Produce Retail
Melissa’s Produce says it is providing retailers with customizable product mixes and marketing tools to engage both core Asian shoppers and curious mainstream consumers.
Backed by double-digit growth and a feature on MarthaStewart.com, Frieda’s Branded Produce says its winter citrus program helps retailers convert health-conscious shoppers into loyal category buyers.
Certified health coach Hunter Stoler explains how adding more fruits and vegetables can support heart health while remaining affordable and approachable for everyday shoppers.
Produce and retail companies like Avocados From Mexico and Instacart are utilizing celebrity endorsements for Super Bowl LX to prove that even grocery staples can be marketed with the same level of spectacle and technological innovation as the world’s biggest tech brands.
The grocer is transforming its produce departments into competitive arenas this month, blending artistic grocery displays with high-stakes teamwork.
In the “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” campaign, the Emmy-winning chef headlines the commodity board’s 2026 campaign to keep mushrooms on the mind as the ultimate no-fuss, flavor-packed staple.
For Equifruit, which is marking 20 years in the fair trade banana business this year, the April 5 baseline tariff of 10% the Trump administration imposed on nearly all countries slowed the momentum it had been building in the category for two decades.
Amid a Midwest snowstorm, the 30 Different Plants Per Week Challenge, Retail Edition, begins with a lesson in resilience, highlighting how diverse merchandising and flavor-focused signage can turn a routine grocery run into a hunt for plant variety.
Proper and organized signing should be as important as ordering, rotation and sanitation, otherwise it can cost you time, labor hours and sales.
A new clinical study suggests eating the equivalent of one cup of blueberries a day could help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, highlighting the growing link between diet and mental health.
The Packer’s retail editor Jill Dutton launches a new weekly column exploring the science and strategy of the 30-plants challenge, bridging the gap between personal nutrition and professional retail insights. This piece introduces the series and explains the “why” behind writing a column that turns a personal quest to eat more plants into actionable data for the produce industry.
The Traverse City, Mich.-based cooperative of 30 grower-owners around the world has rebranded in what it calls a “transformative move” to underscore the importance of its farmers.
Stater Bros. Markets is expanding its partnership with Afresh to link store-level demand directly to warehouse buying, a move Afresh CEO Matt Schwartz explains will replace manual guesswork with a unified AI “brain” built specifically for the volatility of fresh food.
Naturipe Farms has become one of the first avocado packing houses in Mexico to earn the Pro-Forest certification, using satellite mapping to verify deforestation-free production and meet the growing demand for transparent, sustainably sourced produce from major retailers.
Amazon is shuttering its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go physical locations to focus resources on a major expansion of Whole Foods Market and its rapidly growing same-day grocery delivery service.
Driven by breakthrough varietal innovations from leaders like Wish Farms and Naturipe, and supported by record-breaking retail data from the California Strawberry Commission, the berry category is entering 2026 as a $500 million growth engine for the produce department.
The Packer recently connected with Danny Dumas, senior vice president of sales, marketing and product management for Fresh Del Monte, to learn how the Florida-based company sees the new food pyramid influencing the fresh produce department at retail and what the company’s pending acquisition of Del Monte assets means for its future.
Whatever you do, from store remodels to special orders, first consider how it affects your customers, says columnist Armand Lobato.
The California Strawberry Commission’s 2025 Shopper Playbook shares strategies for retail growth.
The National Grocers Association praises a push for federal investigations into discriminatory pricing practices, arguing that enforcing antitrust laws is essential to leveling the playing field for independent grocers.
Columnist Armand Lobato examines the balance between efforts to prevent waste and fraud and the impact of value-added produce as a practical way to get nutrient-dense food into the hands of those in need.
From the surprising new power shopper to engaging Gen Z and millennials to redefining value in the produce department, The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2026 is packed with data and insights to help drive fruit and vegetable sales — starting with these seven opportunities.
Despite ongoing supply-side issues, the demand side of citrus is looking strong, with growing demand from a health-focused consumer audience, all it takes is thoughtful and creative strategies from suppliers and collaboration with retail.
From mushrooms to Persian limes to murasaki sweetpotatoes to microgreens and more, exhibitors at East Coast Produce Expo 2026 showcased some of the hottest trends in produce.
While a JEC report reveals grocery costs spiked by $310 annually, fresh produce remained a rare anchor of stability, as modest increases for items like lettuce and oranges were countered by an actual price drop for tomatoes, potatoes and strawberries.
By bridging the gap between “better-for-you” nutrition and the convenience of traditional CPG snacks, suppliers are unlocking new revenue streams through sophisticated merchandising and right-sized packaging.
ALDI US is celebrating its 50th anniversary by opening 180 new stores in 2026, marking its first entry into Colorado and expanding its cold-chain infrastructure to meet surging demand for fresh produce.
In addition to the limited-edition orange cartons, the program allows retailers to expand Lunar New Year sets through open display bins that can accommodate a range of citrus offerings.
Fresh produce marketing veterans at the East Coast Produce Expo explain why the industry must shift from a commodity mindset to building emotional equity to compete with products throughout the store.
The group is expecting both record-breaking total imports for the 2025-26 season and Super Bowl avocado supplies, as well as planning for World Cup promotions.