National Association of Produce Market Managers

Founded in 1947, NAPMM strives to help market managers improve facilities and increase services while encouraging cooperation and exchange of ideas between members and partners.

Click here for the 2020 Conference Edition of the GREENSHEET Newsletter

NAPMM’s 74th Annual Conference will be held in one of the world’s most unique and exciting cities --
New Orleans, Louisiana, March 23-26, 2020

The conference hotel, The Hilton Garden Inn, French Quarter and Central Business District, is an easy walk to the excitement of Canal and Bourbon Streets and in a neighborhood loaded with unique restaurants and clubs. Mark your calendars, call your friends and spread the word. NAPMM will be taking New Orleans by storm. Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn, experience and network with colleagues from around the country and the world.

This is a conference you don't want to miss, so REGISTER TODAY!  Please complete and return printed registration form, along with payment to: NAPMM, PO BOX 1617, Garner, NC 27529.

Download the conference registration form, travel information and latest version of the conference schedule

Make your hotel reservations before February 28 to get the discounted rate of $152 plus tax & fees per night

Click here to make reservations online --> Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans French Quarter/CBD

To reserve by phone, call Central Reservations: 1-800-253-6148, mention Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans French Quarter/CBD, Group code: NAPMM,
Group Name: National Association of Produce Market Managers

Three-Day Schedule Packed With Tours and Educational Sessions

The conference committee has put together a great program which will begin with the President’s Reception  Monday evening at the Pythian Market, an “urban food collective” located in a renovated historic icon of a building and featuring local food purveyors, a craft bar and retail vendors.

Conference sessions will kick-off the Tuesday morning with a fascinating presentation by author Liz Williams from the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, on the remarkable and lengthy, history of markets in New Orleans. This will be followed by a presentation on the role the Crescent City Farmers Markets, operated by a community not-for profit, Market Umbrella, played in helping New Orleans recover from Hurricane Katrina and their impact in building community and connections today.

The day continues with a session featuring a panel of market managers speaking about the myriad of operation and management models at markets, the benefits and challenges of each and how to successfully interact with boards and other stakeholders. (Contact Linda at [email protected] if you would like to be part of the panel).

Wednesday is a day full of tours starting at Matrana’s Produce, a family owned wholesaler which has grown over several generations from a single truck, produce delivery service to a state of the art 40,000 sq. ft. facility which operates at the highest standards for food safety and quality assurance and has become one of the Southeast’s premier produce distributors.

Our next stop is the Westwego Shrimp Lot, a unique collection of businesses that feature some of the best fresh, local shrimp and seafood in the New Orleans. Many of the shacks also feature cooked to order entrees. We will tour, hear the stories of some of families operating here and attendees will get a voucher for lunch.

After lunch, the group will travel to the ByWater Market for a tour and presentation on the work of Market Umbrella who operates this market and a number of others in the area under the Crescent City Farmers Market banner. Hear about how their mission extends beyond running markets to providing lively community spaces where shoppers and producers connect to build relationships, community health and strong economies.

The final stop of the day is at the St Roche Market, a chef-centric food hall. After a tour and orientation to the space, attendees can enjoy a happy hour beverage before we return to the hotel. 

Thursday, we are on the road again, starting the day with a New Orleans own, dark roasted coffee and chicory and a famous beignets (a square, French style donuts lavishly topped with powdered sugar) at Café du Monde, a New Orleans favorite since 1862. Following this French Market staff will present on the fascinating history of the market, its evolution and current operation as well as the plans for the future. Attendees will have time to tour the market and sample and purchase the wares of its numerous businesses and vendors and then be given a voucher for lunch at the market or in the adjoining streets in the Market District and Jackson Square including the famous Central Grocery, home of the “muffuletta”. 

The three day schedule is packed with tours and educational sessions but attendees still will have plenty of time to network, socialize and enjoy the Crescent City.

Thanks to Hunts Point Produce Market for Hosting the Fall Regional Meeting October 7-9, 2019

Many thanks to Nick Rodelli, Danielle Brooks and the entire staff AND tenants of the Hunts Point Terminal Market for hosting a great regional meeting at the world's busiest produce market. The facility and its story is amazing. Manager Nick Rodelli will be retiring soon, and he should take great pride in the improvements and positive changes he has instituted during his tenure. Best wishes for success to the incoming Manager, Phil Grant.

The regional meeting provided a great opportunity to reconnect with many market managers as well as meet some new market managers. We took an amazing tour of Hunts Point Terminal Market and spoke with some of their tenants. It is always very interesting to hear the background of these businesses and see first-hand their operation in action. We also had the opportunity to sit down and listen to many great presentations. Food safety, marketing strategies, security and retrofitting old facilities were just a few of the topics. It is always amazing to see that no matter where your market is from that we all face very similar issues. Having the chance to step away from your market, see another market and hear what they are doing provided some great learning opportunities and allowed all attendees to take new strategies back to their market. We concluded the regional meeting with what NAPMM does best, networking. We had an open topic meeting, where market managers took time to discuss anything and everything about their market. These meetings are invaluable and takeaways from these conversations help strengthen our own markets back at home for generations to come. 

We cannot say thank you enough to Hunts Point Terminal Market for hosting the 2019 regional meeting and we look forward to seeing everyone at the annual conference in New Orleans!