SPEAKERS

April 13, 2026

Matthew Giddings is a Partner at Always Fresh, a family-owned, U.S.-based year-round shipper and industry leader in the fresh berry category headquartered in Plant City. As a vertically integrated grower, packer, marketer, and distributor, the company operates across the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, supplying retailers throughout North America with both conventional and organic berry programs.

Always Fresh ranks among the top berry suppliers nationally, shipping approximately 9 million cases of strawberries annually and more than 50 million pounds of blueberries, placing the company in the Top 20 for strawberries and Top 10 for blueberries in U.S. volume. Over the past four years, the company has driven 200–300 percent category growth across key segments, supported by strategic acreage expansion, proprietary genetics, and strong grower partnerships throughout the Americas.

The company maintains a strategic, bi-coastal distribution network with accessible shipping and consolidation points in Florida, New Jersey, California, and Texas, including major facilities in Watsonville, Santa Maria, Oxnard, McAllen, and Hammonton. This national infrastructure enables year-round domestic production and imports programs, positioning Always Fresh as a critical link in the North American fresh food supply chain.

Representing the fourth generation of his family in Florida agriculture, Matthew traces his roots to his great-grandfather’s citrus operations in Polk County. Through market cycles, weather challenges, and industry transformation, the family business evolved into a global berry enterprise.

He believes deeply in the generational nature of agriculture and the role farming plays in creating opportunity. While agriculture is capital-intensive, labor-intensive, and inherently risky, it remains one of the most enduring pathways to upward mobility. Through partnerships with family farms across the Americas, he has witnessed firsthand how disciplined stewardship, innovation, and access to markets can transform operations into multigenerational businesses, a modern expression of the American Dream.

He earned his degree in Economics from Florida State University and brings an economic perspective to global trade, labor markets, and supply chain resilience in modern agriculture.