back the mixologists and will have a very sweetly sensational adult beverage that incorporates one of Little Bear’s special varieties of melon.
“I hope attendees can feel our passion and energy, and that our presence and unique high-quality offerings show the strength of the Little Bear brand. We are ready to work with our current and future customers to blaze new trails ahead,” Bret concluded.
If you plan to attend the show, be sure to stop by this exciting booth!
