BrandStorm to host industry’s marketing icons for fireside chat

United Fresh’s sixth annual BrandStorm event will take place online March 9-11, 2021. The event will feature a panel of marketing icons and past United Fresh Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council Chairs Roger Pepperl, Cindy Jewell and Mark Munger, for a fireside chat where they’ll share their perspectives on the past, present and future of fresh produce marketing.

“I count Roger and Cindy among my most respected industry friends and mentors,” Mark Munger, vice president of sales and marketing at 4Earth Farms and chair of United Fresh’s Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council, said in a news release. “I’m looking forward to this intimate chat where they’ll share with the attendees their perspectives on innovative marketing strategies that have impacted our industry and shaped my own produce marketing career. It’s an honor and pleasure of mine to host this conversation.”

Roger Pepperl served as the Chair of United Fresh’s Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council from 2013-15 while he was working as the Director of Marketing for Stemilt Growers, LLC. Roger retired from the fresh produce industry in December of 2020 after a storied 40-year career working on both sides of the produce aisle as a retailer and then as a produce marketer.

Cindy Jewell was Pepperl’s successor, serving as the Chair of the Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council from 2015-17, and later served as Chair of the United Fresh Board of Directors from 2018-19. After concluding her leadership roles on the United Fresh Board of Directors, Cindy founded SC Jewell Inc., a marketing consultancy.

Jewell’s successor, Mark Munger is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at 4Earth Farms. Beginning in 2017, he has served two consecutive terms as the Chair of the Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council which he will relinquish this spring.

BrandStorm, a project of the Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council, has been developed to engage all levels of brand and marketing professionals in the produce industry looking to enhance their knowledge of marketing strategies, tools and innovations.

“As the staff liaison to the Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council I’ve been fortunate to count Roger, Cindy and Mark as mentors and trusted advisors,” said Mary Coppola, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, United Fresh.“They each bring unique perspectives and career experiences to the industry which I’m excited to share with you – our produce marketing peers – during this year’s virtual BrandStorm conference.”

United Fresh members can attend BrandStorm for $495 with discounts offered to marketing teams (from the same company) at the reduced rate of $395 each when you register three or more colleagues.

Non-members can attend for $695. You can registerhere: www.unitedfresh.org.

For more information about BrandStorm education, registration or to sponsor at the event, contact Mary Coppola, Vice President, Marketing & Communications at 202-303-3425.

Founded in 1904, the United Fresh Produce Association brings together companies across every segment of the fresh produce supply chain, including growers, shippers, fresh cut processors, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, foodservice operators, industry suppliers and allied associations.