Manufacturing conglomerate Emerson hosted the first ever “Your Fruits’ Journey from Farm to Fork” event in dusitD2 hotel, Davao City, last November 10, 2022. The hybrid event was also streamed to 11 Emerson offices across the world, with special participation by fruit importers from China. The event recorded 82 on-site attendees and a number of online participants.
The event aimed to discuss growing trends and challenges in the cold chain sector and supply chain, while also connecting Davao-based exporters with Chinese importers. The event also aimed to gather expert insights on the current situation of fruit (banana) growers, cold chain storage contractors/fabricators, and importers, and how Emerson cargo monitoring solutions could potentially help streamline supply chains.
Opening remarks were performed by Emerson vice president for Digital & Connected Technologies Mario Tanas, before giving the floor to a number of key industry experts to speak on evolving cold chain practices and import/export practices. Emerson Director for Cargo Solutions Asia Ivan Fullin, for example, gave an overview of Emerson’s solutions and the company’s presence in the cold chain sector.
Proprietor and technical consultant for ABC-Tech & Agri Supply Aida Cabusas, PhD, also talked about sustainable best practices and postharvest management for banana exports. Similarly, Sanden Philippines Vice President Robert Alpajaro shared his insights on the importance of cold chain systems in maintaining the quality of fruits throughout the supply chain.
The event also made sure to gather insights from China-based stakeholders. Representing the Department of Agriculture in China at the Embassy of the Philippines was Agriculture Counsellor Ana GM B. Abejuela as she championed the export of agricultural products to China by extending assistance to Filipino exporters and finding potential suppliers for Chinese importers. Emerson China Cargo solutions manager Pete Yu discussed the latest trends in China’s banana market, giving would-be exporters a potential glimpse of what it would take to succeed in China. Shanghai Fruit Expo representative Iris Chen added to this discussion by talking specifically about fruit import trends in China post-pandemic. Finally, Shanghai Oheng International Trade Co., Ltd.’s Kurt Huang went over the various customs clearance challenges importers/exporters faced during the pandemic.
Gerd Uitdewilligen – International Sales Director, Peter Domincil – Retail Solutions Account Manager, Ivan Fullin – Cargo Solutions Asia Director, Reginald Panganiban – Senior Creative Lead, Lyra Comla – Digital Marketing Manager, Junrey Sarahina – Accounts Lead Specialist, Leah De Guzman – Marketing Lead Specialist, Sol Quinto – Senior Brand and Communications Officer
The event and its guests contributed to Emerson’s goal of helping retailers, suppliers, growers, and shippers ensure their products reach consumers in a safe and efficient manner. This goal dovetails perfectly with Emerson’s practice of offering various solutions to streamline the supply chain process, such as trackers and loggers to help businesses monitor supply chain data in real time. Emerson even distributes time and temperature instruments to help fight food spoilage, delivery delays, and more along the supply chain.
Overall, the “Your Fruits’ Journey from Farm to Fork” event proved there are still a number of ways importers and exporters can work together to streamline operations and offer better products to their customers.