On this episode of On the Brink, I sat down with Dr. Max Teplitski—Chief Science Officer at the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)—to explore how a mindset is reshaping food safety, member value, and the future of a global industry. Max has practiced Blue Ocean thinking since his days as a professor, and today he's applying it at scale across a trade association that represents the entire fresh produce supply chain—from seed and inputs to retailers worldwide.

From Competing to Creating: IFPA's Three Strategic Pillars

Rather than fighting for attention in crowded "red oceans," IFPA reframed growth around three pillars that create new value for members and consumers alike:

1. Future-proofing the industry amid climate volatility, supply chain complexity, and labor constraints.
2. Worldwide influence for a global industry, recognizing interconnected markets and trade rules.
3. Personalized member experience at scale—so each company (and individual) gets relevant, timely insight.

This is classic Blue Ocean Strategy®: reduce what no longer adds value, eliminate legacy activities that drain resources, raise what customers truly care about, and create new offerings that unlock demand.

Want a concise primer? Read our FAQ: What is Blue Ocean Strategy and Why It's the Smartest Way to Rethink Growth

Personalization at Scale: AI That Stays Inside the (Trusted) Data

One of IFPA's boldest moves is an AI-powered intelligence engine built on verified, curated data. Members can ask context-rich questions—"I'm in the Florida Panhandle planting winter crops; should I prioritize Asian greens, spinach, or baby lettuce?"—and receive synthesized answers spanning consumer trends, point-of-sale data, and operational considerations. The goal isn't more email; it's relevance on demand.

This same platform enables on-demand micro-training. Need a five-minute safety huddle for a harvest crew—in Portuguese? The agent can generate it instantly from vetted guidance. That's value innovation: meeting real-world needs at the moment of work.

Watch our video here Food Safety as a Promise—and a System

Because most fresh produce is consumed raw, food safety is a shared responsibility between the producer and the consumer. IFPA's "supply chain of the future" work extends beyond traceability to quality, shelf-life, and incentives. With lot-level tracking and standardized practices—from field handwashing stations to controlled processing protocols—the industry continues to elevate both safety and transparency while extracting actionable value from the data generated along the way.

Advocacy and a Community of Practice

Some work will never be outsourced to algorithms. Advocacy—telling the industry's story to regulators and decision-makers—remains human, relational, and essential. In parallel, IFPA is designing a community of practice for food safety and sustainability professionals. Whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid, the north star is the same: connect practitioners to share what works, accelerate learning, and scale innovation.

Culture Eats Strategy (and Then Powers It)

Max underscores a truth we see in every successful transformation: strategy only sticks when culture supports it. IFPA treats culture as a system—meeting quarterly to practice competencies such as trust, communication, and agility, and to build behaviors into everyone's plan. That operating rhythm makes it easier to reduce or eliminate legacy programs and redirect resources toward higher-value offerings without losing the organization in the process.

Three Takeaways You Can Use Now

1. Stop competing; start creating. Use the Four Actions Framework to eliminate, reduce, raise, and build around what your customers actually value.
2. Deliver relevance at the moment of need. Move from content push to context-aware personalization (AI helps when it's grounded in trustworthy data).
3. Design for culture change, not just strategy change. Build the muscle—trust, communication, and agility—so your team can live the strategy.

Blue Ocean Strategy isn't about inventing the next iPhone; it's about assembling a thoughtful portfolio that meets unmet needs better, faster, and more sustainably than the market expects. IFPA's journey shows how nonprofits and associations can open new market space—not by shouting louder, but by serving smarter.

Further reading: FAQ – What is Blue Ocean Strategy and Why It's the Smartest Way to Rethink Growth

And our white paper: Time to Find Your Blue Ocean Strategy

Connect with me:

• Website: www.simonassociates.net
• Email: [email protected]
• Books: Learn more about our books here:
  • Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business
  • Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success
  • On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights

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