Team Dealboard recently attended CONXEMAR, the International Fair of Frozen Seafood organized by the Spanish Association of Wholesalers, Importers, Processors and Exporters of Fisheries and Aquaculture Products. While there, we engaged in 120 conversations with representatives from over 100 companies in the seafood industry. We share our observations about the CONXEMAR event, the current state of the seafood industry, and the impact of COVID in this multi-part series.
CONXEMAR was one of the first in-person seafood industry events
of its scale to be conducted after rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. Following the
extended lockdown of the pandemic, and the “Zoom-itis” which many of us adapted
to in our work and personal lives, it was truly wonderful to gather together in
person once again. Energy, optimism and warm reunions filled the exhibit hall.
The CONXEMAR team is to be commended for their handling of
the event – it felt safe, largely due to the extensive protocols in place
including strict access monitoring and temperature checks at entry points. Add
to that consistent use of masks plus the hand sanitizer provided by nearly
every exhibitor, and it felt like the risks of congregating were reasonably
mitigated.
But almost 2 years of social distancing didn’t cause certain
pre-COVID behaviors to disappear. Exchanging a hand shake along with a business
card was surprisingly common. And, true to norms of cultural etiquette, you
could still spot instances of greetings accompanied by a kiss on the cheek. How
quickly, as we venture out from our COVID-induced separation, we revert to traditions,
customs and long-learned behaviors.
All of this reminds us that at our core, we are human
animals. We have evolved to prioritize and to require social interaction for
our survival. Videoconferencing was a growth industry during the pandemic, and this
gave us ways to work remotely, to meet remotely, to communicate and to keep in
touch as we lived in our separate bubbles. But, as great as videoconferencing
technology is, there is no substitute for real, face-to-face engagement. Videoconferencing
doesn’t feed the soul with the richness of human connection we need to thrive.
It’s great to see that such events are possible again, if
well managed. And, it’s great to see how much all the participants are able to
get out of them. If this is The New Normal, it’s comfortingly familiar.
How are you incorporating older traditions and habits into
your New Normal?