Search - The Packer

From high-margin specialty items like tamale kits and exotic fruit boards to secondary walnut displays and aggressive fall price cuts, produce marketers and grocers are positioning fresh produce at the center of holiday entertaining.

Findings from The Packer’s 2026 Sustainability Insights report highlight the severe financial strain on specialty crop growers as retail prices fail to keep pace with production expenses.

With the acquisition of Phoenix-based Farm Fresh, Lipman Family Farms doubles down on its Western expansion, bolstering its value-added processing footprint and supply chain resilience to serve rising retail and foodservice demand nationwide.

Adam Lytch, regional manager at L&M Farms, will serve a two-year term as chair, while Eric Hopkins was named vice chair at the association’s annual meeting.

At Climate Week NYC, WRAP is demonstrating how collaborative Food Pacts and targeted interventions across retail supply chains and households transform perishable produce waste from a carbon burden into immediate financial savings.

Sustainability Insights 2026 finds that as reliance on consumer price premiums fades, growers and retailers are turning to operational sustainability to defend margins, build climate resilience and survive rising supply chain costs.

The Packer’s Sustainability Insights 2026 shows retailers are pursuing sustainability to drive business efficiency, boost margins and strengthen supply reliability rather than depend on consumer premiums.

CPG veteran Natalie Barber Halpern joins the indoor farming leader alongside a new strategic sales partnership to expand retail distribution and scale its national footprint.