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Jill Dutton

Jill Dutton, associate editor of The Packer, specializes in retail produce news, market trends and urban farming initiatives. With expertise in the rapidly evolving e-grocery landscape, she provides analysis on how digital platforms are reshaping food distribution. Jill is a prominent voice on sustainability and consumer trends, offering actionable insights that help businesses navigate shifting market demands. Her work explores the full produce journey — from farm to retail — featuring grower profiles, supply chain insights and emerging production models that shape American food systems.

Latest Stories
Associated Wholesale Grocers says its Breez AI-powered shopping assistant provides a high-tech tool to increase basket sizes and compete with national retail giants through personalized, budget-conscious meal-planning.
As shoppers seek functional nutrition to fuel their busy lifestyles, retail leaders are transforming the produce department with innovative, high-protein snacks and meal kits that combine the health benefits of fresh plants with the satiety of added protein.
Author and historian Kate Brown reveals how urban self-provisioning was once a high-tech powerhouse of survival. She explains why returning to our urban roots is the key to a resilient future.
In an executive interview, Bonduelle Americas CEO Bobby Chacko discusses transitioning from the Ready Pac name, leveraging his deep CPG background to bring “brand stickiness” to fresh produce and navigating the intense 15-day shelf-life cycle.
After weathering a volatile winter, this year’s Vidalia onion crop has proven its hardiness through expert field management and innovative technology, ensuring that Georgia’s officially protected sweet onions will be ready for arrival.
In recognition of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Elyse Lipman discusses the essential, often-unseen role women play in agriculture and how their leadership is vital to the industry’s future.
By integrating high-yield Flex Farms directly into classrooms, Fork Farms is turning schools into localized food hubs that improve student nutrition, foster intergenerational healthy eating habits and create a sustainable pipeline for the future agricultural workforce.
The company is shuttering underperforming locations and launching a business optimization plan to stabilize its finances after noncash impairment charges led to a $218.2 million quarterly net loss.
Programs that spark curiosity about fruits and vegetables, whether classroom tastings to space-bound tomato seeds, show how early exposure can shape children’s willingness to try more plants.
Driven by a convenience economy, the fresh produce industry is pivoting toward high-velocity, value-added products that eliminate prep time while delivering restaurant-quality experiences.