Latest News From Amanda Baltazar

Health and convenience are considerations for many produce shoppers, but having fun and experimenting with new and unusual items are factors, according to retail grocers.

Today’s consumer is snacking more than ever, and produce and produce-focused snacks are coming into the limelight with shoppers looking for healthy and convenient options.

Industry experts, manufacturers, retailers and others from throughout the world will gather Dec. 5-7 for this year’s event in New York City.

Global specialty produce is a large category, but consumers unfamiliar with these items may hesitate to add them to their cart. That's where signage, packaging and informed associates can help bridge the gap.

With fall fast approaching, all eyes are on Washington to see what fruit the nation’s top apple-producing state will bear this season.

This year’s Peruvian asparagus crop has faced challenges from weather, but rising consumption trends offer a bright spot for retailers.

As the vast majority of meals were consumed at home during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers learned how to enliven mealtime and snacks — with dips, dressings and marinades often playing an important role.

Everyone has a different idea of what constitutes specialty produce. Star fruit, dragon fruit and papaya fall into that category, but what of baby potatoes, lesser-known squash and microgreens?

Weather has had an impact, said Anita Fernandez, manager of the Avocado Administrative Committee, but the 2023-24 season outlook for Florida avocados is still good.

With summer on the horizon, so is the seasonal peak to salad consumption — and companies are ramping up efforts to bolster sales of crispy greens and related items.

Grapes from Mexico and California will be arriving a little later than usual this year, as cold weather and lots of rain have delayed growing and harvesting.

“Everyone is time-starved; so to have something that’s washed, prepped and ready to cook is the key driver," Mark Munger, Ocean Mist senior director of marketing, says of value-added produce's significant growth.

Nuts, dates and dried fruit are getting a spot in more produce sections, where consumers already have a healthy mindset.

Companies increasingly look to fruits and vegetables grown in other countries that provide ideal growing conditions and a year-round supply of fresh produce.

Because of their proximity and similar climates, Central America and the Caribbean islands grow many of the same fruits and vegetables, which largely fall into two groups. 

To learn how The Giant Co., Carlisle, Pa., gears up for the big game with fresh produce, The Packer recently connected with Director of Produce and Floral Chris Keetch.

What does the Super Bowl mean to consumers? Football, ramped-up advertising, beer and increasingly — food.

The most important aspect of selling lesser-known fruits and vegetables from around the world is information.

The Packer recently connected with retailers planning to attend the much-anticipated IFPA show to learn what they hope to gain from the Orlando event.

Retailers around the country gear up for festive and bountiful holiday produce displays.

A number of suppliers are working to inform retailers and consumers about the difference they can make when buying fair trade bananas.

As an easily accessible fruit that makes for a simple and quick snack or side, grapes are highly popular with many American consumers, especially in the fall around harvest-time.

Nut and dried fruit suppliers and trade associations are launching memorable marketing campaigns designed to appeal to millennial and Gen Z shoppers who are strong snackers.

As single-use, plastic packaging increasingly comes under fire, grocers are taking notice, introducing new packaging options and doing what they can to educate shoppers about their choices in the produce aisle.

The fields of this Midwestern state are a smorgasbord of more than 200 types of produce.

With produce grown nearly year-round, the Peach State's output is always plentiful (and it's not limited to just peaches).

Despite rising production costs, a shortage of truck drivers and other challenges, melon suppliers are expecting a successful domestic season.