Latest News From Sustainability

Seen and heard at SEPC's Southern Exposure 2024  — Part 4
Seen and heard at SEPC's Southern Exposure 2024 — Part 4

TAMPA, Fla. — Sustainability and sustainable packaging solutions were hot topics at the recent Southeast Produce Council's Southern Exposure event at the Tampa Convention Center, March 7-9.

GLC Cerritos hires sustainability director
GLC Cerritos hires sustainability director

The avocado grower-shipper says the newly created position will evaluate current sustainability initiatives within the company and define a strategy for future projects.

Back to the Roots partners with Bolthouse Farms and Walmart for Seed to Sip campaign
Back to the Roots partners with Bolthouse Farms and Walmart for Seed to Sip campaign

The campaign aims to educate shoppers about healthier and sustainable ways to eat, live and shop. Those who buy Bolthouse Farms juice at select Walmart stores will receive a coupon for Back to the Roots garden seed.

Soil genomics company catalogs more than 24M microorganisms
Soil genomics company catalogs more than 24M microorganisms

Biome Makers said it pairs artificial intelligence with its soil database to decode soil biology and provide growers with more actionable information.

Aldi acquires Southeastern Grocers, plans to add 800 U.S. stores
Aldi acquires Southeastern Grocers, plans to add 800 U.S. stores

Aldi plans to add 800 U.S. stores by the end of 2028 through a combination of new openings and store conversions. The company says it will invest more than $9 billion over the next five years for its national expansion.

Farm groups applaud scaled-back final climate disclosure ruling
Farm groups applaud scaled-back final climate disclosure ruling

The Securities and Exchange Commission has scrapped a plan to mandate tracking of greenhouse gas emissions that originate throughout supply chains, down to family farms.

The Best of SPS Marketing Awards nominations now open
The Best of SPS Marketing Awards nominations now open

Nominations for excellence in sustainability marketing are being accepted for The Best of SPS Marketing Awards through May 10, 2024. Winners will be announced live at the 2024 Sustainable Produce Summit.

CMI Orchards, Royal Family Farming partner to launch The Soil Center
CMI Orchards, Royal Family Farming partner to launch The Soil Center

Spearheaded by the Allred family, co-owners of CMI Orchards and sole proprietors of Royal Family Farming, the partnership seeks to transform byproducts from orchards, row crops and more into high-quality soil amendments.

Monterey Mushrooms introduces sustainable mushroom packaging
Monterey Mushrooms introduces sustainable mushroom packaging

The company is making a significant change to enhance the recyclability of its mushroom packaging by incorporating NIR sortable material in its rPET thermoformed tills.

How Equifruit nabs consumer, retail attention for its bananas
How Equifruit nabs consumer, retail attention for its bananas

Equifruit did not become a North American market leader for Fairtrade-certified bananas by being boringly conventional.

As the fresh produce supply chain pursues sustainability, industry says challenges remain
As the fresh produce supply chain pursues sustainability, industry says challenges remain

Growers, packaging companies and a grocer all weigh in on the current state of sustainability and its future role in the fresh produce industry.

Alliance for Sustainable Packaging for Foods says EU research neglects food safety, waste
Alliance for Sustainable Packaging for Foods says EU research neglects food safety, waste

The organization offered a position paper that highlights the relationship between packaging and food safety and food waste.

Food Lion launches orange bag campaign to address food insecurity
Food Lion launches orange bag campaign to address food insecurity

The campaign, which runs from Feb. 28 to March 19, benefits Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, as well as local partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area.

Driscoll’s new video series highlights sustainability efforts
Driscoll’s new video series highlights sustainability efforts

Building on its One Family video series, the company will release a new mini-series focusing on its growing communities and the company’s values around sustainability.

Agrovision sets sights on sustainability, empowering communities
Agrovision sets sights on sustainability, empowering communities

Los Angeles-based Agrovision, a year-round supplier of berries and cherries, says it's on a mission to intertwine sustainable agribusiness with ecological preservation, societal empowerment and global health improvement.

Survey: Growers could add 10.5 million new cover crop acres
Survey: Growers could add 10.5 million new cover crop acres

The American Seed Trade Association surveyed participants of a USDA climate-smart program, and results show growers continue to plant cover crops across many commodities.

Continental Fresh to showcase Water For All awareness campaign at Southern Exposure
Continental Fresh to showcase Water For All awareness campaign at Southern Exposure

Continental Fresh plans to introduce its Water For All mangoes at the Southeast Produce Council's 2024 Southern Exposure, highlighting the company's PLU with Purpose campaign that supports clean-water initiatives.

Forum to explore sustainability in global banana supply chain
Forum to explore sustainability in global banana supply chain

From climate change to labor rights to gender equality, the World Banana Forum is set to explore key sustainability issues impacting the banana industry at the Fourth Global Conference of the World Banana Forum.

Better Earth launches e-commerce platform and expands staff
Better Earth launches e-commerce platform and expands staff

The Atlanta-based compostable packaging supplier says its new e-commerce store enables restaurant owners, caterers and eco-conscious consumers to quickly find and purchase compostable foodservice packaging products.

IFCO delivers record environmental savings during 2023
IFCO delivers record environmental savings during 2023

The provider of reusable packaging containers for fresh products, also awarded customers with sustainability certificates to highlight specific environmental savings achieved with IFCO.

How CHEP U.S. strives to increase supply chain efficiency
How CHEP U.S. strives to increase supply chain efficiency

CHEP U.S. aims to help growers and their partners across the supply network transport fresh produce more efficiently, sustainably and safely, says Jason Adlam, vice president of new business development.

Emissions data added to corrugated industry life-cycle assessment
Emissions data added to corrugated industry life-cycle assessment

Companies tracking environmental, social and governance, or ESG, performance can now find more information for the life-cycle assessment of corrugated packaging.

Chiquita pledges additional 10 years of protection to nature reserve
Chiquita pledges additional 10 years of protection to nature reserve

The Nogal Reserve in Costa Rica was established as a private wildlife refuge as the result of a joint effort between Chiquita and a portion of its clients, honoring the communities and land from which its bananas grow.

Brambles ranked second-most sustainable company
Brambles ranked second-most sustainable company

Atlanta-based Brambles has advanced one position to be ranked the second most sustainable company in the world by Corporate Knights in its 2024 Global 100 list.

Natural Grocers releases 2023 ESG Report
Natural Grocers releases 2023 ESG Report

The family-operated specialty says the report highlights its continued support of regenerative and sustainable agricultural practices.

FMI weighs in on proposed food waste national strategy
FMI weighs in on proposed food waste national strategy

The food industry association's comments underscored addressing food loss and waste throughout the entire food supply chain and offered recommendations for consideration as three federal agencies finalize the strategy.

New system significantly reduces use of plastic film, company says
New system significantly reduces use of plastic film, company says

Germany-based Baumer hhs says it has introduced a system that will reduce the use of plastic film in palletizing.

How retail foodservice can navigate sustainability challenges
How retail foodservice can navigate sustainability challenges

The retail foodservice industry is grappling with waste challenges. From food waste to plastic pollution, the industry can take steps to address the environmental impact, says Savannah Seydel of Better Earth.

Cascades offers a sustainable packaging option
Cascades offers a sustainable packaging option

Made from up to 100% recycled fiber, the baskets with flaps offer produce growers a sustainable alternative to replace more hard-to-recycle packaging.

Kroger sets new produce supplier biodiversity requirements
Kroger sets new produce supplier biodiversity requirements

The Cincinnati-based grocer says it will require all of its fresh produce suppliers to use Integrated Pest Management practices for all products supplied to Kroger by 2028 or 2030, based on the grower's size.

ShopRite store adds cooling totes to enhance grocery fulfillment
ShopRite store adds cooling totes to enhance grocery fulfillment

ShopRite says it is the nation's first grocery retailer to implement Phononic’s second-generation Active Cooling Solutions totes, which are used to pick, store and stage online orders and save space in-store.

Assessment points to expanding, vital role of satellite-based water management tools 
Assessment points to expanding, vital role of satellite-based water management tools 

A study says water data platform OpenET shows considerable accuracy in measuring evapotranspiration, a key measure of water consumption in ag that has been difficult and expensive to monitor accurately at scale.

Masser Family of Companies reports on sustainability progress
Masser Family of Companies reports on sustainability progress

The Masser Family of Companies says it makes annual investments in sustainable practices that contribute to a reduced carbon footprint and integrated long-term efficiencies across all business segments.

McCain Foods releases 2023 global sustainability report
McCain Foods releases 2023 global sustainability report

McCain Foods says it is making progress with its regenerative agriculture sustainability goals.

Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge honorees revealed
Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge honorees revealed

The awards provide a total of $1 million annually for innovations that can transform food systems to be more equitable and lead to safe, nutritious and trusted food using sustainable practices.

Gotham Greens' newest greenhouse opens in metro Dallas
Gotham Greens' newest greenhouse opens in metro Dallas

Gotham Greens’ new 210,000-square-foot facility in Seagoville, Texas, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Dallas, is the company’s 13th greenhouse nationwide.

Flashfood readies for growth with new direction, leadership
Flashfood readies for growth with new direction, leadership

The Toronto-based app marketplace that seeks to reduce food waste and food insecurity recently revealed a new brand identity and leadership changes it says will better position the company for growth.

Tops sustainability practices run the spectrum
Tops sustainability practices run the spectrum

Tops Friendly Markets continues to make advances not only in its day-to-day efforts to adopt practices that help protect the environment, but also in efforts that will make a lifelong impact, the company says.

Emerald Packaging, D’Arrigo team up on sustainable packaging
Emerald Packaging, D’Arrigo team up on sustainable packaging

As consumer demand for sustainable packaging increases, companies like Emerald Packaging find innovative ways to meet the demand. 

Pomì unveils eco-friendly packaging
Pomì unveils eco-friendly packaging

The company says it has introduced a unified visual identity and eco-friendly packaging in a global refresh.

Purdue survey looks at consumer attitudes toward use-by labels
Purdue survey looks at consumer attitudes toward use-by labels

Consumers polled in December reported that food safety and taste are top concerns when eating past-date foods, according to the survey.

Canada aims to track plastic use in food and agriculture
Canada aims to track plastic use in food and agriculture

A government agency in Canada wants to establish a plastics registry to monitor and track plastic, including plastic used in agriculture and food manufacturing.

Organizations launch Alliance for Sustainable Packaging for Foods
Organizations launch Alliance for Sustainable Packaging for Foods

The alliance brings together global stakeholders to engage with regulators and governments around the world to encourage the adoption of a holistic and harmonized approach to food packaging regulation.

Natural Grocers to promote organic produce in 21-day health program
Natural Grocers to promote organic produce in 21-day health program

Natural Grocers and its team of nutritional health coaches are kicking off the new year with “21 Days to a Healthier You,” a free three-class series from Jan. 22 to Feb. 11.

Aldi removes plastic bags, transitioning to natural refrigerants
Aldi removes plastic bags, transitioning to natural refrigerants

Aldi initiates positive impact by removing plastic shopping bags and sets goal to transition to natural refrigerants by the end of 2035.

Villita Avocados to offer 100% plastic-free bags to U.S. retailers
Villita Avocados to offer 100% plastic-free bags to U.S. retailers

Villita Avocados said it is hopeful other produce companies will follow its lead by being more environmentally conscious and steer away from using plastic.

9 sustainability trends to watch in 2024
9 sustainability trends to watch in 2024

Sustainability experts share topics poised to make headlines in the year ahead.

Virginia Tech to tackle spring frosts in apples, controlled environment agriculture
Virginia Tech to tackle spring frosts in apples, controlled environment agriculture

The USDA has awarded the university and Virginia Cooperative Extension more than $550,000 to help strengthen specialty crop production in the state.

IFPA promotes sustainability leader to vice president 
IFPA promotes sustainability leader to vice president 

International Fresh Produce Association has promoted Tamara Muruetagoiena to the newly created role of vice president of sustainability.

Podcast: Top sustainability trends in 2024
Podcast: Top sustainability trends in 2024

In this "Tip of the Iceberg" podcast, Kieran Ficken McNeice, director of sustainability programs with Measure to Improve, shares the trends poised to have a big impact on sustainability this year.