Opinion
“The last 150 feet from storeroom to display is the toughest leg.”
Flash forward: what if COVID-19 spreads?
A previous post looked at the rise bagged produce in recent weeks
Produce companies should not back off marketing or advertising efforts now.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently issued per capita availability numbers for fresh produce. Let’s dive into some of the numbers.
The first thing to observe about President Biden’s Buy American executive order is its length. At 2,400 words, the executive order is more like a short story.
It is with sincere thanks that I share our Season of Giving Back campaign has raised more than $90,000 for United Fresh Start Foundation’s mission to increase fresh produce access for children and families in need.
In a survey that I ask new members of the LinkedIn Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group, I asked about “biggest challenges and biggest opportunities” for this year.
I like how technology plays an ever-increasing role in produce retailing. Take, for example, ad displays.
It has been one year since COVID-19 lept into the headlines and became the only story that mattered.
How much more would you pay for U.S.-grown produce?
I hate putting things off. In fact, I once worked with a guy who admitted he put the “pro” in procrastination. That’s not good when working in the produce department.
I was tidying my desk when Russ T. Blade appeared from behind a stack of files. “Rusty,” as regular readers know, is the miniature imaginary produce manager who lives in my desk and occasionally appears to talk shop.
Let’s face it, Bill Marler has made a lot of money telling a story in which young children are the victims, lettuce farmers are the villains and he plays the hero.
A well-managed produce department runs on a strict regimen of doing things correctly.
Any program that aims to address hunger must primarily focus on addressing nutritional insecurity and supply fruits and vegetables to those in need. This message was at heart of a challenge issued by PMA’s Cathy Burns.
The way the world thinks about food safety is changing, and food companies must evolve in response.
I’m a produce writer, but not a very good poet. In school I didn’t grade well in the world of couplets, stanzas, prose and ballads. Still, I’m inspired by the art. More about this later.
The latest crowd-sourced produce wisdom came to me after I posted this question on the LinkedIn Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group:
More reaction is rolling on the FDA’s request for comment on the idea of a “healthy” symbol for packaged foods.
Sometimes, training others means teaching those we also answer to.
The produce aisle is but one department in the grocery business. And, by all appearances, when a customer navigates through a store, it’s a peaceful place.
One task that is loaded with details in a produce remodel? Signing.
What is the biggest competition/threat to the continued growth of organic demand?
What’s your biggest challenge for 2021?
In an unlikely turn of events, cucumbers and squash are smack dab in the limelight.
How do you quantify the advantages and disadvantages of increased traceability regulations for fresh produce (and other food)?