“This program provided a fantastic opportunity to focus on the fresh fruit and veggie choices that we are currently offering our students, while also learning about new and interesting produce that I did not previously know about. The virtual meetings enabled me to talk directly with numerous grower-suppliers, whereas at trade shows, I’m typically walking by each booth with minimal interaction. I came away with lots of new ideas for our menus for the coming months, and into next year and beyond.” FROM THE ATTENDING SCHOOLS & PRODUCE COMPANIES:
Little Rock School District (AR); Metro Nashville Public Schools; Montgomery County Public Schools (MD); MSD of Wayne Township School District (IN); NYC Dept. of Education (NY); Richmond City Public Schools (VA); and Southwest Foodservice Excellence/SLA Management (multi-state). “These conversations were eye- opening,” said Ty Erling, account manager for RPE, a potato grower-shipper based in Bancroft, WI. “I’ve been selling potatoes for 25-years, and talking with the school menu planners was definitely a learning experience. The volume of meals produced on a daily basis is wild. Plus, we’re excited about our baby potatoes for this customer segment - - easy prep, fast cooking, and kid-friendly sizes - - all make this a great option for schools looking to offer more scratch-cooked, healthy options.” Companies participating in this year’s School Foodservice Partner X-Change, included: DNO Produce, Dark Side Equipment, Gaia K-12 Software, Grimmway Farms, HMC Farms, The Mushroom Council, Steinbeck Produce/ Nature’s Reward, Okanagan Specialty Fruits/Arctic Apples, Cool School Fresh, RPE, LLC, Sunkist Growers, Taylor Farms, and the IFPA Foundation for Fresh Produce. “IFPA’s school-focused events have been a great way to connect school districts across the country with the people who grow their food,” said Jakob Smith, director of value-added sales for HMC Farms. “The virtual ‘speed dating’ sessions and the in-person interactions at the Foodservice Conference’s K-12 Summit are two prime examples, and we appreciate the opportunity to work together with the shared goal of increasing students’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables!” IFPA will continue to bring together school Foodservice professionals and the produce industry at this year’s K-12 Foodservice Forum at the Foodservice Conference in Monterey, CA. Over the 3-day program, attendees will tour produce fields and processing operations; participate in menu ideation and collaborative discussions with industry and school colleagues; and explore the IFPA Foodservice Expo.
Amy Faricy RD, SNS Manager of Menu Services Douglas County School District (Castle Rock, CO)
“This was my third year participating, and it has never disappointed. The structure of the meetings allows for a “straight to the point” conversation that is highly productive, while also encouraging a deeper dive into the types of information and resources that schools are looking for, from their produce partner.”
Logan Nicely Director of Healthy Solutions & Cool School Fresh Fresh Alliance
“This program provided a great way to have 1:1 meetings with new school contacts, and lay the foundation for future conversations. School foodservice directors are often very busy, so the 15-minute “speed dating” sessions are a great way to have meaningful conversations in a short period of time, without pulling anyone away for a full-day event or out-of-town conference. We are hoping we see some success stories and increased mushroom purchases this year, as a result of the meetings.”
Whitney Bateson MPH, RD Consultant The Mushroom Council/Mushrooms in Schools
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