Any trade show that includes Miss America can’t be all bad.

Not that the Fresh Summit, the National Produce Association’s international convention and exposition held in Atlanta in October was even remotely bad.

But having Nebraska’s Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011, greeting attendees at a vendor’s both in the vibrant exhibit hall certainly added extra life to the proceedings.

Indeed, Miss America was just one of the “celebrities” at the show. Also spotted in the hall were Georgia’s Whitney Conner, the National Watermelon Queen, some Atlanta Falcon cheerleaders and “America’s Next Top Model” runner-up Chelsey Hersley.

And along with the more than 800 exhibitors and 18,000 attendees, the Fresh Summit featured a host of educational sessions at which produce retailers described merchandising challenges as well as success strategies.

A session on global sourcing revealed that many of the issues facing produce retailers are the same throughout the world.

Peter Gohl, fresh foods executive with SPAR National Fresh Marketing in South Africa, for instance, said it was important to increase awareness of the health benefits of produce.

“Mothers want to feel like they are doing something special for their kids,” he stated, adding that value also is “an equation of quality and price.”

The presenters revealed that cross-merchandising produce with items from other departments also is becoming a global trend.

Greg Davis, general manager of fresh produce for Coles Supermarkets in Australia, said his outlets merchandise pork and leafy vegetables, and strawberries with champagne for Valentine’s Day.

Davis added that a key challenge for Coles Supermarkets is effectively serving shoppers from a wide range of income groups.

“We have a need for both top-quality and lesser-quality products,” he said. “The question is how do you market a main brand and also a lower brand, because you don’t want the lower brand being equated with the company.”

Coles Supermarkets, Davis stated, also began branding its produce to standout from competitors.

“Produce was seen as a commodity product,” he noted. “Branding our offerings and setting quality standards differentiated it.”