ORLANDO, Fla. — At the International Fresh Produce Association’s 2026 Global Produce and Floral Show, the overarching message across the exhibit halls was clear: suppliers are transforming from simple vendors into true value-added partners dedicated to helping retailers drive sales and navigate an increasingly complex marketplace. As retail consolidation forces companies to accomplish more with fewer resources, suppliers are stepping forward with critical buyer education, tailored merchandising programs, and targeted strategies to streamline operations and maximize produce department performance.

This partnership-first approach was evident in how exhibitors respond to shifting consumer tastes and economic realities. Despite persistent inflation and grocery budget pressures, suppliers showcased on-trend “little luxuries,” high-flavor innovations, and convenient meal solutions designed to entice shoppers and deliver memorable eating experiences. Today’s consumers are also looking for functional benefits and true nutritional value from their food. From gourmet specialty produce and viral flavor profiles to culinary-inspired seasoning blends, the focus is on giving consumers clear reasons to trade up and keep fresh produce at the top of their shopping lists.

Underpinning these consumer-facing innovations is a renewed commitment to supply chain execution and reliability. Exhibitors emphasized integrated supply models, risk-mitigated logistics, and flexible operations designed to eliminate friction points between field and store. By aligning growing, shipping and ripening processes, suppliers aimed to give retail partners confidence in receiving the highest quality fruit and vegetables, in the quantities needed, right on time.

Trading Up: Premiumization Drives Value

While consumers may be experiencing fatigue over inflation and rising grocery prices, produce marketers at IFPA’s Global Produce and Floral Show also into premiumization, demonstrating that shoppers remain willing to trade up for exceptional flavor, functional and nutritional benefits, curated experiences and “little luxuries.”

The Wonderful Company

At Wonderful Pistachios, high-end flavor innovation is proving to be a powerful engine for category expansion, serving as a prime example of consumers’ ongoing appetite for luxury, treat-worthy produce snacks. The company introduced its newly launched Wonderful Pistachios Dubai Chocolate, which has proven highly effective at attracting first-time buyers.

“Dubai chocolate is a flavor that’s here to stay,” said Diana Salsa, vice president of marketing for Wonderful Pistachios and Almonds, noting that over 40% of people who bought the chocolate offering are brand new to Wonderful.

Salsa addressed changing consumer buying habits and premium pricing, explaining that as health and protein content remain top snacking drivers, consumers are willing to invest in quality products. “They’ll spend on a treat like a $7 latte. And Dubai Chocolate Pistachios are still not as decadent as a candy bar,” Salsa observes. “I realize we’re the most expensive nut, and we need to deliver an eating experience that’s really worth it.”
To deliver that value, the 4-ounce bag is priced the same as their standard 5.5-ounce bag.

The brand is also navigating significant supply headwinds after a poor bloom in late March to April severely impacted the U.S. pistachio crop, resulting in a 60% to 70% crop loss across the industry. While the crop is down to between 600 and 700 million pounds this year compared to an early projection of 1.9 billion for next year, the company’s network of over 1,000 growers and company-owned farms helps cushion the blow. “From supply, chocolate keeps people engaged,” Salsa noted, adding that unlike less shelf-stable produce items, pistachios can be stored to ensure retailers get what they need.

Meanwhile, sports partnerships remain a core vehicle to engage consumers and keep pistachios top of mind. Wonderful Pistachios returned for year two of its campaign featuring NFL quarterback Josh Allen — whose family grows for Wonderful Pistachios.
The company will feature Wonderful Roasted and Salted custom “Josh” bags targeting Bills fans in the Northeast for football season.

Additionally, the Wonderful Company secured a 5-year partnership with Fresno State, placing uniform and apparel patches across all 18 athletic programs, stadium branding at Valley Children’s Stadium, and digital visibility in the EA SPORTS College Football video game to tap into younger Gen Z audiences.

POM Wonderful showcased several key updates at the show, including an upcoming 8-ounce bottle launching early next year designed to replicate the size and shape of one pomegranate. The brand highlighted its antioxidant potency — containing seven times the antioxidants of kombucha — while rolling out interactive retail features like shelf tags with scannable QR codes showing consumers how to prepare bowls and desserts using arils.

Product displays illustrated how to easily open whole pomegranates, paired with signage directing shoppers to arils within the produce section.

Additionally, POM is working to shift consumer perception around fruit selection by emphasizing that inner quality matters more than outward perfection, encouraging shoppers to look past realistic, flawed exteriors. New display bins touting: “It’s what’s inside that counts,” and featuring photos of real fruit with natural imperfections aim to drive the message home.

For Wonderful Halos, a partnership with the hit YouTube and Netflix children’s series Blippi — whose signature outfit coincidentally mirrors the brand’s vibrant orange and blue color scheme — has driven massive retail demand.

“Stores with Blippi displays ran out and had to order more. They couldn’t keep them in stock,” says Jennifer Hirano of The Wonderful Company, noting the immense popularity of the educational character with young families. To build on this momentum, the brand hosted meet-and-greet events in Tampa and Boston that generated extensive waitlists of eager fans, further cementing Halos as a top-of-mind snack for kids.

Molly Pop

Leaning into both the luxury and functional produce trends, Molly Pop teased Mango Luxe, billed by co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer John Cymbal as “the world’s sweetest mangoes,” which will hit the market from January through early April at both a premium price point and high-end eating experience.

These “Molly Good” premium Thai mangoes promise to be honey sweet and virtually stringless, says the company.

Alongside the luxury fruit offering, the team highlighted a new club box of functional, cold-pressed juice featuring a 12-pack variety format with three bottles each of four distinct flavors: Beet Bop, Grape Cider, Veggie Bliss, and Grape Lemonade.

The playful packaging pairs functional and nutritional product details with playful branding, including a cheeky message printed on the underside of the box reading, “Well look at you, checking out our bottom.”

Grimmway Farms

Grimmway Farms highlighted a sweeping lineup of innovation items tailored directly to current consumer insights and eating-at-home trends. On the Cal-Organic side, the brand is aligning with global food trends by introducing products like Cal-Organic Shredded Watermelon Radish to meet consumers where they are as at-home cooking continues to grow.

In addition, Grimmway showcased mealtime-focused Carrot Ribbons in both conventional and rainbow varieties, as well as clear “Grown in USA” package badging celebrating the nation’s recent 250th anniversary — a nod to growing consumer interest in food origin.

Expanding into new convenience tiers, Grimmway debuted Tasteful Selections Cheesy Bliss Potatoes, a first-to-market innovation that pairs tender potatoes with smooth, real cheese sauce. Designed for quick preparation in the microwave or air fryer, the kits reimagined classic comfort food for busy households across three distinct flavors: Creamy Gouda (infused with sweet, caramelized onion), Bacon Jalapeño Cheddar (a savory sauce with smoky bacon and mild heat), and Mild Cheddar (a smooth, buttery classic).

“As consumers are eating at home more, Grimmway wants to meet them where they are,” says Karen White, vice president of marketing operations for Grimmway, noting that these versatile offerings hit multiple key drivers — including convenience, flavor and health-conscious choices for the whole family.

And as functional foods and GLP-1 users are driving produce growth, Grimmway launched a high-protein dip line that features up to 10 grams of protein, as well as Probiotic Carrots that feature a tasteless post-harvest application that adds a probiotic benefit to carrots as gut health tops consumers’ nutritional wish lists.

Spice World

At the IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show, Spice World proved that on-trend global flavors simply prepared can be a luxury for convenience-seeking consumers.

The company showcased its latest innovation line — Seasoning Blends — aimed at helping busy families prepare quick, flavorful and convenient meals. Spice World CEO Chris Kiser highlighted how the refreshed product focus addresses common kitchen hesitations.

“A spoonful changes everything,” Kiser says of the Seasoning Blends line, explaining that home cooks can simply toss, stir and create a delicious dish without fear of failure.

Bringing the flavor experience to life at the show, Chef Penny Kay and Chef Mike Christiansen served up live sample bites featuring Spice World products. Known for regularly creating social media cooking content with Spice World staples like Chili Onion Crunch and Garlic Pesto Spread, six-year-old Penny Kay cooked over 400 Garlic Bread Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich samples at the IFPA Show.

“If a 6-year-old can do it, anyone can do it,” says Kiser.

The Seasoning Blends also tap into evolving health trends and the rising influence of GLP-1 medications, where consumers are eating fewer calories but refuse to compromise on taste.

“GLP-1 users are eating less calories but not willing to eat bland food,” Kiser notes, emphasizing how these blends make protein and fiber-rich meals easy to elevate without requiring five-star restaurant effort.

And recognizing short digital attention spans, Kiser stresses that recipes must quickly capture consumers who are scrolling through content looking for fast, versatile solutions across diverse cuisines.

The Avocado Advantage

California Avocado Commission

At the California Avocado Commission booth, President Ken Melban, emphasized that strategic marketing and honoring the industry’s roots are critical to maintaining momentum in today’s marketplace.

Melban underscores the imperative to buy domestic and back local growers while acknowledging the broader category dynamics.

“Buy American and support American farmers,” Melban says, noting that while the industry welcomes reliable outside avocado sources to develop the market for consumers, maintaining steadiness and stability across the U.S. market remains paramount.

Central to the commission’s messaging is a grower-focused campaign anchored in California’s pioneering legacy.

“No one can tell the story of what California avocado farmers do better than growers,” Melban says, pointing out that grower livelihoods rely directly on delivering freshness, quality and consistency every season.

Reminding the industry of the state’s foundational role, he adds, “Hass variety started in California. There would be no Hass avocado if it weren’t for California,” noting that before imports from Mexico entered the market, California supplied the entire nation.

Melban also says the unique operational pressures facing local producers, from worker pay standards to navigating hundreds of state environmental laws and regulations that growers actively embrace. To ensure this dedication is recognized by consumers and buyers alike, the commission collaborates directly with trade partners.

“Prices matter. Growers have to compete,” Melban says, highlighting how the commission works alongside retailers to develop customized marketing programs that showcase each grower’s unique story and shared passion for land stewardship.

Colombia Avocado Board

Manuel Michel, managing director of the Colombia Avocado Board and a 2026 Packer 25 honoree, highlighted how the Raised by Colombia campaign is helping position avocados from Colombia in the U.S. market. As a newer origin in a competitive landscape, the organization aims to go beyond basic labeling.

“Raised by Colombia helps retailers tell consumers why avocados from Colombia are worth discovering,” Michel says. “Colombia is still one of the newer origins in the U.S. market, so we want to introduce more than a country name on a label. The campaign highlights our growers, Colombia’s climate and landscape, and the care involved in bringing quality fruit to the U.S. market.”

Michel says this narrative provides retailers with actionable story-driven content for displays, digital channels, and promotions while emphasizing “what matters to consumers: flavor, quality and a great eating experience.”

Central to Colombia’s market differentiation are its unique tropical climate and natural rainfall, which support two annual flowering and harvest cycles, Michel says. This ongoing growing environment requires growers to manage their orchards continuously throughout the year.

“Rainfall and Colombia’s tropical climate are important parts of that story,” Michel says. “With two flowering and harvests cycles during the year, growers care for their orchards continuously and respond to changing conditions as each crop develops. That attention is why we describe the fruit as being nurtured or ‘raised’ rather than simply grown.”

GreenFruit Avocados

Looking ahead to The Packer and Hass Avocado Board’s upcoming The Avocado Conference in November, GreenFruit Avocados CEO and 2026 Packer 25 honoree Scott Bauwens highlighted the importance of industry unity.

“I see tremendous value in an event for collaboration around hass avocados, when ordinarily the different countries would be competing against each other,” Bauwens notes. “Everyone is looking to elevate consumption.”

To drive this next-generation model, GreenFruit is building a vertically integrated supply chain across North and South America that connects growing, packing, shipping and ripening operations. This cross-border strategy directly targets traditional friction points and excessive handoffs in the supply chain.

“We’re big believers in shrinking the space between the grower and the trade,” Bauwens explains. “There are currently too many hands in the system and bottlenecks.”

Addressing current economic headwinds, Bauwens stresses the need for greater efficiency amid market volatility and retail consolidation.

“The consumer is battered with paying more for fresh produce,” he says, pointing to retail leanness where businesses must accomplish more with fewer resources. “The avocado industry has to provide more value.”

Despite these challenges, he remains optimistic about long-term growth through 2028 and 2029, pointing out that “we’ve added more consumers in the last two years than any other two years in the last decade.”

Oppy and Avoworks

At the Oppy booth, Pedro Somarriba of Avoworks highlighted the growing impact of the company’s strategic partnership with Oppy, formed in 2022. Bringing together a collective effort of three avocado growers based in Michoacán, Mexico, Avoworks has moved over 4 million boxes in its five years of business together, quickly emerging among the top 5 avocado importers in the U.S.

Tapping into Oppy’s extensive distribution network has expanded Avoworks’ reach, allowing the partnership to deliver a consistent, highly reliable supply to meet rising avocado consumption.

Jim Leach, newly named president of Eco Farms — one of Avoworks partner farms — says the alliance centers on providing “farm-to-table” product confidence through transparent culture, strong logistics expertise and seamless execution.

“Together we deliver a great product and great service,” Leach says, adding that in an era of industry consolidation, it remains critical to “get the basics right: good quality, on time and in quantities needed.”

The operational model inherently mitigates supply chain risk across three packinghouses in Michoacán, offering structural flexibility so that regardless of market disruptions shipments reach retailers uninterrupted.

Looking ahead, Avoworks and Oppy are focused on building long-term, service-oriented partnerships rather than simple transactional sales, says Leach. As category demand continues to climb, the companies are also expanding their product portfolio, with organic avocados coming online to offer buyers an even broader year-round selection.

How High-Concept Flavor Is Elevating the Greenhouse Set

Mastronardi Produce

Tapping into the everyday luxury trend, the greenhouse grower spotlighted high-concept elevate-at-home offerings under its Sunset brand — tapping into wine culture and sophisticated sommelier storytelling to transform standard tomato purchasing into a gourmet experience.

Amanda Orr, communications manager for Mastronardi Produce, explained that the company’s new “Tommalier” initiative is designed to elevate consumer appreciation across distinct varieties.

“We really want people to appreciate a lot of different varieties, not just grape tomatoes,” Orr says. She highlights expanded choices across healthy snacking lines like Pop Its and Angel Sweets in new oval packaging, alongside organic lines of its signature Bomb Squad and Sugar Bomb series. Among the newest highlights is G.O.A.T. (Greatest Tomato of All Time), a super-sweet variety heading to retail shelves soon that Orr described as “addictive like Pringles —you just keep eating them.”

The centerpiece of Mastronardi’s luxury positioning is the Sunset Tomato Branch, which launched in a specialized triangle pack designed specifically to frame on-the-vine tomatoes as a premium item. By marketing delicate on-the-vine presentation for charcuterie boards, elevated salads and high-end entertaining, suppliers are proving that luxury storytelling and superior eating experiences can successfully drive produce value even in a price-conscious market.

Pure Flavor

Pure Flavor showcased a fresh wave of innovation, introducing products designed to elevate both the snacking and salad categories. Headlining its debuts were Tulu Tomatoes — a premium pink cherry-on-the-vine variety crafted around extraordinary, dual-layered flavor. Inspired by Mediterranean culinary traditions, Tulu breaks away from standard sweetness-focused snacking tomatoes by balancing rich sweet notes with savory umami depth.

“Tulu Tomatoes are new pink cherry on the vine. This tomato is really a nice balance of sweet and savory,” says Julia Weber, vice president of marketing for Pure Flavor and a 2026 Packer 25 honoree, who notes that the product’s vertical packaging reinforces its high-end positioning, while an integrated QR code links retailers and consumers directly to recipe inspiration.

Alongside its premium tomato launch, Pure Flavor introduced a novel concept to the produce aisle with its “salad-less” salad kits. Designed as creative alternatives to traditional leafy green kits, offerings like the Cucumber Caesar Salad and the Mediterranean Salad Tomato Kit reimagine convenience for modern meal prep.

“It’s a twist on a salad kit,” Weber says, highlighting how these innovative sets allow shoppers to simply rinse, chop, and dress fresh greenhouse vegetables for a fresh and vibrant meal.

Del Fresco Pure

At greenhouse grower Del Fresco Pure, vibrant tomatoes and cucumbers stole the show through a high-profile culinary partnership with Maria Koutsogiannis, the creator behind FoodByMaria. Fresh off her Greek Out book tour, Koutsogiannis joined the booth on Friday, Oct. 16, to prepare flavor-packed Greek salads that showcased the produce across a Mediterranean culinary platform.

“My partnership and relationship with Del Fresco Pure have been so special to me, as a self-proclaimed tomato-obsessed Greek, because the brand connects so naturally with everything FoodByMaria is about,” Koutsogiannis says.

She highlighted how the collaboration taps into nostalgia, quality recipes and family traditions.

“Growing up Greek, feeding people has always been how we show love, so getting to create with a family-owned produce brand that truly values quality and freshness feels incredibly authentic,” she says.

Red Sun Farms

Greenhouse grower Red Sun Farms debuted an open, airy booth design that put education, innovation and core company values center stage. Anchoring the space was an interactive Innovation Lab tucked in the back, where attendees participated in sensory evaluations of experimental produce varieties not yet available on commercial markets. David Bell, who led the Innovation Lab, noted that the evaluations explored every nuance of the eating experience, from flavor subtleties to texture.

“At IFPA, retailers have 50 meetings over two days. Our goal is to have the retailer go home and tell their kids they had a totally different experience at the Red Sun Farms booth,” Bell explains.

Red Sun Farms brought in select customers specifically to deliver a unique trade show experience, says Leona Neill, director of marketing and packaging. With the industry emerging from the challenges of the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus, Neill pointed to a surge in momentum across the sector, driven by new genetics and a steadfast commitment to future-focused cultivation techniques.

The booth’s exterior dedicated extensive space to educational displays covering tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, offering retail visitors a deeper look into greenhouse growing methods.

This forward-looking approach extends directly to how the company builds relationships with evolving retail leadership. Recognizing that a new generation of buyers and managers is stepping into produce procurement, Red Sun Farms aims to position itself as an educational partner grounded in transparency and data.

“We’re bringing the greenhouse to the retailers and customers,” Neill said. “The new generation of buyers coming in has a different mindset. They don’t build business on a handshake. They want facts, and we want to deliver the information they need to build a relationship of trust.”

Village Fresh Greenhouse Grown

Village Fresh Greenhouse Grown launched its new Texas growing season at IFPA’s Global Produce and Floral Show with a full lineup of greenhouse-grown tomatoes and cucumbers for retail and foodservice customers nationwide.

The Texas-grown portfolio features everyday tomato staples and distinctive specialty varieties, including Sinfully Sweet Campari, Juicy Beefsteak, Delectable TOV, Savory Roma, Big Bend Beefs, Exquisite Heirloom, and their signature Heavenly Villagio Marzano. The offering is complemented by fresh cucumber selections, including Scrumptious Mini Cucumbers and Luscious Seedless Long English Cucumbers.

Designed around flavor, freshness, versatility and consistent quality, Village Fresh says this comprehensive assortment provides buyers with multiple options to build a robust greenhouse program for the season.