Booth Application Process

How to Reserve Space

• Submit booth application
• Returning 2023 exhibitors will have until February 23 to apply for the early assignment process.
• April 5 is the deadline to pay, cancel or change booth sizes. Full payment is required. No refunds will be granted after April 5.
• Paid exhibitors who applied by February 23 will be assigned via Zoom in priority point order starting April 10. During this Zoom call, we will show you the floor plan and help you choose the best space available. Please be aware that due to the layout of the show floor, we cannot guarantee separation from competitors.
• Applications received after February 23 and any non-returning exhibitors will be assigned in the order of payment receipt after early assignments have been completed.

Cancellation Policy

Those applying for the early assignment process may submit written notice of cancellation of all or any portion of the exhibit space on or before April 5, 2024 to receive a refund of all fees paid, minus a $150 processing fee. After April 5, no refunds for complete or partial cancellations will be issued, and booths will not be assigned without full payment. Early applicants who have not paid in full by April 10 will be removed from the assignment timeline until payment has been received.

2024 exhibitors will receive priority during the 2025 assignment process. Canceling your 2024 booth would disqualify you from the 2025 early assignment process, which will negatively impact your booth location.

Show Floor Layout

View the 2024 Floor Plan

The show floor is grouped into segments, all within one contiguous space. This provides greater opportunity for you to connect with buyers and gives them an easier, more efficient way to navigate the show floor, with more time to see new and different products, services and companies. The segments on the show floor are: Produce, Floral, Complementary Items and Business Solutions as detailed below: 

• Complementary Items
  • Hard Goods/Ancillary: Includes items such as nuts, juices/beverages, salad dressings/toppings, dips, dried fruit, candy, produce wash 

• Business Solutions
  
  • Supply Chain Logistics/Equipment
  • Broker 
  • Merchandising 
  • Media 
  • Packaging
  • Science and Technology
  • Services 
  • Training & Talent 
  • Trade Development 

• Retail Solutions
  • Created for retailers to easily find the equipment and technology they need to bring their produce aisle to life. A company may be eligible to be part of this pavilion if Retailers are their primary customer and they are showcasing products such as merchandising solutions, signage/decor, or retail technologies that a retailer would directly purchase from them.
• Floral
  • All floral related products/services
• Produce
  • Fruits 
  • Vegetables 
  • Distributor: Includes Wholesale, Foodservice and Exotic/Specialty produce

• First-Time Exhibitors 
  • We will have first-time exhibitor pavilions on the show floor for added exposure and media attention. Island booths may be limited to maximize space within these areas, and first-timers may choose to exhibit outside of the pavilion if preferred.

Booth Selection Guidelines

• A maximum of 50 feet of exhibit space may be reserved along central Broadway and/or at show floor entrances, regardless of the length of the booth (which could be more than 50 feet) or number of affiliated companies sharing the space.
• Additional space may be reserved directly behind that booth OR 50 feet off central Broadway/show floor entrances.
• Based upon the overall status of booth sales and booth sizes needed by subsequent exhibitors, the guideline regarding booths that are 50 feet off the Broadway/show floor entrances may be reduced.

Booth Sharing and Pavilions

*Policies are subject to change. Changes will be communicated prior to the launch of the booth application.

There are two options for companies that wish to exhibit with other affiliated companies/brands: "Booth Sharing" or creating a "Pavilion."

In order to “Booth Share” or create a “Pavilion,” a minimum of 100 sq. ft. of space must be reserved for each company that will participate, and companies/brands must be affiliated in one of the following ways:

• Government Agency or Department
• Promotional Organization (domestic or global promotional organization that will have other fruit, vegetable, or floral related organizations exhibiting in your booth)
• Cooperative/Coalition and/or Marketing/Branding Agreement (ie. contractually affiliated brands)
• Divisions or subsidiaries of exhibiting company
• Grouped by a product or interest area (such as floral, machinery, a state or region)

The primary differences between the two options are who will assume financial responsibility for the booth space and how priority points are used to determine the order in which the booth location will be selected during virtual booth assignments (for those who participate).

• Booth Sharing – the company that completes the booth application maintains financial liability for the total space rented, and invoicing/payment of booth space shall be between your company and IFPA only. The order of booth selection is based on the number of points held by the company submitting the application only.
• Pavilions – each participant within the pavilion completes a booth application and maintains financial liability for only their portion of the total pavilion. Companies MUST plan in advance if they wish to participate in a pavilion. Each individual participant's application must include the pavilion name, total space required and booth location preferences agreed upon by all participants in advance. Pavilions will have the opportunity to change the total space they require during virtual booth assignments and through the cancellation/downsizing deadline. Review the “Awarding Points to Pavilions” section below to learn how points determine the order in which a pavilion will select exhibit space.

If your company will be “Booth Sharing,” on the booth application you will have the ability to choose how you wish to manage booth benefits and expo communications.

• Option 1: All communications/benefits will go ONLY to the primary contact listed on the booth application including: booth invoices, badge mailings, logistical emails and access to register booth personnel badges, trade show only passes, and the full attendee list. The primary contact will be responsible for sending/allotting all communication and benefits to those companies “sharing” their space.
• Option 2: All communications/benefits, except the booth invoice, will go to EACH of the individual companies “sharing” the booth space. In order to select this option, each affiliated company/brand must be assigned a specific area within your total booth with a unique booth number (based on your instructions), so that they may order booth services directly from vendors, manage their own allotment of booth personnel badges and complimentary expo invitations, receive badge mailings and logistical emails, and have access to the full attendee list.

How Priority Points Work

Priority Points are used to determine the order in which exhibitors select booth space for next year and are awarded in three categories based on the participation of the exhibiting company(s) who holds the contract with IFPA only. 

1. Exhibitor Loyalty
   
   • Earn 2 Priority Points for each year exhibiting in The Global Produce & Floral Show.
   • Additional Priority Points will be awarded when a company reaches key milestones:
     • 25 years as an exhibitor: 5 bonus points
     • 50 years: 10 bonus points
     • 75 years: 15 bonus points
   • If companies had a history with the United Fresh Show and/or Fresh Summit, they will maintain the history with a larger total.
2. Member Loyalty
   • Earn 1 Priority Point for each consecutive year of membership (if membership lapses, Priority Point count resets). To avoid a lapse, membership payments must be paid no later than January 31.
3. Participation
   
   • 1 point will be allocated for every $3,000 spent from 10/1/2022 to 9/30/2023, including:
     • Event attendee registrations for any IFPA event
     • Participation in any IFPA exposition
     • Sponsorship or advertising with IFPA
     • Contribution to the Foundation for Fresh Produce
     • Contribution to the Food Safety & Government Advocacy Fund
     • Miscellaneous other participation (Fresh Ideas Showcase spaces, meeting room rentals, etc.)

Awarding Points to Pavilions

Priority points for companies that indicate they will be part of a pavilion on their booth application shall be awarded as follows:

• Companies within the pavilion will individually earn points in all three categories as outlined above (based on each submitting a separate booth application)
• Total pavilion points will be calculated by adding together:
  • points from the company with the longest “Exhibitor Loyalty”
  • points from the company with the longest “Member Loyalty” and
  • points from the company with the greatest “Participation”
• Total pavilion points may be made up of points from just one company or up to three separate companies
  
  In this example, Pavilion A would have a total of 35 points:

Awarding points for Complimentary Booths or those from Trade Out Agreements

• Complimentary booth space will be limited to 10x10s and will be assigned at the conclusion of virtual booth assignments.
• Booths provided to an organization as part of a Trade Out agreement will be awarded Priority Points in all three categories. Category 3 (Participation with IFPA and the Foundation for Fresh Produce) will be based upon the trade value agreed upon in the agreement, as well as any additional participation with IFPA throughout the year.

Transferring Points Credit to Another Company

Credit for each of the three award categories may be transferred from one exhibiting company to another within the set annual award period under the following circumstances:

• If one exhibiting company acquires another member/exhibiting company or
• If a merger occurs between two member/exhibiting companies.

Determination of credit will be made on a case-by-case basis and will be based on the specific terms of the acquisition and/or merger.