APAL Forum 2022 – Grow Beyond
The APAL Forum is back!
After more than two years of disruption, this is finally a chance for us to reconnect in-person, share insights, and shape the future of the Australian apple and pear industry, together.
Hosted May 29 – 30, the Forum will return to an in-person format, hosted here in Melbourne.
Join us in person (Melbourne) for presentations, panels and Q&A sessions designed by and for Australia’s apple and pear industry.
We look forward to connecting with friends old and new…
Please note: The APAL R&D event will be hosted separately in 2022 – Full details to come soon!
Hot topics for 2022
The Forum’s impressive speaker line-up will feature insights from industry experts and commentators on such topics as labour solutions, retail trends, consumer expectations and the opportunities that lie ahead for apples and pears. Sessions include:
Megatrend reckoning – There’s no going back to the way things were, so what comes next in the ‘new normal’? Demographer and business commentator, Bernard Salt AM, KPMG Director, Emily Seeckts and Fresh Produce Retail Advisor, Tristan Kitchener, will share the latest trends in global and local retailing and sum up what it all means for apples and pears.
Not another red apple! – Retail Ready Podcast Host and Founder of Doggylicious, Ben Whyatt, will share learnings and case studies for marketing in a competitive category and what it all means for apple & pear varieties. Strikeforce’s Field Merchandising expert, Rowan Blyth, will update on the Field Merchandising project for apples and pears and the importance of getting shelf product right for building trust.
Transforming export prospects – APAL’s Head of Trade, Jenny Van de Meeberg, will update on the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (AI-CECA) and emerging opportunities for export.
Busting the myths on sustainable packaging – Justin Smith will update on APAL’s work to understand what’s really best for the environment in terms of fresh produce packaging and share updates on the quality uplift program aimed at improving the eating experience for consumers.
Agtech, so what? An exploration of emerging agtech solutions, and how industry can take advantage of greater automation, machine learning and precision robotics to improve productivity, quality and overcome labour challenges.
Grower, Susan Finger, will share a case study on how to make the Pacific Australia Mobility Scheme (PALM) work for your business and join a panel discussion, hosted by APAL’s Head of Government Relations & Advocacy, Jeremy Griffith, on progress of the AgVisa and what the recent election results mean for horticulture.
And announcing Olympic Gold medallist, Steven Bradbury, on the the lessons of being “The Last Man Standing”.
Over the course of the day, we will also present the APAL Awards for Excellence, recognising the top performers and lifetime contributors to our industry.
Welcome Drinks & BBQ – Sunday 29 May
Before we kick-off the serious stuff, please join us for a relaxed night to catch up with old friends and new.
Hosted at Beer DeLuxe in Federation Square, join us from 5:00pm.
Full details on the registration page.
