Global Organic Produce Expo

Seen and heard at GOPEX 2023, part 4

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 13:03:41 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Attendees and exhibitors came ready to get inspired, learn from each other and share best-in-class produce at this year’s Global Organic Produce Expo, held Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino hosted by The Packer and PMG.

Jeff Richardson and Mike Faul of Great Lakes Greenhouses Inc. were happy to exhibit at GOPEX 2023 and said they look forward to GOPEX 2024.

“Look around,” said Richardson eyeing the attendees in the aisle alongside Great Lakes Greenhouses’ booth. “Everyone is having fun.”

“The yacht was a really good icebreaker and introduced our new team members to the industry,” said Wholesum’s Joanna Jaramillo. Added to that, the keynote from Fair Trade USA’s Paul Rice resonated with the team at Fair Trade USA-certified Wholesum Family Farms.

Related news: Seen and heard at GOPEX 2023 — Part 3

Aaron Sumption, who has worked in the indoor ag industry since 2011, is excited to see the organic industry come together in person at this year’s show. He also is hopeful about the future of CEA agriculture. At Local Bounti, his team has worked to brand greenhouse grown lettuce so that consumers can easily learn the story behind the greens.

While the majority of produce that Delaware-based Royalhalo grows and imports from Latin America is conventional, “10 loads of conventional to one load organic” to be exact, according to Royalhalo founding partner Ricardo Hernandez, who added that the company is excited to expand its organic offerings in the coming year.

The team from Palmetto, Fla.-based Sunripe brands came to this year’s GOPEX excited to share about how its move from California to the Southeast has positively affected its brand. Once spread out on both coasts, the grower now concentrates on growing on farms in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

“The freight cost was too much, and the quality was down,” said Jon Esformes, owner of Sunripe.

“Relocating has made deliveries become overnight, instead of four days,” he continued. “This has worked very well for us.”

Additionally, Sunripe was able to certify every farm in the Fair Food Program.

“When producers take the time to make transformation change on the ground, the market rewards that investment,” said the Fair Food Program’s Marley Monacello.

The start of strawberry season was top of mind for Well Pict Berries’ Director of Marketing Jim Grabowski at this year’s expo.

“You approach each season with high hopes,” Grabowski said. His growers are getting a late start this year because of the atmospheric river and subsequent flooding in California.

“The floods pushed us back a month,” he continued. “Luckily, it didn’t damage our acreage, just affected timing.”

Grabowski is confident that they’ll make up for lost time quickly and have a strong season.

The Equitable Food Initiative is excited about connecting with growers at this year’s GOPEX. One of the social responsibility certifier’s goals is to be a “one-stop audit shop” for growers pursuing EFI certification, according to Madelyn Edlin, marketing and sales manager at EFI.

“We’re excited about our GFSI benchmarking roll out. This will relieve time and audit fatigue for our growers,” Edlin said.

She’s heartened not only with the growers her team is partnering with, but Edlin is noticing more interest in responsible sourcing in the produce industry in general.

“More people on the buyers desk care about social responsibility now,” Edlin said.

“It’s nice to have everyone in our backyard,” said Alexander Wegner, account manager at Hippie Organics. The Florida-based brand was developed by Alpine Fresh to market its premium fresh fruit and vegetable offerings.

High-tech or traditional, organic or conventional, growing indoors takes a tailored approach

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 17:52:44 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — From high-tech, aeroponic nurseries all the way to traditional greenhouse crops rooted in soil, many growing methods and technologies fit under the wide umbrella of controlled environment agriculture.

Cultivating fruits and vegetables in indoor environments can appear vastly different depending on the production style, region and grower, with new advances being developed and tested every day.

Fostering partnerships and strengthening the CEA-grown produce category increasingly depends on working holistically with each grower and their unique needs, challenges and markets, said industry leaders during an education panel at the Global Organic Produce Expo, held Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

While the panelists represented a diverse range of farming models and approaches to growing, they all agreed that convergence — working together to solve problems instead of hunkering down into siloed camps — was key to building strong, resilient companies and a CEA movement that delivers what consumers are looking for.

The discussion was moderated by Amy Sowder, editor of retail, education and PMG magazine at The Packer.

Tackling challenges together

“At the end of the day, field and CEA — they’re complementary; they’re not fighting against each other. It’s about finding the right solution, the right region and the right problem that you want to embrace,” said Jose Covarrubias, general manager at Wholesum Farms. Wholesum grows vegetables in Arizona, Mexico and South America, which includes tomatoes cultivated under glass.

The most exciting thing about CEA, Covarrubias said, is that it gives growers the opportunity to grow many different varieties of produce with a lot fewer resources.

“That’s the sustainability piece that’s very important to us at Wholesum,” he added.

Related news: ‘History is on our side’: Paul Rice, Fair Trade USA CEO and founder, inspires at GOPEX 2023

Marc Oshima, co-founder and chief marketing officer at high-tech vertical farming company AeroFarms agreed that his company’s approach to growing made it possible to use fewer resources than traditional farming.

“This is the heart of the work we’re doing in AeroFarms. We’re reimagining farms,” Oshima said.

In AeroFarm’s high-tech aeroponic vertical farms, according to Oshima, the team scrutinizes inputs, continually looking for ways to improve.

“How do we do more with less? How do farm in a more sustainable way?” Oshima continued. “At AeroFarms, we use 95% less water, zero pesticides.”

On the other end of the spectrum, the self-identified traditional farmer on the panel, Joe Merenda, president of Misionero, said his company first got involved with indoor growing in 2021 to strengthen its operation overall.

“We started a strategic alliance with one of our partners in Mexico, who are one of the largest CEA growers in Mexico, in order to maximize our supply chain and figure out how we could solve some problems with traditional farming practices through that model.”

“For us and this convergence conversation, we look at it as it’s less about the convergence of organic and CEA,” Merenda continued. “For us, more of it is about the convergence of traditional ag and CEA getting together and trying to solve problems for retailers.”

Brian Cook, president of Local Bounti, a CEA grower that blends vertical farming with greenhouse growing, agreed that it comes down to a thoughtful strategy that is focused on ensuring consistent, fresh product on shelf.

“I think you break it down to what it is at its core, and it comes down to supply chain resiliency,” Cook said.

Convergence of organic production and indoor ag

The recent update to the National Organic Program and its new Strengthening Organic Enforcement final rule has sparked fresh produce businesses across the supply chain to take stock and confirm that they have done their homework.

And while CEA and indoor agriculture approaches farming in a new way with unique challenges, many on the panel welcome increased organic enforcement.

“At Local Bounti, we grow organically in greenhouses, so I have a deep fondness for the organic label and what it means. I think it’s important to continue and ensure that integrity ... goes along with what that label stands for,” Cook said. “So anytime there’s the checking of the boxes in the process, I think that it just strengthens what organic means.”

Related news: USDA’s new organic rule tackles fraud

For some panelists, how marketers and business leaders frame the organic and CEA discussion is the key to moving the movements forward.

“We have strict standards on the organic side, but that has not been put together yet on the CEA side,” Merenda said. “How do we give the consumer the right message when there really is no standard to that message? So, I think the next step is getting the message consistent and getting the practices doing the same thing. Instead of saying this one’s better than the other, let’s just describe what we’re doing and why it’s good for the consumer.

“I think it’s the messaging to the consumer that’s going to make the biggest difference in how [organic certification and CEA] is perceived,” Merenda added.

Fair trade visionary Paul Rice headlines GOPEX 2023 conference

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 14:55:52 GMT

Browsing the grocery aisles, consumers are increasingly looking for products that are not only delicious and healthy, but also products they believe are responsibly sourced and improve the health of the planet.

One clear sign of this enduring trend is that consumer demand for organically produced goods has climbed steadily since the 1990s, with no signs of stopping. At the top of the category sits fresh produce, the highest performers of all organically grown food products in the grocery store, according to the USDA.

Organic fruits and vegetables accounted for 39% of U.S. organic food sales in 2020, according to a Nutrition Business Journal report. What’s more, the category continues to command a price premium to meet increasing demand, despite inflation and pricing challenges experienced in other categories.

Learn more about the Global Organic Produce Expo

With 88% of organic sales made in conventional and natural food supermarkets and chains, according to the Organic Trade Association, the time is ripe to pose the question, “How does the fresh produce industry deepen its connection with consumers seeking products that are organically and responsibly sourced in the produce aisle?”

Founder and CEO of Fair Trade USA Paul Rice will share the opportunities he sees for the organic produce industry in 2023 and where he believes buyers and producers alike can level up and strengthen their connection with conscious consumers. Rice will deliver his keynote, “Emerging Opportunities for the Produce Industry,” with his distinctive charisma and inspirational call to action on Jan. 31 at 9:45 a.m. EST at the Global Organic Produce Expo 2023.

Visionary leader and Fair Trade advocate

Paul Rice has a long history building fair trade and sustainable agriculture supply chains, giving him deep, firsthand knowledge of where the industry has grown and the challenges that lie ahead.

Rice launched Fair Trade USA’s Fair Trade Certified label in 1998, after working 11 years as a rural development specialist in the mountains of Nicaragua. Since establishing Nicaragua’s first fair trade organic expert cooperative, Rice has been a tireless advocate of the power of ethical impact sourcing to build sustainable businesses and alleviate poverty globally.

Read related: What to do and see at GOPEX ’23

Over Rice’s 30-year career promoting sustainable agriculture and economic development solutions, Rice has helped establish fair trade as an up-and-coming segment of the food industry. He has won numerous awards for his visionary leadership, which include:

Ethical Corporation’s 2019 Business Leader of the Year.
Social Capitalist of the Year by Fast Company magazine.
Skool Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

Under Rice’s leadership, Fair Trade USA has partnered with over 1,500 companies, such as Green Mountain, Nespresso, Whole Foods, Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger and Target. Fair Trade USA has expanded beyond fresh produce, now certifying a wide range of products ranging from coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, coconut, dairy and fish.

Industry perspectives: Hear what excites three GOPEX participants about the 2023 event

Tip of the Iceberg Podcast — New editors, GOPEX, retail shortages

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:27:41 GMT

Welcome to episode 69 of Tip of the Iceberg Podcast.

In this episode, we take detour from our regular interviews with industry members and talk amongst ourselves. Listen in on our watercooler chat as we introduce our two new editors, Melissa Treolo and Ed Boling.

Then, we talk about what we’re looking forward to at the Global Organic Produce Expo (GOPEX), the conference hosted by Farm Journal’s produce brands, PMG and The Packer at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., Jan. 31-Feb. 2.

REGISTER NOW!

And lastly, we’ve got to throw in one of the hot topics of the day: The shortages of product and labor at retail stores. What are we seeing, and why?

You can read more on that topic in this story: Why shelves are spotty, staff are missing.

Listen on your favorite platform for podcasts, or by clicking the purple play button below.

Watercooler Chat: New editors, GOPEX and retail shortages

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:27:37 GMT

We wanted to introduce our new editors in a more casual, fun, personal way via video and audio, so you can become familiar with these faces.

You might be working with them on a story about your company soon.

Tom Karst, editor of The Packer, and Amy Sowder, retail editor of The Packer and editor of PMG, grill (just kidding) Melissa Treolo copy editor and content coordinator and Ed Boling, West Coast editor.

Based in Kansas, Treolo comes from a newspaper background, having worked as a reporter, copy editor, designer and more. Based in California, Boling has a background in agriculture and media, including sales.

Then there’s the Global Organic Produce Expo Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Hollywood, Fla. We detail what sessions there will be, plus the ‘80s cover band and more.

Find out more about GOPEX .

And then, we get into some of the news of the week: produce and staff shortages at retailers. We delve into the how and why. Spoiler alert: It’s complicated.

Read more: Why produce shelves are spotty, staff are missing .

If you’d rather listen to this watercooler-style chat than watch it, you can try our Tip of the Iceberg Podcast . Or just find it on your favorite platform for listening to podcasts.

For those who missed the boat, here are some GOPEX photos

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 00:49:44 GMT

Did you miss the boat, either literally (the yacht tour!) or figuratively (attending GOPEX!)?

Well, you can look at these photos to catch some of the sights and people there on the first two days of events.

Even many people at the Global Organic Produce Expo, held Jan. 20 to Feb. 1, in Hollywood, Fla., who didn’t make it on the yacht still had tons of fun. And yes, networking, business opportunities and learning happened too. And dancing.

“We’re here for the networking, to say hi to our clients and vendors,” said Maria Najar, who attended with Ivonne Padres, both of Frutto Foods, based in Miami.

Marc Oshima, co-founder and chief marketing officer of AeroFarms, Newark, N.J., participated in a panel discussion and education session Jan. 31. The topic at hand: the conversion of organic and indoor agriculture.

He and some colleagues also joined the opening evening reception. “The Packer really knows how to throw a party,” Oshima said.

Check it out:

(Farm Journal)

How retailers, suppliers can implement ‘Food as Medicine’ in 2023

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 13:54:38 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The health aspect to the produce industry has evolved far beyond simply stating the beta carotene content in a carrot or touting the vitamin C in a clementine.

Produce retailers and suppliers are playing a more active role as consumers demand that their food do more for their overall well-being, said panelists at an education session at the Jan. 30-Feb. 1 Global Organic Produce Expo at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

After all, food-as-medicine interventions “sit at the crossroads of nutrition and healthcare,” according to the American Society for Nutrition.

The panel was moderated by Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, former president of Produce for Better Health Foundation.

“Certainly, the definition of health has significantly expanded,” she said, “whether we’re talking about just the inherent health benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables or we’re talking about their helpfulness as it relates specifically to planetary health with a sustainability point of view, or even holistically — the overall health and wellbeing of a person, like mental health.”

Companies are appealing to shoppers’ desires for functional benefits and emotional rewards, as well as partnering with agencies for produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals.

Session panelist Lisa Coleman, director of healthy living at Giant Food and a registered dietitian and licensed dietitian nutritionist, said her staff uses an “all foods fit” approach, which seems to work well in the retail setting, even if most of the messaging is focused on fruits and vegetables.

“We are in the half-plate society, and we are all produce pushers,” Coleman said of the recommendation to fill half of your plate with plants.

Giant Food has a three-pronged approach to food as medicine:

Health-focused merchandising: Partnering with merchants in communications and shopper marketing programs, helping with in-store displays, produce storytelling, and then embedding health into our loyalty programs and just driving sales.
Education and outreach team: Customer-facing retail dietitians do consultations, nutrition store tours and anything from classes to community events. There’s a podcast called “Healthy Living by Giant,” and social media program. Popular class topics include food is medicine, mindful eating, sustainable eating and topics like gut health and mind health.
Nutrition incentive solutions: Working with government agencies and health care organizations to incentivize health care. Giant Food is offering these benefits on loyalty cards, about $80 per month for fresh, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables.

“We’re really seeing that food retailers are becoming a core part of the health care system because that’s the way health care is going,” Coleman said.

Panelist Karen Falbo is director of nutrition education at Natural Grocers, which supports full-time nutrition health coaches in its stores. These coaches provide one-on-one sessions and in-store classes, she said. They build relationships with stakeholders in their communities, such as practitioners, doctors, chefs, schools and many different health and wellness programs.

“The nutrition health coach is there to individualize the approach,” Falbo said. “People have different circumstances and different barriers and obstacles to really living healthy lifestyles and consuming more fruits and vegetables.”

Shoppers look at health in a broader and deeper way these days, said panelist Daniella Velazquez de Leon, general manager at Organics Unlimited, a woman-led organic banana grower and wholesaler.

“Today’s consumers are really invested in knowing what they’re putting into their bodies, what kind of ingredients they’re going to need. Not only that, but who grows their food, how it was grown and where it was grown,” Velazquez de Leon said.

“In that aspect, I think that we’re very well positioned, especially in this subset of our industry where it’s no secret that bananas have a dark history,” she said. “Since day one, we’ve been really big advocates for the good that comes from the organic movement, not just from a health perspective but also from an environmental and social one.”

Organics Unlimited has been committed to paying fair prices to growers, ensuring fair wages and benefits go to workers and providing more than $3 million in programs, like dental and health clinics, malnutrition-covering programs and scholarships to workers.

“It’s to help break the cycle of poverty in our communities,” she said. “All of this to say, I think we’re very well positioned to be that affordable, healthy on-the-go snack that’s connecting with consumers on a deeper level than just a commodity.”

The panelists emphasized that food isn’t a replacement for medicine but lays the groundwork for health and is a critical key in prevention and complementary approaches.

“Also, there’s money here,” Reinhardt Kapsak said. “And I think that’s important for everybody to recognize that there’s potential for increasing product sales or getting your products in the hands of others.”

Seen and heard at GOPEX 2023 — Part 2

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 13:03:58 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — It wasn’t all fun and games at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, where The Packer and PMG hosted the Global Organic Produce Expo Jan. 30 to Feb. 1.

But a lot of it was.

Pleasure and business mingled as old friends caught up, new relationships formed and ideas spread throughout the crowd.

Wes Jones of Four Seasons Produce and Chris Miller of MOM’S Organic Market hung out with each other, sharing what they jokingly referred to as “revolutionary” ideas for the world of organic fresh produce.

Still, they caught up with many suppliers and produce-allied organizations, learning and exchanging perspectives and strategies.

Also: Check out Farm Journal’s Produce Editorial Director Jennifer Strailey’s photos at Seen and heard at GOPEX 2023 — Part 1 .

(Farm Journal)

Madelyn Edlin of Equitable Food Initiative and Scott Mabs of Homegrown Organic Farms chatted about their worker-welfare partnership.

“It has been a great experience for developing additional support for our farms,” Mabs said. The Porterville, Calif.-based company represents about 100 farmers with a total of more than 7,000 acres in organic farming, including organic citrus, blueberries, stone fruit and grapes.

(Farm Journal)

The tote bags and notebooks were popular schwag handed out by Diego Sierra, Diana Zamudio and Jose Alberto Leal of Produce Team, based in Leon, Mexico, with locations in Mission and San Antonio, Texas.

“Our core mission is to get rid of the hands involved in the process of selling,” Zamudio said. “We’re motivated by friendly environmental packaging. It’s something we’re trying to adjust to.”

Produce Team grows organic and conventional tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini and yellow squash.

(Farm Journal)

Dillon Duncan and Shay Myers of Owyhee Produce, Parma, Idaho, shared about the onion production and market.

“Volumes are down, probably the lowest in the last 15 years,” Myers said. “As a result, we’ve seen prices about 40% higher than the 10-year, inflation-adjusted average.”

New growing regions will be offering up onions soon, such as Mexico any day now, Myers said, so the market will be readjusting in about three weeks, which should be about the last week of February.

(Farm Journal)

Jack Jackson, Melissa Hartmann de Barros and Andrés Ocampo of HLB Specialties, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., talked tropicals at the show.

“We have a big tropical program nationally, so this was a good show for us because we were able to distinguish ourselves on that,” Hartmann de Barros said as the show was about to close.

The company sells conventional and organic specialty produce and has added organic yellow dragon fruit and organic red dragon fruit to its lineup.

“The supply is strong,” she said.

Adding to the festive nature of GOPEX 2023 were Hartmann de Barros’ dragon fruit-themed Nike sneakers, which she had fast-tracked to wear in time for the show.

(Farm Journal)

“It’s important to have fun in the produce industry, to keep it fresh,” she said.

Seen and heard at GOPEX, part 5

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 14:22:09 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Hey, we’re not finished yet with the photos and news of what happened at the Global Organic Produce Expo at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

The show was intimate enough for people to make the connections they planned on, either by chance or through the BizMatch program, pairing suppliers and buyers in one-on-one meetings.

At the trade show, Arthuro Jimenez and KJ Peraza of TruFresh Produce , based in Nogales, Ariz., featured their company’s organic produce, including bell peppers, summer squash, jalapeños, grapes, tomatoes and melons.

“We’re jumping into citrus, maybe by next August,” Jimenez said. The company grows and sells organic and conventional vegetables and fruit.

(Farm Journal)

Retailers including those from Wakefern Food Corp., The Fresh Market, Misfits Market, SpartanNash, Giant Food, The Natural Market, MOM’S Organic Market and more attended the show.

(Farm Journal)

Rob Greenwood of RPE, which has the Tasteful Selections and Farmer’s Promise brands, talked about commodity potatoes as well as premium potatoes, which are often the smaller, bite-sized varieties.

“Our Farmer’s Promise national brand is doing exceptionally well,” he said. “The brand is outpacing other conventional and organic labels.” The company is starting to place air-frying recipes on packaging, as this cooking method has become so popular, he said.

He liked the GOPEX panel sessions. “The social panel was helpful, learning about the power of influencers,” Greenwood said.

(Farm Journal)

Dennis Jackson of USA Pears, or Pear Bureau Northwest, shared about all the programs the organization is doing, including a February promotion of red pears due to Valentine’s Day. “Red pears are sweeter than other varieties,” Jackson said.

The pear crop is doing well; there’s a good market for them and a lot of promotions planned, he said. USA Pears is also working on training the retail community on pears with in-person lessons and more.

(Farm Journal)

Expert shares tips on unlocking the power of conscious leadership

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 14:20:24 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Capping off a day of discussions around the conscious consumer, Vaishali Jadhav, a leadership development instructor for the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, took to the GOPEX 2024 stage recently to share tips to become a conscious leader.

Watch it now:

Jadhav said she was excited to talk to the GOPEX attendees.

“Our intention is very specific in this room,” she said. “We all want to leave the world, the industry or our team better than we found them.”

A core of conscious leadership is awareness, Jadhav said, and awareness starts with self-awareness for leaders.

“We cannot steward, empower and inspire others unless we understand what that looks like for ourselves,” she said. “With this journey of conscious leadership, we always start with the individual.”

Jadhav suggested leaders use a few questions to see if their actions align with their true values.

“A great place to start with understanding your values is just by thinking about a great day you had in the last six weeks or in the last six months,” she said. “I want you to think about what made this a great day. Don’t just think about the great day, think about why that’s a great place to start identifying those core values.”

She encouraged leaders to look at their calendars and events to help evaluate their priorities.

“What would your events and reminders in your calendar say about your values?” she asked. “What would your calendar say your boundaries are?”

A conscious team

Jadhav said once leaders understand about values themselves, they can focus on their team. Conscious leaders help the team understand a company’s core values and each individual’s contribution to the company’s values and goals, she said.

“Conscious leaders deeply understand the values of everyone on the team,” she said. “Conscious leaders see their organizations as a system, and they really get clear on the values that help the system flourish.”

Beyond understanding an employee’s value, Jadhav said, communication is a critical function of conscious leaders.

“Are we constantly communicating as transparent as we can be?” she said.

To demonstrate effective communication and alignment of goals, she played a brief video of a murmuration of starlings swooping and swirling together. Jadhav said the birds were constantly communicating and were aligned on one specific goal — finding food, migrating, etc. And this murmuration is like a conscious leader’s team at work.

“Alignment around purpose, alignment of our goals, transparency and constant communication — that’s what makes this thing work,” she said.

Jadhav said a conscious team is psychologically safe, citing data from a Gallup poll on employee engagement. Those employees whose conversations with their manager focused on their strengths had only a 1% chance of being disengaged. If their boss only talked about weaknesses, 22% could become disengaged. But, those employees whose leader ignored them had a 40% chance of disengagement.

“We can all make one another feel seen and heard,” Jadhav said. “You look at the team level and then we harness all of this to really create an organization and culture that has high meaning and purpose.”

Gratitude

Jadhav ended the presentation with a focus on gratitude, which she said is a key trait of conscious leaders.

“Conscious leaders are deeply grateful,” she said. “We’re grateful for our mistakes. We’re grateful for the lessons learned, grateful for the human beings who help us do what we do.”

Jadhav encouraged everyone to acknowledge someone who made an impact in their life.

“There’s a power and making people feel seen and heard and understood,” she said. “They make an impact and make a difference.”

Seen and heard at GOPEX 2024 — Part 1

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 14:39:10 GMT

Editor’s note: Want to see more photos from Global Organic Produce Expo 2024? Check out these additional links along with this story.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — How does the fresh produce industry earn the business and sustain the trust of today’s conscious consumers committed to responsible purchasing?

GOPEX 2024 explored this intersection of fresh produce and conscious consumerism with industry leaders from across the supply chain Jan. 22-24 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Increasingly, consumers make purchasing decisions they believe will improve their health and the health of the planet — while also having a positive social, environmental and economic impact. These enlightened and powerful consumers are driven to purchase from companies who share their concerns, causes and desire for stronger, healthier communities across the globe.

GOPEX creates a gathering place for understanding this ever-evolving global fresh produce marketplace and connecting the dots from farm to fork.

In addition to a full schedule of fun, sun, networking opportunities, BizMatch and an innovation-filled expo floor, GOPEX 2024 offered a robust education program that dove into what drives the conscious consumer to purchase, beginning with the opening general session, “Produce Trends and the Conscious Consumer,” which featured data and insights from Alex Kalausich, produce lead of Fresh Foods Group for Circana.

Additional educational sessions held Jan. 23 covered topics ranging from regenerative ag to food safety to omnichannel retail promotions to innovation to what retailers want from their produce partners. The sessions concluded with “Conscious Leadership Unleashed,” an inspiring session from keynote speaker Vaishali Jadhav, leadership development instructor for the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Institute.

On the expo floor, exhibitors and attendees were eager to talk organics, sustainability, innovation and more.

“It’s amazing to be back at GOPEX with an energized organic community having conversations around what’s new and next,” said Sandi Kronick of North Carolina-based Happy Dirt. Kronick said Happy Dirt, which essentially functions as the marketing and logistics arm for its network of 16 farmer partners, was attending this year’s GOPEX to look for new partnerships.

Happy Dirt seeks to help its partner farmers and additional network of some 100 farmers to be a viable family business once again, said Kronick. “We want our farmers to be sustainable. The supply chain is about people, not products.”

“If you look at the organic sector, consumers want to know where and how their food is grown,” said Chris Veillon of Pure Flavor. As a vertically integrated greenhouse grower, Pure Flavor is focused on offering a consistent supply of the organic and conventional items consumers want most, which today, means healthful, flavorful and convenient snacks, said Veillon, pointing to Pure Flavor’s mini cucumbers, mini peppers, grape tomatoes and more.

“This is an important show to further cement our place in the organic fresh produce industry,” he said.

“This is our fourth or fifth GOPEX,” said Kari Molter of Molter Produce. “We’re excited to see people we with work with during the year as well as meet new buyers.”

The company featured its organic gala apple from Michigan. “We want to let retailers know this apple can solve their year-round program needs,” said Aaron Molter.

HLB Specialties featured an array of organic tropical delights, including organic papaya, ginger, yellow dragon fruit and guava.

“Guava has been the hit of the year at retail,” said Melissa Hartmann de Barros of HLB Specialties. She attributes its popularity to its health benefits, vitamin C and fiber content and easy, on-the-go snacking size.

Hartmann de Barros also sampled yellow dragon fruit, which she describes as sweeter, juicier and more flavorful than pink dragon fruit. HLB Specialties has created a Lunar New Year-inspired package for its yellow dragon fruit to celebrate the Year of the Dragon.

Pero Farms’ Shannon Curry and Scott Tyo showed off the company’s multitude of convenient retail and foodservice vegetable offerings, including its new Vegetable Stir Fry, comprising broccoli, cut green beans, and broccoli, carrots and red cabbage slaw.

“And it’s not just for making a stir fry,” said Tyo, who added the bagged veggies make a delicious, nutritious and convenient addition to soups and salads as well. “It’s very versatile.”

Circana lead discusses how to connect with the conscious consumer

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:56:25 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Alex Kalausich, produce lead for the fresh foods group for market research firm Circana, kicked off GOPEX 2024’s opening session with a broad look at the produce industry and consumer behavior.

Watch it now:

Kalausich said Circana’s quantitative research showed that, starting in 2023, 95% of households are concerned about food cost inflation and 38% of low-income households expect their financial situation will be worse off in a year from now.

“Perception is reality,” he said.

The behavior of today’s shoppers also is changing, he said. The average American household made 199 shopping trips a year, up 11.1% from three years ago. Though consumers are shopping more, the average basket size is down about 26%.

Kalausich said consumers are exploring more classes of trade to buy groceries.

“Nearly half of produce shoppers choose other retail classes and trade channels to buy their products,” he said.

Shoppers filled nearly one-third of every shopping trip with produce, Circana’s data showed, and eight out of every 10 items of produce are a combination of fresh fruits and fresh vegetables.

Convenience is a major area of growth, Kalausich said. Value-added vegetables, melons, broccoli and berries are growing as consumers want to eat healthy without spending a lot of time assembling meals.

“Value-added is the easiest way to adopt that convenience trend and authentically convey that to the shopper,” he said.

Other notable trends, Kalausich said, are the increased growth in cooking and snacking vegetables, green grapes, tropical fruits and citrus. He said out of 20 top organic subcategories, organic bananas, organic cucumbers, organic broccoli, organic arugula and organic berries have bucked inflation trends and continue to grow.

Kalausich said his 2024 outlook for the fresh produce industry shows growth of 2% to 4% in dollar sales, growth of about 1% in volume sales and 1% to 2% growth in price per volume.

“It looks a lot like 2023,” he said. “If we have average as our baseline, what would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”

Kalausich said this is where tapping into the shopper, particularly the conscious consumer, comes into play.

“We have to think about the shopper, because as much as we love to believe that we are providing a product that will find a niche, and we are influencing the shopper, a lot of times they’re influencing us and we’re reacting,” he said.

Understanding the conscious consumer

Kalausich said Circana also segments consumers to help identify key variables in beliefs to help understand shopper’s behavior. One segment of interest to organic produce growers, shippers and retailers is the conscious consumer, who believes strongly in health and wellness.

“The conscious consumer is 39% more likely to purchase produce than every other segment,” he said.

What’s interesting, Kalausich said, is that this conscious consumer reaches a wide swath of generations, incomes and family sizes.

“As time progresses, especially with these younger generations, we suspect this conscious younger consumer will be a little bit different than the older demographics,” he said.

Organics are a key component of a conscious consumer’s buying habits, Kalausich said. Other notable themes include sustainability and products offered in recycled paper.

“Younger shoppers will be the sort of catalyst for sustainability and all the attributes around it being mainstream,” he said. “The popularity and sustainability marketing of products is not going to go away, and it will be driven by millennials first than Gen Z.”

Kalausich said he sees younger, metropolitan and affluent millennials focusing on that sustainability connection with the products they buy; retailers and growers need to tap into this by sharing the efforts already in place within their operation in a way that feels natural and authentic.

“That will be 100% where that connection point comes from,” he said of developing a connection with the conscious consumer.

Seen and heard at GOPEX 2024 — Part 5

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:41:38 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — With many exhibitors showcasing products and solutions at the 2024 Global Organic Produce Expo, The Packer offers a virtual booth tour of a few booths.

“We’re basically at the center of this shroom boom right now trying to push these into retailers to get more people to try them,” said Luke Caputo of Caputo & Guest.

“Something that’s new and exciting to us this year is our Florida strawberries and they’re every bit as good as they taste as what they look like,” Brian Klumpp of North Bay Produce said. “It’s a wonderful product.”

“They are crunchy, juicy and full of flavor,” said Reba Guzman of Chelan Fresh’s Sugar Bee apple. “They’re open cross with Honeycrisp. They’re crossed with a Honeycrisp and we don’t know the exact parentage. It’s sweet. It’s crunchy.”

“We’re featuring some of our specialty tomatoes,” said Joanna Jaramillo of Wholesum. “Our flavor lineup is a line of snacking tomatoes cherry on the vine and high-flavored grape tomatoes.”

“We have our Easy Band, which is a completely compostable package, very sustainable,” said Jocelyn Gerard with Stemilt Growers. “We offer all of all of our mainline varieties and organics in this package. It solves a number of problems at retail. It solves the problem of shrink from incorrect rings and it’s easy to stock.”

“The biggest investment for Great Lakes this year is on the organic side of our business,” said Jeff Richardson with Great Lakes Greenhouses. “The feedback was there were not enough organic peppers across the board so being a family-owned and operated company you’re able to quickly adjust and we put 28 acres in.”

Related coverage:

Seen and heard at GOPEX 2024 — Part 1
Seen and heard at GOPEX 2024 — Part 2
Seen and heard at GOPEX 2024 — Part 3
Seen and heard at GOPEX 2024 — Part 4

How vendors can foster strong retailer relationships

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:13:17 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — What makes a good retail partnership?

That was the question posed by Kristine Lorusso, vice president of retail partner services with the Guimarra Cos., to kick off the “What do Retailers Really Want from Their Produce Partners?” session at the Global Organic Produce Expo in late Jauary. The panel discussion also featured Jeff Cady, vice president of produce and floral with Northeast Grocery; Daniel Bell, director of produce for Grocery Outlet; and Dennis Payne, senior category manager at The Fresh Market.

Watch it now:

Payne said a good retail partnership includes trust and transparency.

“[It’s] making sure that any issues that will arise are communicated in a timely manner and that everything is transparent throughout both parties,” he said.

Cady said service is another key quality he looks for with vendors. Cost is always a factor, but it’s not the only factor.

“I want someone who’s going to have skin in the game with me, that [our contract is] not transactional,” he said.

Cady said a good vendor understands the fresh produce industry and his company’s needs.

“Ninety-nine times out of 100, I have an item in my store today that you are bringing to me,” he said. “The other thing I have an ample supply of is problems. So, don’t come to me with a lot of problems. Come to me with solutions.”

Bell encouraged produce growers to approach each retailer differently.

“Understand the retailer you’re talking to and what their business model is,” he said. “If you come into Grocery Outlet and present to us like you’re presenting to Whole Foods, there’s a very real chance you’re not going to get too far. It’s just a totally different business model, and it’s a totally different way of going to the market.”

The vital role of information

There’s no such thing as information overload for consumers, according to the panelists.

“An educated guest is the best guest,” Payne said, noting The Fresh Market sends out an electronic magazine monthly to its customers and subscribers. “If we educate the guests before they even come into the store, they’re already one step ahead.”

Payne said most grocery lists include produce staples such as lettuce, tomatoes and potatoes; everything else outside of the typical purchase is considered an impulse buy. This is where The Fresh Market’s information creating a buzz by helping customers understand what new varieties they can expect to see in the store.

“If they’re educated on a certain item, such as a new apple coming in or new citrus variety, they’re going to come in looking for it before and put it on their list,” he said. “By giving us the information of how it’s grown, what goes into the growing practices, whether it’s fair trade, whether it’s organic, makes a big difference to our guests.”

Bell said educating the consumer needs to include how weather interruptions affect product availability and cause price spikes.

“Why should mom be paying another dollar a pound for grapes this past fall than she normally does? Did we communicate that to her? Did you expect the retailer to communicate that to her?” he asked. “Does the consumer know that they just had a hurricane go through the Central Valley and wipe out a huge chunk of the grape crop?”

Social media, Bell said, can play a great role in reducing the gap between farm and fork. Vendors and growers can help meet the consumer where they spend most of their time: on their phones.

Changing workforce

Lorusso turned the conversation to the changing workforce in retailers’ produce departments. Bell, Payne and Cady shared how the produce manager of today isn’t the same as the one they knew when they entered the industry.

“When we came up with the industry, you had a produce manager that had been in the industry for years and knew that seasons change and knew the quality and could talk to customers about what was going on,” Bell said. “Stores don’t have that kind of depth in their product departments anymore. That’s why you’re seeing a very generic layout going out to the stores with the folks in the stores to execute.”

Any information vendors can offer helps retailers better inform their produce teams, which in turn informs the consumer.

“The turnover nowadays with minimum wage and everything is just really high,” Bell said. “So, if nobody’s staying in a job anymore, any kind of information you can give us, whether it’s a weekly update on crops, weather conditions, growing conditions, whatever, we can take it down to the people that need to see it and read it and understand it.”

Cady told vendors in the audience that he reads what they send him, even if they don’t think he does. He’d rather have more information instead of less.

“An educated workforce is good for us,” he said.

Details matter

Payne said as vendors court retailers, it’s important to target the data presented in those meetings. While understanding what’s going on nationally from a crop perspective is critical, it’s also vital to share regionally targeted information as each of his stores is unique and may have different trends and behaviors.

“We have to make sure that we’re targeting those areas and getting the proper data to pick the right solution and come up with the right plans to execute in our stores,” he said.

But don’t come with too many pie charts and bar graphs, Cady said.

“We love information and that’s how we make all our decisions,” he said, adding that too much information, however, can waste valuable time.

Bells encouraged vendors to target the specific solutions that the vendor can offer him and his company in bullet points and quick-hitting information.

“As a regional retailer, it needs to pertain to my region and my competition specifically,” he said. “Make sure it’s bullet points. Make sure it’s to the point, and have some other stuff to go around with it because data is great, but if that’s your whole presentation — ouch.”

Seen and heard at GOPEX 2024 — Part 4

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:04:52 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Salmon, berries, green beans and more were among the highlights of booth displays at this year’s Global Organic Produce Expo.

Although one might not expect to see fresh salmon at an organic produce event, Superior Fresh showcased its capabilities as the first land-based Atlantic salmon facility in the U.S. The company also highlighted its organic leafy greens and new salad kits that it recently launched.

Pretty Lady Vineyards showcased its Autumn Crisp grapes in new grab-and-go bags. Chance Kirk said its Autumn Crisp vineyards are currently in transition to organic production. Kirk said the company has more table grape varieties also in transition to organics, which it will announce in greater detail soon.

Craig Merrill of Naturipe Farms said it will soon be “Feb-blue-ary” for the company, touting the availability of organic blueberries. The company also showcased its organic strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Stemilt Growers showcased its organic four-pack and apple-lover 3-pound packs. With a large apple crop this season, the company expects to have plenty of availability.

“We’ve had some interesting success on 5-pound bags of organic,” said Jocelyn Gerard. “Because our crop is up 30% this year, the pricing is really favorable to do promotions on organic bags, and customers are looking for value right now.”

North Bay Produce showcased its French green beans, Florida strawberries, raspberries and sequoia blueberries.

“They are everything you hear and more,” Brian Klumpp said of the blueberries. “They are that good.”

The Chelan Fresh display highlighted organic granny smith, Cosmic Crisp, Sugar Bee, Rocket and Honeycrisp apples and bosc pears.

“Our organic rocket is a naturally small apple,” Reba Guzman said. “It’s 1 inch in diameter and fully mature. The rocket is full of flavor. It’s sweet, it’s juicy, it’s crunchy and great for kids and great for the environment. It’s a fun snack-sized apple.”

Jeff Richardson said Great Lakes Greenhouses put an emphasis on snacking vegetables with Persian mini cucumbers in a four-pack, a six-count tray, a 15-pack and 1- and 2-pound bags.

He said the company added grow lights to 34 acres of production for a year-round supply of produce.

Superfresh Growers showcased its organic Autumn Glory apples, which the company says has a sweet, subtle flavor of caramel. The company also highlighted its organic pears and granny smith apples at its booth.

Related coverage:

GOPEX 2024 seen and heard — Part 2

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:09:57 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — GOPEX 2024, which explored the intersection of fresh produce and conscious consumerism with industry leaders from across the supply chain Jan. 22-24 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, also featured a vast array of new products and innovation on the expo floor.

Mariani Nut Co., a vertically integrated grower of walnuts and almonds, showcased its newest launch: Organic Whole Almonds and Organic Shelled Walnuts.

“These new products complement our existing line of all-natural nuts,” said Darryl Bollack.

“We’re the farm-to-table nut company,” added Bollack, who noted that honey roasted almonds have seen a resurgence of late.

Tal Shoshan discussed the fresh convenience of FiveStar Gourmet Foods’ Simply Fresh Salad Shakers. The new patented bowl design features a lid that can be inverted, allowing consumers to shake all the ingredients inside to get dressing on every bite, said Shoshan, who added that Kim Kardashian has helped to boost the popularity of shakeable salads by eating them frequently on TV.

Perricone Farms featured its line of fresh juices, including orange, lemon, lime and apple. The juices have many applications in retail and foodservice, said Cassandra Hardick, who added that Perricone Farms does a great deal of private label, including providing the lemon juice for Shake Shack’s lemonade.

LUV’s Arturo Mendoza said the company is the biggest grower of avocados from the Dominican Republic, with 7,000 hectares under cultivation. Mendoza served up samples of a delicious smoothie made from a blend of LUV Soursop and avocados.

Cache Produce highlighted its organic program that includes Brussels sprouts, zucchini, yellow squash, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers, as well as mini organic melons. “We’re close to year-round on the organic melons,” Elio Angel told The Packer.

Rafael Davila of Eurofins, a panelist on the “What You Need to Know About Food Safety Now” educational session at GOPEX 2024, shared news of the company’s expansion this year. Eurofins is a group of international life sciences companies that provide a range of analytical testing services to clients across multiple industries, most recently produce. Davila said the company is opening two testing facilities in California this year.

This year marks Pretty Lady Vineyards’ third year of organic offerings, said Chance Kirk. “We’re excited to have more coming on in the next couple years.”

“Weather has been a big factor,” said Ricardo Roiz of Franks Distributing, which owns more than 2,000 hectares of farmland in Sinaloa and Baja California Sur, Mexico. As a result, the company is at 70% to 80% of its daily capability but still able to fulfill all of its supply commitments, Roiz added.

At GOPEX, Franks featured its organic and conventional bell peppers, grape tomatoes, blueberries and mini peppers.

All American Produce showcased its some 25 different organic items, including squash, tomatoes, sweetpotatoes, mini sweet peppers and more. “Euro cukes are the No. 1 seller,” said William Augustine Jr.

More GOPEX 2024 coverage:

GOPEX panel asks, 'Are you FSMA 204 ready?'

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 20:12:20 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — With time ticking down until the Jan. 20, 2026, compliance deadline for the Food Traceability Final Rule, leading traceability experts offered insight on understanding and implementing the rule during a recent panel discussion at the Global Organic Produce Expo 2024.

Watch it now:

The rule, part of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Section 204 (also known as FSMA 204), sets additional record-keeping requirements for manufacturers, processors, packers and shippers of foods on the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Traceability List, which includes fresh produce staples. The FDA says the new requirements will help curb foodborne illnesses through faster identification and swift removal of food that is potentially contaminated.

Liz Sertl, senior director of community engagement for the not-for-profit information standards organization GS1 US, moderated the panel discussion at GOPEX. Panelists included Todd Baggett, president, CEO and founder of RedLine Solutions; Ray Connelly, vice president of supplier strategy at Procurant; Rafael Davila, business unit manager of four produce-focused microbiology laboratories for Eurofins; Andrew Kennedy, principal traceability advisor for iFoodDS; and Angela Nardone, chief operating officer for Share-ify.

Kennedy, who spent three years at the FDA working on FSMA 204, said what’s most important to understand about the rule is the additional record-keeping requirements for certain foods.

“The core element of the rule is the traceability block, and the traceability locked at the source,” he said. “That information is encapsulated in what we call physical tracking events, which are captured in some of those critical track events and include supportive key data elements that are shared with subsequent recipients That information can be not only stored but also requested by the FDA during an outbreak investigation in the form of the sort of restriction.”

Nardone said those critical tracking events include processes such as harvesting, cooling, packing, repacking, shipping and receiving. At each of those instances, the party responsible for that tracking event needs to collect data.

Connelly said it’s important to understand that the FSMA 204 regulation only applies to high-risk foods, not just fresh produce.

“Certain foods are more susceptible to foodborne illness and therefore necessitate the need for traceability,” he said. “What we’re sort of hearing generally across the retail community and there may be exceptions to this is that instead of sort of changing your process, and having highly traceable foods limited to the foods that you see on this list, we’re seeing entire category needing to be compliant.”

Nardone said some companies might be exempt, such as growers who make less than $50,000 a year or a restaurant with a three-year average under $250,000.

Connelly said one thing that these high-risk foods will need is more than “one-up, one-down” traceability. Those foods that are FSMA 204 eligible will need a high level of traceability.

Davila said field testing is an important part of traceability, and it’s a good idea for growers to field test and add those results in the data included in the crops harvested.

“If you are currently doing the testing, it’s always good to revisit it and question why the retailer has requirements on testing and do a really deep dive to try to get more value out of your testing data,” he said.

Kennedy walked attendees through a traceback from a restaurant to the shipper to the packer and to the location where the grower picked the produce. The level of detail includes a field map from harvest, the number of cases received and the receipt date.

“Think about each point in the supply chain; it’s vital to get records under today’s rule, which means a typical outbreak investigation takes at least a month, about 35 days,” he said. “And the goal is to shorten that time period down to less than a week.”

Integrating technology

Baggett said with the amount of data points needed to comply with FSMA 204, technology becomes a necessity. Manually entering data becomes tedious and runs the risk of being inaccurate.

“It’s been shown that key data entry is about 100 times less efficient or accurate than the bar-code scanning,” he said. “There’s no better time to collect that data than at the point of activity.”

The other challenge with data, Baggett said, is that companies complying with FSMA 204 must validate the data as companies collect it. Baggett says using bar-code scanners to verify the products pulled are correct helps ensure you don’t introduce errors and make tracebacks more challenging.

“I call it the axiom of 10,” he said. “Every step removed from where that error occurred costs you 10 times more. … Before you pick it up, there’s not much cost there [to fix]. But you move it to the dock and a truck arrives and now you’ve got to quickly hustle and put it back and get the right product. That’s another 10 times more expensive. If you actually shipped it, it’s 100 times more expensive.”

Connelly said another challenge to incorporating technology into the FSMA 204 compliance is that many companies have robust traceability within the business, but with the new rule they will need to share data throughout the supply chain.

“Under traceability, we’re being asked to supply that transfer of data between companies with a whole bunch of additional information that needs to be stored in the receiver system, and then carry forth to a broker or wholesaler, to the next guy and so forth, all the way up to retail. Can your system send data if you’re a supplier, and if you’re a receiver or a buyer, can your system receive data of this level in your current system?”

Advice to the audience

Nardone said a critical element of FSMA 204 compliance is ensuring there is a task force devoted to leading the implementation of this rule.

Baggett told the audience that it’s also a good idea to start small, and if they’re not already participating in the Produce Traceability Initiative, that’s a good place to start.

“Look at your processes and consider the systems that you have,” he said, “One of the scary things that I see in the produce industry a lot is these little islands of automation or islands of data that don’t talk to each other. And one of the key things that we look at as we’re publishing our software is saying, ‘How do we make this open so that the next system down, if it’s a data transfer, can easily get that data and move that data forward?’”

Connelly said it’s also important to ensure the suppliers a company works with sends accurate data that operations can use.

“Assess your suppliers. Are they sending you traceability data that’s accurate, timely, in the format recommended and so forth?” he said. “And can you consume that data into your system? I would score your trade partners on both your supply side and on your sell side.”

Nardone said while many operations use their own lot numbers internally, a component of FSMA 204 is that the data from all steps in the fresh produce food chain is a part of the traceability data shared.

“So many people in the industry today, as a practice, assign their own lot number, and then that becomes your internal traceability. Part of what FSMA 204 changes is that now you have to take the manufacturer’s lot number and make sure that’s incorporated,” she said. “If you want to use that internal lot system for your own accounting purposes, there’s lots of good reasons to continue to do it. But the requirement is you have to take those farms, the lot number they assigned, and that has to be part of your traceability program.”

Seen and heard at GOPEX 2024 — Part 3

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:44:09 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The Global Organic Produce Expo floor was bustling on the last day of the event, Jan. 24, where exhibitors showcased products, innovations and solutions.

Morgan Stuckert, marketing and communication manager for Lipman Family Farms, said the company put an emphasis on its organic roma tomatoes, tomatoes on the vine, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini and a grill-pack combo of a yellow and green squash.

“Our grape tomatoes specifically are showcased in these 100% compostable packaging,” she said. “On top of that, we have a compostable band for our two-count cucumber. It’s wrapped with a tension band, so they’re secure and its 100% compostable. We’re looking at getting a compostable option for every one of our grown true organic items.”

Jed Watson said the fourth-generation Watsonia Farms’ main goal at GOPEX was to start dialogues with retailers and see how his family farm’s portfolio of fruits and vegetables can alleviate pain points. Joining Jed Watson was Jerry Watson, Jeph Watson and Joe Watson.

Jesse Taylor (and Jim Alderman Jr. showed off the company’s organic tomatoes, cabbage, yellow squash, zucchini, corn, bell peppers and cucumbers at GOPEX.

The Food Safety Modernization Act’ Section 204 was a key talking point for the team at Share-ify, which included Shannon Shuman, Ernesto Nardone, Angela Nardone, Marc Koutufaris and Tyler Rose.

“So many companies that visit us are looking for an easier way to manage their supplier community, and that includes product information certifications, things that validate that they’re a qualified supplier,” Angela Nardone said. “We assist them with that.”

Nardone said on the heels of GOPEX’s food safety education session, many attendees talked about FSMA 204.

“They’re just trying to square out the market, see who has a solution and see if it’s something that they think is viable,” she said. “Very important today, especially with produce, is quality control and making sure that the produce items that come in meet the standards of the buyer, and so we’re assisting them with a quality control program.”

Jason Miller and Matthew Houmes of Altar Produce touted the company’s organic produce at GOPEX 2024. Altar Produce grows more than 30,000 acres of asparagus and is the world’s largest producer of the crop, according to the company.

Gabriel Gerado, Tina Federico and Joanna Jaramillo with Wholesum showcased the company’s specialty high-flavor cherry and grape tomatoes, including its Poppies, Darlings, Kaleidos and Brites. The company also spotlighted its squash, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes and bell peppers, as well as its sustainably packaged tomatoes on the vine.

“It was a passion project, because we really wanted to move toward and are looking forward and to continue our movement into more sustainable packaging,” Jaramillo said. “It’s 100% recyclable; it’s a cardboard pack, and we got a little bit of messaging to help promote sustainability within our packaging.”

At the Giro Pack booth, DeSean Steele, Marcello Ferrer and Russell Reta talked about the company’s 100% plastic-free bag. Reta said the net bag and paper film is home compostable.

“This can be thrown into your home compost pile, or if you’re a municipality that has curbside organic waste, it can go into that bin as well,” he said. “We are gaining a lot more interest in the avocado market as well as the citrus market.”

Reta said Giro only needs to install an adaptor on the machine to run this new packaging, which he also hopes to expand into full-line automation for packing houses.

Peter Robbins, Noah Robbins, Lindsay Belfatto and Ranwa Dbaibo showcase the company’s shishito, poblano, serrano and jalapeño peppers.

“Our approach is really very much about taking farmers market-type vegetables and applying commercial growing techniques, trying to make them more accessible for people that otherwise wouldn’t have access,” Belfatto said.

Belfatto said other noteworthy vegetables include the fairy tale eggplant, mini heirloom tomatoes and honeynut squash.

“In tandem with our growing operations, we have a line of chop salad kits called Clean Label Eats, along with a stir-fry kit,” she said. “They’re all clean ingredients, Non-GMO Project-verified. We develop all the dressings in house with an R&D team. We’ve come up with some interesting flavor profiles like crunchy sesame, ramen and Southern barbecue ranch. They have a ton of texture and crunch to them from the ramen noodles to the roasted corn.”

Eric McClam showed off City Roots Organic Farm’s new packaging, for its microgreens, that the company will roll out this year with post-consumer recycled plastics.

“We’re really excited about the packaging and for us, that packaging and branding pops out,” he said. “At the end of the day, your shopper wants to see something that’s going to catch their eye that’s vibrant, that’s fun. Obviously, you’re going to have high-quality product within that. The graphics help drive some sale.”

McClam also said his team was moving operations into a new 75,000-square-foot greenhouse with a Cravo retractable roof system and sidewalls, with its energy use is offset by 1,000 solar panels.

“This facility is about six times the size of our current one,” he said. “It’ll have a new wash-and-pack facility, new seeding building, germination building and geothermal, solar buildings. The site is 90 acres, and we’re putting about half of that acreage in a conservation easement.”

Related coverage:

GOPEX 2024: Where fresh produce and conscious consumerism meet

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:01:51 GMT

How does the fresh produce industry earn the business and sustain the trust of today’s conscious consumers committed to responsible purchasing?

The Packer’s seventh annual GOPEX 2024 is the place to explore this intersection of fresh produce and conscious consumerism with industry leaders from across the supply chain.

In addition to a full schedule of fun, sun, networking opportunities and an innovation-filled expo floor, GOPEX offers a robust education program that dives deep into what drives this important and growing demographic.

Held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla., Jan. 22-24, this year’s event kicks off with a poolside gathering followed by a yacht party on Fort Lauderdale’s intracoastal waterway sponsored by CMI Orchards, IMOK Global LLC, John Greene Logistics, Mariani Nut Co. and Trinity Fruit.

Jan. 23 is a day of education that will dig into a range of topics from the shopping habits of the conscious consumer to organics to regenerative agriculture and more. The education program is slated to culminate in a general session — “Conscious Leadership Unleashed: Me, We, Us” — led by Vaishali Japhav, leadership development instructor for the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Institute. Packed with the latest products and innovations in fresh produce, the expo floor will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 24.

Making connections

The intimacy of the expo floor provides another opportunity for retailers, suppliers and allied services to network, share ideas and plan for the year ahead.

“I’ve been involved in conventional produce for many years, but I’m relatively new to the organics category,” said Glenn Johnson, category manager for Wakefern Food Corp. , Keasbey, N.J. “GOPEX gives me the opportunity to meet with industry leaders and suppliers one-on-one to discuss grower challenges and discover retail opportunities for our stores.

“I especially enjoy the expo floor where I can meet vendors and see what’s coming in the future,” Johnson added.

The Packer and Produce Market Guide’s BizMatch Plus sessions offer yet another space for retailers and suppliers to connect at GOPEX 2024. The sessions are designed to empower suppliers to share the latest info on their business and products, and educate produce buyers on trends, market dynamics and more.

“What I love about GOPEX is it’s a small show with a big punch,” said Tonya Morel, senior sourcing manager for FreshRealm , a San Clemente, Calif.-based meal solutions company. “The educational sessions are informative, and the BizMatch is time well spent to vet new suppliers. The team goes out of their way to accommodate attendees, and it’s one of my favorite shows to attend throughout the year.”

GOPEX attracts an audience invested in driving the fresh produce industry forward.

“I thoroughly enjoy attending GOPEX each year. It’s a great chance to connect and meet with produce industry contacts — old and new — and offers the opportunity to learn more about the companies that continue to drive the organic produce industry forward,” said Brian Dey, senior merchandiser and natural stores coordinator with Ephrata, Pa.-based Four Seasons Produce .

“I am really looking forward to this year’s event again, attending the education sessions, seeing new products and meeting new people at the BizMatch sessions,” Dey continued.

Quality time, quality products

GOPEX strives to provide a gathering place for elevated and inspired conversation, content and fresh produce.

Tal Shoshan, CEO of Ontario, Calif.-based FiveStar Gourmet Foods , says he’s most looking forward to seeing the latest trends and innovations in the organic produce industry at GOPEX 2024. He says the event also serves as a great opportunity to network with key players in the organic produce industry.

“GOPEX serves as a crucial platform for networking with key players in the organic produce sector, staying updated on industry advancements, and fostering partnerships that contribute to the growth and sustainability of our fresh food company,” he said.

A key part of attending GOPEX for Shoshan is what he takes back to his business after attending the yearly event.

“It’s a source of inspiration and a catalyst for strategic decision-making within our business,” he said. “Attending GOPEX provides invaluable insights into emerging market dynamics, access to cutting-edge technologies, and a chance to engage in meaningful discussions with industry leaders.”

Shoshan says GOPEX is a must-attend event for anyone with a vested stake in the organic produce industry.

“It offers a unique opportunity to stay abreast of industry trends, forge valuable connections, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the organic produce landscape,” he said. “The knowledge and connections gained at GOPEX can significantly impact the success and sustainability of one’s business.”

Visit FiveStar Gourmet Foods at GOPEX booth No. 116.

Great Lakes Greenhouses is also looking forward to the opportunities GOPEX 2024 will bring.

“GOPEX is an amazing show that we look forward to each year,” said Jeff Richardson, vice president sales for Great Lakes Greenhouses of Leamington, Ontario. “It allows companies the opportunity to connect with many of their current partners and learn more about new ones.

“Show attendees want to be at the show and you get valuable time to truly understand the needs, challenges and complexities of buyers,” he continued. “Each year the GOPEX team continues to elevate the bar and provide an outstanding show.”

Richardson says Great Lakes Greenhouses plans to feature its key propriety products this year, including organic peppers and conventional minis.

“We are doubling our organic pepper acreage in 2024 to better accommodate our partners growing demand for this product,” Richardson said. “We are also increasing our lit mini [cucumber] production this year. Both categories are performing extremely well and have been causing gaps in our buyers’ programs. So, we have invested into these two commodities heavily to ensure we can meet the growing demand.”

Great Lakes Greenhouses has a story tell conscious consumers. The company says it runs completely off the grid, producing 100% of the electricity it uses in-house via an efficient co-generation system run on natural gas.

The greenhouse grower also recovers all the heat from its modern boilers and uses it to heat a portion of its greenhouses, as reducing its carbon footprint continues to be a primary focus, Richardson said. Other sustainability efforts include purifying and recycling all water used in its operations and producing its own beneficial insects.

Visit Great Lakes Greenhouses at GOPEX booth No. 406.

“We look forward to attending GOPEX each year as an opportunity to not only kick off a new year, but to reinforce the importance of our vast greenhouse-grown organic product offering to key retailers throughout North America,” said Chris Veillon, chief marketing officer for Pure Flavor . “Many consumers commit to new/improved eating plans as part of their New Year’s resolutions, bringing organics back to top of mind at a key time of the year helps raise awareness of availability.”

To support GOPEX and promote its attendance, Pure Flavor has created a custom landing page for the trade show at pure-flavor.com/gopex2024.

Veillon says the Leamington, Ontario-based greenhouse grower will feature its organic tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers at GOPEX 2024.

“This is one show not to be missed,” said Veillon, pointing to the education-packed program and compelling roster of speakers.

Visit Pure Flavor at GOPEX booth No. 312.

North Bay Produce is ready to kick off the 2024 show season by participating in GOPEX says Sharon Robb, national marketing manager for the Traverse City, Mich.-based supplier.

Robb says the show is an excellent opportunity to showcase the firm’s organic berry program, noting that this is its fifth year as a platinum sponsor of the show.

“At the event, we will be focusing on our organic blueberries, which are always a hot topic of conversation,” Robb said. “Additionally, this year we will also be discussing our increased production of organic strawberries.”

Robb says the GOPEX show is a good chance to see customers after the holiday season.

“We enjoy meeting our customers face-to-face shortly after the holidays, and this event is an excellent opportunity to connect with several customers at once,” Robb said. “The event offers informative sessions and engaging speakers, along with exciting and creative activities that create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for both customers and vendors.”

Visit North Bay Produce at GOPEX booth No. 218.

Steven Beltram, co-owner of TendWell Farm in Asheville, N.C., said the 100% organic farm will promote its Mountain Magic tomatoes at its GOPEX booth No. 120. Mountain Magic tomatoes will be a summer release for the farm.

“Mountain Magic tomatoes are cocktail-size tomatoes that were bred in the mountains of western North Carolina for maximum sweet flavor and superior quality,” he said.

He says GOPEX is an important event, noting it’s a chance to connect with customers and colleagues dedicated to the organic produce industry.

“Having the opportunity to participate in a trade show dedicated to organic produce that takes place annually in the Southeast is a perfect fit for us to network with customers and colleagues who are interested in organics,” he said. “GOPEX is a perfect event for anyone interested in networking with retail professionals and shippers dedicated to building the organic movement.”

New products, new packaging

McAllen, Texas-based Fox Packaging will display its Signature Fox Fresh Mesh line at GOPEX 2024 booth No. 411.

The line is a high-quality choice for fresh produce packaging, says Jen Doxey, director of sales for Fox Packaging.

“This line has a non-abrasive mesh design that gives many benefits, such as enhanced ventilation to keep the products fresh and prevent spoilage; improved visibility to showcase the quality and appeal of the products; and increased durability to protect the products from damage and ensure easy handling,” Doxey said. “It can suit various products, from apples to potatoes to peppers, and it can be changed with different colors, sizes and labels to build a family of packaging applications that strengthens brand recognition and consumer loyalty.

In addition, Fox Solutions supports automation that can handle a wide range of mesh bags, whether they are formed, filled, sealed, stacked, heat-closed, clipped, labeled, flow-wrapped or a bulk bag.

Understanding the packing facility of customers allows the Fox team to develop full-scope solutions that are designed to support the circular economy by reducing waste, saving resources and promoting recyclability, Doxey says.

Fox Packaging views trade shows as a valuable opportunity to connect with its customers and showcase its innovative solutions for flexible packaging, Doxey says.

“We know that many brands are facing the challenge of balancing environmental responsibility and consumer expectations, and we are here to help them navigate this complex landscape,” she said. “We want to be more than a supplier, but a partner who can offer customized solutions that meet your sustainability goals and enhance your product’s performance.”

One of the topics Fox Packaging will highlight at its booth is how its flexible packaging solutions contribute to the circular economy, she says.

“Our products are designed to reduce food waste, extend shelf life and be compatible with the store drop-off stream,” Doxey said. “We work closely with our film suppliers to ensure that our products meet the highest standards of quality.”

Educational programing

Sara Neagu-Reed, director of production and environmental policy for the International Fresh Produce Association , says she looks forward to being a part of a larger conversation around organics and the fresh produce supply chain.

Neagu-Reed will be a part of the “Communicating the Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule to Consumers” panel at GOPEX. She says this panel, held on Jan. 23 from 10:40-11:20 a.m., will help attendees become better prepared as this rule takes effect.

“The new rule impacts the full supply chain of the fresh produce industry,” she said. “It’s vital the industry is aware of the ins and outs of this new rule and how they should begin complying before the enforcement date to ensure our industry continues to grow and profit.”

Negau-Reed says events such as GOPEX help promote the organic produce industry and connect those invested in its future. She says she hopes those attending the panel will feel connected and supported.

“I believe our collective goal is to empower consumers with confidence in their organic purchases while simultaneously creating a supportive environment for organic growers to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of fresh produce retail,” she said.

She says she’s also looking forward to bringing back what she learned as a panelist and GOPEX attendee to IFPA to better inform its future efforts.

“Perspective is everything in my line of work, and through networking as well as the engagement I will have in serving as a panelist, I can take back the issues or concerns I hear about and apply them to the policy and regulatory activities happening at the federal level that impact our growing sector of organic food and agriculture,” she said.

Organic messaging research finds winning themes

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:23:26 GMT

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Finding messages that will motivate “light” organic consumers to eat more is the goal of new consumer research by the Organic Trade Association .

At a Jan. 10 education session at The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Expo, Angela Jagiello, director of education and insights for the association, discussed the group’s progress on a “toolkit” to give marketers detailed insight on what messages work best in marketing organic produce and other foods.

The research on consumer messaging, Jagiello said, is an outgrowth of OTA’s voluntary industry-invested organic research, promotion and education program, GRO Organic (Generate Results and Opportunity for Organic).

“(The research) is going to ultimately result in a toolkit for industry members to get everybody on the same page about how to talk to consumers in the most effective way about organics,” she said.

Jagiello said the project is nearly complete, with the toolkit expected to be available in February to supporters of GRO Organic and members of the Organic Trade Association. It will be available as part of a larger curriculum offered by association through web seminars and conferences over the next year.

For the project, OTA partnered with the consumer research firm Natural Marketing Institute, Harleysville, Pa. The effort also included a core committee of about two dozen industry experts and leaders, including retailers, produce suppliers, dairy marketers and international suppliers.

Importance of research

Jagiello said the research began with the conviction that the organic market is in a “really tenuous moment.”

“We are being fractured by lots of competing eco-labels and messages from one-off claims, like non-GMO, regenerative, that sound great,” she said.

However, those competing claims can diminish consumer understanding and trust in the organic label.

“We really understood the consumers can trade down if they don’t understand the difference,” Jagiello said.

The intent is to understand what consumers need to hear from organic marketers in order to maximize limited marketing budgets and get the most people possible to purchase organic.

The project used feedback from a group of heavy buyers of organic produce. After that, the project polled 60 key influencers, including retailers, media, produce executives, brokers and nonprofit groups, to ask their ideas about consumer messaging and branding.

After that, the research committee distilled all the feedback from heavy users and key influencers to come up with set of organic marketing messages to test with about 3,000 consumers. They were asked to respond to 20 communication concepts on organic messaging.

“We really wanted to be able to find the point at which consumers like or didn’t like a message, felt okay about it, or felt strongly about it one direction or another, Jagiello said.

The effect of the messages was measured by the changing in consumer attitudes before and after the message.

Jagiello said 62% of the general population is an organic produce shopper to some extent, with 50% of those considered light users and 12% heavy organic produce users.

Of consumers who purchase organic produce,19% are heavy users and 81% are light users.

The light users are a huge opportunity for organic marketers, Jagiello said.

“They’re open to purchasing organic, they don’t buy that much,” she said. “The idea behind the research is that (we) all speak to them in the same way, so that said we tested and found several messages that resonate with these heavy and light users.

Nearly all of the messages tested appeal to heavy organic produce users include:

Organic is free from 700 chemicals allowed in conventional crops;
People and planet;
Big Chemical;
The consumer is hero;
Strong standards for organic;
Organic is for everyone;
Organic is regenerative;
Consumers have the power to effect change;
Transparency and the open door nature of organic;
Talking about the transition process;
Organic is a state of continuous improvement;
Climate change and positive effects;
Big and small all have a place in organic;
Non GMO and more;
Organic is a simple choice and whatever it is you are concerned about with the food system, organic has an answer; and
Consumers are the champion.

Best messages

Jagiello said the simple message may be the most effective.

“Just telling the basic story about organic is the most powerful message we have,” she said.

Telling consumers that certified organic products by law are not allowed to use 700-plus chemicals in growing or processing food is a powerful message.

“Don’t be shy about talking about organic, what is behind the label and remind the shoppers that strong standards build trust,” she said.

Strongly rated messages for light organic users included:

“non-GMO”
Organic produce is the simplest choice;
Organic farms have always been regenerative;
Organic Farming is important to help reverse climate change; and
It’s important for me to buy or use as many USDA organic certified products as I can afford.

On the other hand, she said light organic consumers become uncomfortable with the chemical message if it goes into too much detail about chemical names or potentially damaging effects of synthetic chemicals.

There is also growing awareness among consumers of environmental issues.

In addition, talking to shoppers about strong and rigorous enforcement of organic standards and USDA-accredited organic certifiers is powerful.

“Shoppers really like to know that it is hard to become organic, that there is a three-year transition period to be fully transitioned with certified organic,” she said. “They do like to know that we are continuously improving and trying to make the system better all the time.”

Another strong message is the message that organic products have always been non-GMO.

The message that organic is for everyone also resonated with consumers. In addition, consumers like the message that organic prices are coming down and are becoming more accessible to them.

Millennial shoppers also value transparency in organic and connect with companies who show that characteristic.

Heavy users of organic didn’t like the idea of buying products from brands that have both organic and conventional products. In the question-and-answer part of the presentation, one attendee asked if it would be better to “take the high road” and not demonize conventional agriculture by talking about pesticides.

“We can totally disagree about that,” Jagiello said. “But the reality is that the number-one thing about (organic certification) is that it takes a certain number of things out of your toolbox that causes a higher cost for growers, a higher cost for shippers, a higher cost for everybody in the supply chain.”

“I’m not saying we have to be awful about it, but if we don’t mention it, all of a sudden that leaves the consumer at the checkout going well, this says it’s non-GMO, and that’s basically the same,” she said. ”No, it is not basically the same, it is pretty far from the same.”

In order to continue to grow, she said that organic marketers have to find ways to feel comfortable about talking about chemicals.

The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Exposition & Conference (GOPEX) provides a forum to meet the rapidly changing needs of professionals who grow, distribute, pack and market organic produce. This international trade show and conference provides the ideal opportunity for organic produce professionals from around the world to network, exchange ideas, source new products and services, and do business with the industry’s leading growers, distributors, packers, marketers and retailers.

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Shuman Farms packing organic onions in reduced-plastic bags

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:41:04 GMT

Shuman Farms , Reidsville, Ga., is revamping its organic onion packaging with a netted bag that uses less plastic.

The shipper of Vidalia and Peruvian sweet onions will use different netting and thinner films on the bags, reducing plastic by 38%, but still maintaining their structural integrity, according to a news release.

“The revamp of our organic packaging is just the beginning of an overall initiative to increase sustainability across all of our RealSweet brand products,” John Shuman, president Shuman Farms, said in the release. “Innovative marketing is a part of our core values, and we believe that innovation should lead to more sustainable offerings at retail following trends of consumer and retailer demand.”

The onion shipper plans to educate consumers on the push to reduce plastic use and address shoppers’ concerns about food waste in the U.S., according to the release. As with packaging for other RealSweet brand onions from Shuman Farms, the new packaging reduces shrink through good airflow around the onions.

The company has a partnership with Feeding America food banks.

The company plans to introduce the new organic onion packaging to the industry at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovation Organics & Foodservice Show, Sept. 12-14 in Nashville. Shuman Produce will be at booth No. 301.

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The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Exposition & Conference (GOPEX) provides a forum to meet the rapidly changing needs of professionals who grow, distribute, pack and market organic produce. This international trade show and conference provides the ideal opportunity for organic produce professionals from around the world to network, exchange ideas, source new products and services, and do business with the industry’s leading growers, distributors, packers, marketers and retailers.

Organic price premiums slip sliding, Rabobank report says

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:13:19 GMT

Grower-shippers must pace their conversion of land to organic production or risk losing premium pricing, a new report from Rabobank says.

Called “Organic Produce Premiums Under Pressure,” the six-page report was written by Roland Fumasi, senior analyst for fresh produce or Rabobank.

In a summary of the report the author highlighted several trends related to the organic fresh produce sector:

U.S. retail organic food sales continue to climb, but the rate of increase has slowed;
Organic shipping point prices have begun to decline as volumes have risen;
Organic price premiums over conventional produce have weakened considerably for some commodities but have expanded for others;
Shippers must balance retail demand and grower profitability by using caution in expanding output, particularly for some crops; and
Long-term success in organic produce will require adaption to changing conditions.

The paper indicated growth in organic food sales has moderated.

“Between 2010 and 2016, retail organic food sales grew by an average 10% per year, however, that growth has slowed to 6% for the past two years,” the report said.

The slower growth rate has been accompanied by higher volume and softer prices of some organic commodities.

“There were some years when volumes were going up and prices were still rising,” Fumasi said in late August. “We’re not in that environment anymore.”

The reason for that, he said, is that devoted organic buyers are finding adequate to supply to meet their demand.

“For that percentage of the buyers out there that are strictly organic buyers, for a lot of these commodities, we’ve satisfied that demand,” he said. “We’ve filled that demand and we’ve got this additional supply that has to go into that more mainstream consumer market, where those consumers are much more price sensitive.”

Because most U.S. consumers are not strictly organic produce buyers, the industry is facing a demand curve that looks different than it used, he said.

“So now when we see big increases in supply, we’re going to see a much more rapid price change,” Fumasi said.

Continued growth in organic volumes has now begun to weigh negatively on shipping point prices, according to the report. For the period of 2016-2018, shipping point prices during the 2016-2018 declined for seven of the eight organic produce commodities tracked.

Between 2013 and 2015, retail prices rose by unweighted average of 1.3% per year for the top seven organic items but dropped by annual average of 0.4% in 2016-2018.

With bigger price reactions with oversupply, Fumasi said that grower-shippers will have to be careful about expanding organic output too rapidly.

On the bright side, Fumasi said that younger millennial consumers will continue to be a positive driver of organic demand.

“So (growing demand from younger consumers) keeps the ball rolling, and I think retailers are (also) a big driver of this demand — they want to promote more organic produce, but at the same time, they are having to soften prices to move it all.”

Fumasi said he has heard growers in the apple and strawberry space express uneasiness about the falling premium for organic supply compared with several years ago because of rising supply. “It is something that everybody’s thinking about,” he said.

However, Fumasi said there are still opportunities to get very significant price premiums, depending on commodity and time of the year. For example, while the average shipping point premium for organic blueberries was 45% in 2018, the report said there were nine weeks when the premium was above 90% and three weeks with a premium above 100%.

Getting the premium

As a rule of thumb, the Rabobank report said organic growers need a minimum of 40% premium over conventional to make organic production worthwhile.

“Without an adequate premium to offset increased risk/cost, producers will find it challenging justify organic production,” the report said. Retailers are asking more organic volume and lowering prices to move the added volume.

The report said that 50% of commodities evaluated showed clear reductions in organic premiums over the past few years. Specifically, premiums for organic apples, blueberries, pears, strawberries and bell peppers have come under pressure, according to the report. On the other hand, the Rabobank study found that organic premiums are holding up better for cantaloupe, table grapes, oranges, and grape tomatoes.

The paper grouped commodities relative to their future growth prospects under “positive,” “neutral” and “caution.”

Positive: artichokes, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, celery, grape tomatoes, honeydew, kale, oranges, spinach, sweet corn, sweet potatoes and table grapes;
Neutral: broccoli, carrots, iceberg lettuce, lemons, red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce;
Caution: apples, bell peppers, blackberries, blueberries, green leaf lettuce, pears,* strawberries.

Growers must seek out improvements in production technology to lower costs for organic, according to the report.

“Figuring out how to produce organically, at a unit cost that is similar to conventional production, is the evasive, but long-run goal,” the report said.

* CORRECTION: A previous version of the story incorrectly reported “peas” instead of “pears” in the caution category relative growth prospects. The story is corrected.

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Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:19:11 GMT

The percentage increase of organic produce sales might be slowing, but organic grower-shippers say actual volume continues to grow.

“Growth isn’t quite as extreme as it was from a percentage standpoint,” said Scott Mabs, chief executive officer at Homegrown Organic Farms , Porterville, Calif., “but the numbers are bigger as the industry gets bigger.”

Homegrown’s sales are up across the board compared to last year as supermarkets devote more space to the organic category, Mabs said.

“As remodels happen and retailers put new strategies in place for different regions, you’re continuing to see the organic sections grow,” he said.

Growth in the organic category “is beginning to stabilize a little bit,” said Mark Munger, vice president of sales and marketing for Los Angeles-based 4Earth Farms , but steady growth continues.

“We’re seeing growth in the conventional side of the business as well, but organics continues to outpace it,” he said.

Sales increases are most prominent among items that are coming more in line from a price perspective with conventional product, he said, as well as with items that are adding convenience and value for consumers.

Mainstream retailers and club stores that are putting a greater emphasis on organics are helping drive the growth, he said.

“They’re reaching a whole new level of shoppers that maybe haven’t been focusing on the natural food stores.”

Brian Peixoto, owner of Lakeside Organic Gardens LLC , Watsonville, Calif., takes issue with those who talk of a leveling off of organic sales.

“People say it’s leveling off, but I still see steady growth,” he said.

When Peixoto started his company in the mid-1990s, organic sales were concentrated on the East and West coasts.

Today, organic fruits and vegetables are popular “in pretty much every state,” he said.

Millennials are becoming an increasingly important buying base as they seek out organic juice blends and items like beet chips and kale chips, Peixoto said.

“There are a lot of different ways they’re consuming organics,” he said.

“They’re also interested in knowing where their product is coming from,” added Marliese McWherter, Lakeside’s creative marketing manager.

“They’re very interested in knowing about organic farming and the story behind it.”

A trend that John Stair, domestic commodity manager for San Francisco-based Pacific Organic Produce , has noticed is conventional shippers expanding into organics.

“We have some major, major conventional players with organic offerings,” he said.

That trend has made the business more challenging, he said.

He also cited the move to organics by millennials.

It behooves organic suppliers to appeal to that demographic early, since they eventually will be buying for their own families, he said.

Looking at what’s coming up, Darrell Beyer, director of organic sales for Boskovich Fresh Food Group, Oxnard, Calif., said celery is going to be big.
“I think the celery market is going to be pretty good for the whole season,” he said.

Boskovich also ships about 15,000 15-pound cartons of green, red and black kale each week.

“Kale is always a big mover,” he said, as are green onions and cilantro.

Pacific Organic Produce ships organic mangoes year-round from Ecuador, Peru and Mexico, Stair said, adding that mangoes have been selling well for more than 10 years.

On the vegetable side, organic asparagus has been consistently popular, he said, and organic Brussels sprouts acreage has expanded so much that there have been oversupply issues.

At 4 Earth Farms, French beans from Guatemala are the item the company is now promoting, Munger said.

Last year, the company also got into the Persian cucumber deal in Guatemala in a big way, and now Persian cucumbers are a year-round program, he said.

Rainbow carrots, each with a different taste, are another item that seems to have taken off, Peixoto said.

“People used to think carrots were just boring,” he said.

“I’m seeing people always reaching for something new,” Peixoto said.

“We’re always trialing different things.”

The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Exposition & Conference (GOPEX) provides a forum to meet the rapidly changing needs of professionals who grow, distribute, pack and market organic produce. This international trade show and conference provides the ideal opportunity for organic produce professionals from around the world to network, exchange ideas, source new products and services, and do business with the industry’s leading growers, distributors, packers, marketers and retailers.

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GOPEX offers insight into imports at PortMiami

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:13:28 GMT

The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Expo — GOPEX — is providing attendees with a behind-the-scenes look at PortMiami, a hub of international trade and commerce.

The tour is on the first day of the event, Jan. 9.

Participants will see the science, security and procedure involved in the import process. The intimate setting will give participants an in-depth education on the port’s processes while allowing networking with key industry partners.

“Learning about the import at its port of entry allows us a better understanding and partnership as an industry with Customs and Border Protection to achieve the path of least resistance in importing fresh produce into the United States,” said Jessie Gunn, vice president of marketing and events for produce at The Packer and Farm Journal.

GOPEX is Jan. 9-11 at the Fontainebleau Luxury Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla.

To register for the PortMiami tour, contact Gage Rohwer at grohwer@thepacker.com or 913-438-0714.

The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Exposition & Conference (GOPEX) provides a forum to meet the rapidly changing needs of professionals who grow, distribute, pack and market organic produce. This international trade show and conference provides the ideal opportunity for organic produce professionals from around the world to network, exchange ideas, source new products and services, and do business with the industry’s leading growers, distributors, packers, marketers and retailers.

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GOPEX, EcoFarm partnership aims to elevate organics

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:21:46 GMT

The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Expo has added the Ecological Farming Association (EcoFarm) to its list of partners.

EcoFarm is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to nurture safe, healthy, just and ecologically sustainable farms, food systems and communities, according to a news release from Farm Journal, The Packer’s parent company.

“When GOPEX started our enthusiasm was greater than our awareness, and we can admit that,” said Jessie Gunn, vice president of marketing and events for produce at The Packer and Farm Journal. “In effort to make clear our genuine desire to push organics forward and the collaborative nature of our event we reached out to EcoFarm, who was impacted by the dates of our first event.”

GOPEX is Jan. 9-11 at the Fontainebleau Luxury Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla.

Now in its third year, GOPEX has an ongoing and collaborative relationship with EcoFarm, which includes an audit of the organic produce show.

“In no uncertain terms, GOPEX aims to elevate the industry at large, which means working with the trailblazers, pioneers and cornerstones of organics to hopefully make their impact bigger and our work more meaningful,” Gunn said.

Dina Izzo, sponsorship and exhibitor manager at EcoFarm, said she is looking forward to GOPEX.

“What an excellent opportunity to connect with passionate people doing essential work in the organic produce industry,” Izzo said. “Having access to some of the sharpest minds and creative spirits will be most inspiring.”

GOPEX offers numerous sponsorship opportunities at multiple levels. To request a brochure outlining sponsorship opportunities or for more information about the event, contact Gunn at (520) 841-4080 or jgunn@farmjournal.com.

The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Exposition & Conference (GOPEX) provides a forum to meet the rapidly changing needs of professionals who grow, distribute, pack and market organic produce. This international trade show and conference provides the ideal opportunity for organic produce professionals from around the world to network, exchange ideas, source new products and services, and do business with the industry’s leading growers, distributors, packers, marketers and retailers.

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Growers can use technology to alleviate climate change effects

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:24:59 GMT

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — By working together with the latest tools, researchers believe growers can help manage some of the effects of climate change and perhaps someday get paid for their efforts.

Speaking Jan. 10 at The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Expo, a panel of experts looked at advances in management tools that could help organic growers deal with the challenges of mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Moderated by Todd Linsky, of Todd Linsky Consulting , the panel consisted of Dorn Cox, research director for Freeport, Maine-based Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & Environment, and organic specialist Erin Silva, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

With his work at Wolfe’s Neck Center, Cox said he focuses on the links between improving soil health and the beneficial role that agriculture can play in the environment, he said.

“We really see agricultural science as a shared endeavor and agriculture as a shared human project,” he said. “And so we’re creating an environment where we’re linking producers and researchers and the general public together to help understand this larger world.”

The center aims to provide the best possible science from an open technology ecosystem to help farmers take site-specific action.

“We are at an amazing point in human history where we have some of the tools that you (once) could only dream of in science fiction novels, that are accessible and democratized for almost any farmer on earth, and yet we have yet to harness those together,” he said.

Cox said the Wolfe’s Neck Center is bringing in large food companies, top research universities and tech companies in a collaborative effort to help achieve that.

“As I like to say that agriculture is not rocket science,” he said. “It’s actually far, far more complex.”

Climate change and the greenhouse effect of increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are framed as “scary” issues to the public, but Cox said growers can play a role in managing carbon levels in the soil.

“There are more than four times as much carbon in biomass and the soil than there is an atmosphere, and 10 times more than in the oceans,” he said. “Small changes in how we manage the soil through agriculture can have very large effects.”

In fact, changes in organic matter in the soil appear to be ten times more important than greenhouse gas emissions in the rest of the supply chain, or putting up solar panels or running electric tractors.

“Pay attention to the big picture, changes in how we produce (crops) have very large effects,” he said. “Part of improving agricultural production can essentially substitute biology for inputs, thus reducing input and production costs.

“I think we have a unique opportunity here as organic agriculture producers to take action,” he said. “It is something we can do and I think it is something that the public can embrace.”

Agriculture and climate change

Silva said that studies have estimated that agriculture accounts for about 24% of greenhouse gas emissions, and that leaves out electricity the sector uses for lighting greenhouses, for example, or the energy required to produce synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Organic farming can help reduce the effect of some of those “embedded” emissions in the production process, she said.

Dorn agreed that organic farming can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“There is a lot of direct emissions from agriculture, and I think the real opportunity is carbon capture, or increasing organic matter in our agricultural production systems,” he said.

That can be done cost effectively, he said. In fact, growers could potentially be compensated for playing a role in reducing emissions.

If farmers quantify and collect data on their roles in improving water quality, carbon capture, flood mitigation, biodiversity, and pollinator habitat, it is possible they could get compensated for those efforts, he said.

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Brighthouse doubles organic vegetable offerings

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:41:49 GMT

Brighthouse Organics, San Antonio, a greenhouse vegetable brand launched in 2017, has more than doubled the number of items it offers.

The company will be showcasing those vegetables at the Organic Produce Summit, July 10-11 in Monterey, Calif., according to a news release.

The company grows organic cucumbers , peppers and tomatoes year-round.

Brighthouse is a dba of NS Brands (NatureSweet) Ltd. , San Antonio.