The Canadian Produce Marketing Association 2026 Convention and Trade Show, returning to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from April 28-30, is set to gather an international fresh produce audience for three dynamic days of education, expo, networking and more.
This year’s event also features a record-breaking more than 700 booths and a focus on ag tech. What does this growth signal about the health of the Canadian produce industry despite economic headwinds?
“Canada is open for business!” CPMA’s Sue Lewis exclaims. “Buyers and sellers from around the world will be at the 2026 show.”
While CPMA 2026 will bring back a host of fan favorites from Tuesday’s Toronto retail tour to Thursday’s awards brunch and annual banquet, there are new elements to look forward to this year as well, including extended trade show hours on Wednesday, the first day of the show.
“The [extended hours are] a result of feedback from exhibitors and attendees who wanted more time on the floor to conduct business,” says Lewis. “To accommodate this, CPMA will have food stations on the show floor Wednesday so guests can grab a bite as they walk the floor.”
Also on Wednesday, futurist Jim Carroll will deliver the keynote during the delegate breakfast. Recognized as a leading futurist, trends and innovation expert, Carroll’s massive global blue-chip client list gives him a front-row seat to the high-velocity change that is occurring as disruption comes to take hold of every industry and every organization, according to CPMA.
Learning Lounges
CPMA 2026 is set to tackle a variety of hot topics in its Learning Lounges on Wednesday, April 29, and Thursday, April 30.
“The Learning Lounge sessions are designed to be short information sessions on timely topics, delivered by industry experts,” says Lewis. “Attendees can pop into a 30-minute session and take a seated break from walking the trade show.”
Wednesday’s Learning Lounges will feature a session on AI implementation and supply chain resiliency, as well as a session on trade in 2026, which will explore the state of trade as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, review approaches.
On Thursday, attendees can learn more about building their personal brand; leveraging social media influencers for business success; and what’s in store in 2026 — a Learning Lounge that will feature retail and foodservice representatives from across Canada discussing what 2026 and beyond looks like in-store.
A full schedule of sessions with descriptions is available on the CPMA website and will be posted throughout the show.
Ontario Food Terminal Tour
Bright and early Thursday morning, attendees who have secured a spot on the sold-out Ontario Food Terminal tour will get an inside look at this iconic market.
“Attendees will have a unique opportunity to see the workings of the Ontario Food Terminal, a publicly owned wholesale market that plays a critical role in ensuring affordable, reliable and culturally appropriate access to fresh fruits and vegetables across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond,” says Lewis. “Research demonstrates that the OFT supports a diverse retail food landscape by supplying independent grocers, mobile vendors and community-based retailers that serve lower-income and underserved neighborhoods, helping to keep produce prices competitive with major supermarket chains.”
The Ontario Food Terminal distributes over 2 billion pounds of produce annually, supplying independent grocers, midsized retailers, greengrocers, restaurants, mobile produce vendors and community markets from Toronto to Atlantic Canada, says Lewis.
CPMA data shows that fresh produce sourced through the terminal is distributed to communities in nine provinces, supporting both urban and remote food access. The terminal also directly supports 250 to 300 Ontario farmers, many of whom rely on it as their primary or most stable market, particularly midsized farms that face barriers accessing consolidated grocery supply chains, says Lewis.
An International Event
The CPMA Convention and Trade Show has long been a truly international gathering. The 2025 event attracted some 630 exhibitors representing over 325 companies, 138 of which were international exhibitors from eight countries.
This year’s CPMA Show features a robust dedicated program for international buyers. Lewis says while the program launched in 2022, it has expanded this year to include retailers and wholesalers from Europe, the Americas and Asia.
“Canada is diversifying its trading partners across many sectors, and produce is no exception,” Lewis says.
The Place for New Products
The 2025 New Product Showcase included 70 products from 49 different companies, and this year’s showcase promises to be equally impressive.
“The produce industry is so creative and ever-changing, so it’s always fun to see what’s on display in the New Product Showcase,” says Lewis.
This year, Lewis says to “look for new snacking items and creatively branded packaging” in the showcase.
Awards at CPMA
The CPMA Show is also an opportunity to celebrate the leaders, changemakers and innovators in the Canadian produce industry.
This year, The Packer and CPMA will once again present the Canadian Produce Person of the Year Award during Thursday’s awards brunch.
“The awards brunch is a chance to honor the best of the industry,” says Lewis.
In addition to the Canadian Produce Person of the Year Award, CPMA will honor a young professional who displays passion and dedication for the produce industry with the Young Professional Award.
The association will also recognize a member using the Half Your Plate message to promote increased produce consumption with the Fresh Health Award and celebrate a pillar of the industry with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Women in Produce Summit
CPMA’s Women in Produce Summit has become a cornerstone of the overall event. Held Friday, May 1, this year’s half-day event is dedicated to celebrating women and highlighting their leadership and achievements within the fresh produce industry.
“We are proud that the summit attracts women from all stages of their careers — from those starting out to industry veterans who contribute their knowledge,” says Lewis. “Our speakers always bring great perspective with their messages. This year we’re excited to hear from our keynote speaker Seema Sanghavi, founder of Cooks Who Feed, [who will] share her exciting story, and Crystal MacKay, founder of Loft 32, who will lead a workshop on networking and how to connect for success.
“The energy in the room from so many people sharing their experience is amazing,” Lewis adds. “Of course, we welcome everyone to join — men and women.”
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