In July, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) announced that foodservice industry leaders had set a goal to double the use of fresh produce in the foodservice sector over the next 10 years. Two newly published reports have documented the discussions of a supply chain-wide executive think tank that set forth that call to action — and the operator research that spurred them to set the goal.
The two reports are from the PMA, National Restaurant Association and International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA). They are the result of a new partnership to create more produce-rich restaurant menus that was originally announced earlier this year and was sponsored by Salinas, Calif.-based Markon Cooperative.
The report "Executive Think Tank: Produce Opportunities in Foodservice" documents the recent discussion of a panel of 25 senior executives representing foodservice operators, distributors and suppliers. The panel was convened in July to identify goals and priorities to increase fresh produce use in foodservice and promote healthful menu options.
The group also identified five priority strategies to work toward that goal; their discussion regarding each strategy is documented in the think tank panel report. The group will reconvene to determine next steps.
The second report, "An Examination of Fresh Produce Usage in the Restaurant Industry: Summary of Results," summarizes operator research conducted for the associations by the NRA in April and June. The research included a quantitative survey of a nationwide sample of 500 restaurant owners and operators with fresh produce purchasing authority. That research also included qualitative interviews with 10 purchasing executives from chain restaurant companies.
"All of this research is the result of the first step in a landmark multi-phase project by the three associations to identify opportunities to increase fresh produce use in foodservice and to promote healthy lifestyles," said PMA president and CEO Bryan Silbermann. "This is the first time top executives representing the restaurant, distributor and produce industries have joined together for such an important common goal."
The two-part report series is available for free download for members of the three partnering associations. The cost for non-members is $160.
