ANAHEIM, Calif. — From an early '90s TV star to a former Marine turned celebrity comedian to famous football players past and present to a social influencer extraordinaire, this year's International Fresh Produce Association Global Produce and Floral Show featured a number of star-backed produce collaborations designed to increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fresh Express Partners with Tiffani Thiessen
Fresh Express is partnering with cookbook author, mother and actor Tiffani Thiessen of “Saved by the Bell” and “Beverly Hills, 90210” fame to spotlight the nutrition, flavor, freshness and versatility of its salad offerings.
The Packer sat down with Thiessen during the IFPA show to learn more about the collaboration.
“I've always loved to cook, [and] we were definitely big Fresh Express fans in our house — my husband and I for many, many years even before children,” Thiessen said. “So, it was kind of a perfect partnership because we were already fans — already using the product. And I think they saw how I could be creative with their product and get kids to eat vegetables by developing really creative recipes that are specific to kids as well.
“I think people see me as someone they're familiar with. I'm sort of nostalgic because I've been in the industry for a long time and grew up with people in their houses with the popular TV shows that I've been on,” she added. “I think maybe they see me as someone who's trustworthy in the food area too, so both sides of my career are kind of perfect for a partnership like this.”
While Thiessen and her family's favorite Fresh Express salad is the Farmhouse Ranch Chopped Salad Kit, she says the creative possibilities are nearly endless with the company's full range of salads.
“The thing about their salads is that whether you go with some of their simple lettuces or you go with their mixed salads, you can elevate them in many different ways,” she says.
Thiessen has brought a creative approach to her Fresh Express meal-making from adding a protein to turning the salads into a tostada to making them into a wrap or topping a hot pizza with Caesar salad.
When it comes to getting kids to eat their veggies, Thiessen says don't forget to make it fun.
“I think it starts with teaching kids good values at a young age and getting them to understand that you don't have to just have raw carrots. You can make it fun,” she said. “And I think that's what's so great about Fresh Express is that there are ways that you can actually make eating vegetables fun, delicious and easy.”
Mushroom Council Brings “The Bear” Celeb to IFPA
Mushroom Council has tapped Matty Matheson, chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and Emmy-winning producer and actor on “The Bear,” to serve as its lead mushroom ambassador for its new “It's Not Magic. It's Mushrooms.” campaign aimed at cultivating the next generation of mushroom shoppers — namely Gen Z and millennials.
Matheson attended the IFPA Global Show, Oct. 17, where he posed for pictures with fans at the Mushroom Council booth outside and then on the show floor, where he toured mushroom growers' booths and posed for more pics.
“We were pleased to have him join us as we revealed campaign details at the IFPA Global Show,” said Cristie Mather, vice president of marketing for Mushroom Council.
Wonderful Pistachios and Josh Allen Not Holding Back
“Don't hold back” on healthy snacking was a key message at The Wonderful Company's booth, where Wonderful Pistachios showcased its latest no-shells variety — Dill Pickle — and its partnership with Buffalo Bills quarterback and pistachio farmer Josh Allen.
“Our ‘Don't Hold Back Snack' campaign is a big platform for good-for-you eating, and it will flow through all of our marketing for the foreseeable future,” says Wonderful Pistachio's Diana Salsa, who adds that the company hasn't abandoned its “Get Crackin''' campaign.
The Wonderful Company says “Don't Hold Back Snack” includes a national advertising campaign that puts Allen's NFL stardom center stage. It also follows the launch of the Josh Allen Scholarship and a multilevel marketing campaign.
The Josh Allen Scholarship aims to support first-generation college students in California's Central Valley, where Allen's family farm produces pistachios for the Wonderful Pistachios brand.
It's a great partnership for The Wonderful Company for which “philanthropy is also part of our DNA,” saus Salsa, adding the campaign spotlights an authentic connection of family farming tradition with professional football excellence.
AFM Names Rob Riggle ‘The Guac Guru'
This year Avocados From Mexico has tapped comedic actor Rob Riggle to help deliver the message that football and guac are the ultimate game day duo.
AFM says 84% of professional American football fans say food is as important as the game itself. With this in mind, when fans purchase an Avocados From Mexico-themed bag of avocados featuring the Guac Guru, they'll be able to scan the QR code, snap a photo of their receipt and receive $1.50 cash back via Venmo or PayPal. The promotion runs from Jan. 19 to Feb. 8. With 81% of fans indicating they'll watch the Super Bowl at home, AFM says guac is expected to play a key role in game-time entertaining.
“Our big focus this year is football. We are really leaning into football as a platform to drive consumption,” says Stephanie Bazan, senior vice president of commercial strategy and execution.
Bazan says promotions during football season are also perfectly aligned with the Mexican avocado season from October to December.
AFM is not only leaning into professional football but college as well, and it is a sponsor of the ESPN noon halftime show for college football.
“It's been successful, and consumption did increase as a result,” says Bazan.
AFM is also eyeing snacking to drive avocado sales.
“There's a huge connection between snacks and avocados in the basket,” Bazan says. “Consumers make 1.6 billion trips down the snack aisle between October and February.”
To engage snack seekers in center store, AFM is running a promotion in the snack aisle that offers $2 off the purchase of four avocados. Supported by in-store signage that allows shoppers to scan a QR code that offers an instant discount, the promotion is set to run Nov. 3 to Jan. 19.
“It's creating disruption in-store with behavior that already exists,” she says. “It also shows that you can go outside produce and capture more sales.”
Cucumber Social Media Sensation
At the Del Fresco Pure booth it was lights, camera, action, as TikTok star Logan Moffitt grabbed his mandoline, began slicing greenhouse-grown cucumbers and shook up one of his signature salads for fans.
While Moffitt doesn't have professional culinary training, he told The Packer he started meal planning and preparing the nightly dinner for his family at the age of 12.
“I've been doing this for a long time,” he said.
Moffitt says the cucumber concept came to him at a time when he was feeling uninspired about his food-focused social posts.
But the social slump didn't last long. Moffitt's TikTok take on cukes caught fire, taking him from 3.3 million TikTok followers to 7.2 million followers.
“It took my career to the next level,” said Moffit, adding that his videos make cucumber salad making “more fun and so easy.”
Crunch Time Apple Growers' Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer Andre Reed signed photos and promoted the Crunch Time Apple Growers' SnapDragon contest at the IFPA Global Show. The contest offers consumers a chance to win a trip to the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony and more.
Reed played 16 seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver, mainly with the Buffalo Bills. And of course, SnapDragon, the official apple of the Buffalo Bills, is his snack of choice.
Jessica Wells, executive director of Crunch Time Apple Growers, says the goal is to promote SnapDragon to football fans of other teams as the variety has had a great start to the season.
“It's our best start to the season yet,” she says. “We're super grateful to the retailers that have given us a shot.”
