The Packer
Despite driving billions in annual sales and averaging an astonishing 92 shopping trips a year, the powerful Hispanic demographic is pulling back from fresh produce — and industry experts are sounding the alarm on how retailers must change to win them back.
At the West Coast Produce Expo Helios AI CEO Francisco Martin-Rayo explained how artificial intelligence helps lean procurement teams navigate geopolitical fertilizer shortages and climate risks.
The limited-edition patriotic packaging celebrates the country’s milestone with tomatoes grown in the U.S.
The boutique berry company has introduced a vibrant identity and innovative approach to premium organic and conventional blueberries.
The acquisition of Calavo Growers for $26.05 per share unites two major North American avocado and fresh produce companies into a stronger, vertically integrated global network.
Expo exhibitors play the role of educators as fresh produce companies scramble to understand California’s looming reporting deadlines.
The former FDA deputy commissioner joins “The Packer Podcast” to discuss the potential for machine learning to turn food safety from reactive to predictive and its tangible benefits for the fresh produce industry.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the enrollment period and payment rates for the new Assistance for Specialty Crops Farmers program to support producers facing elevated costs and unfair foreign trade competition.
GoodFarms crew foreman Maria Barbara Resendiz Martinez and Stemilt Growers crew leader Jesús Gutiérrez Manuel earn top honors from the Equitable Food Initiative and The Packer.
With National Mushroom Month moving to June, the Mushroom Council shares tips to boost sales.
Displaying fruits and vegetables in their natural state helps instill the idea to customers that your store is indeed fresh, yet produce departments rarely make the effort.
James Peterson has been named CEO, with predecessor Gary Wishnatzki transitioning to board chairman.
The company has named Associated Wholesale Grocers Chief Financial Officer Gary Koch to its board of directors and has added former ReposiTrak principal David Stukus as vice president.
The golden grape tomato, available in select stores nationwide, offers consumers a bright, zesty flavor balanced with sweetness.
The import season will run from June through October, with mandarins, navels and lemons available in a variety of pack styles.
Attendees get an exclusive look at the intricate cultivation practices behind Oasis Dates and the climate-smart tribal farming methods at Temalpakh Farm.
Driven by a volatile cocktail of geopolitical conflicts and skyrocketing fuel and fertilizer costs, the U.S. fresh produce industry is navigating a hidden crisis where stable retail averages mask a shrinking financial safety net for independent farmers.
AmpleHarvest.org connects America’s 62 million home gardeners with local food pantries, turning surplus backyard produce into a fresh, same-day solution for neighborhood food insecurity.
This declaration allows for USDA’s Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to growers in 17 counties in the state hit by below-freezing temperatures in April.
National produce shippers face deep uncertainty over who qualifies as a producer under the strict plastic reduction act as hidden contract clauses threaten to pass massive penalties down to farmers.
To accelerate growth in the Midwest, JOH has promoted Brian LaMarche to vice president of produce for the division and welcomed Pat McErlean as its new customer manager.
California farmers warn a proposed nitrogen bill could drastically limit fertilizer use, expand reporting requirements and make growing crops like citrus, lettuce and pistachios nearly impossible.
U.S. importers expect to have ample supplies and seem eager for the season to get underway.
By bringing on vertical farming pioneer Marc Oshima to spearhead its sales strategy, the company aims to leverage his extensive industry partnerships and leadership experience to scale its microgreen and edible flower brands.
At the ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit in Charlotte, N.C., The Farmlink Project CEO, Eliza Blank, highlighted how the organization is moving away from volume-heavy metrics like “pounds diverted” to act as a sophisticated, rapid-response logistics partner capable of clearing surplus farm produce within a tight 24-to-48-hour window.
With the clearance, the companies report the merger’s closing is expected to take place May 28.
The initiative is designed to strengthen demand for locally grown, high-quality avocados through targeted incremental marketing activities leading directly up to June and throughout the month, says the California Avocado Commission.
In a candid look at the future of agricultural innovation, Danny Bernstein and Walt Duflock discuss bridging the Silicon Valley funding gap, reducing development costs and scaling crop-specific hubs to strengthen the specialty crop industry.
Celebrating excellence in greenhouse growing, the 2026 Greenhouse Competition in Leamington, Ontario, recognizes the award-winning innovations from Red Sun Farms, Del Fresco Pure, Nature Fresh Farms and Sunset.
The industry faces a pivotal tension between using packaging to extend shelf life and to reduce food waste and navigating emerging material regulations and Extended Producer Responsibility mandates, according to a panel at the ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit.