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Instead of pining for the “good old days” before the COVID-19 pandemic, Cathy Burns invited the industry to a “new extraordinary” in her State of the Industry address at the PMA’s Fresh Summit.

PMA’s 2019 Fresh Summit was a record-breaker. The event hit all the right notes, drawing a record attendance of nearly 24,000 attendees Oct. 17-19, according to PMA, and featuring just more than 1,200 exhibitors.

Pulling in about 21,000 attendees from 60 countries, the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit in Orlando was another success. It won praise for its programming, buyer presence and expo traffic.

A return to “normal” conditions in the foodservice industry could lead to lower demand for single-use plastics and relaxed packaging pricing next year.

To say the COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on consumer attitudes on plastic packaging would be a huge understatement, Matt Dusi thinks.

The Packer asked industry leaders about what new packaging innovations have caught their eyes in the past year.

Produce shippers and packaging suppliers have faced shortages and higher prices of some packaging materials.

Innovations in material availability and handling technology are making the quest for sustainable packaging more realistic, several industry leaders say.

The use of fresh produce as a canvas for consumer messages continues for fresh produce suppliers.

Mushroom production is environmentally friendly by its very nature, but growers are looking for more ways to use less and reduce waste. It’s a great way to trim budgets amid this inflationary economic climate.