Sustainable Produce Summit

Transforming produce packaging starts with one small change, panel says

Wed, 24 May 2023 19:19:20 GMT

PALM DESERT, Calif. — Conveying delicate, perishable fruits and vegetables safely from farm gate to kitchen counter involves equal parts art and science.

While the industry has come a long way from the bulky plastic foam containers of decades past, today’s sustainable produce packaging options still have room to grow. The need for improved packaging solutions, higher adoption rates and additional innovative materials has never been more pressing as North America’s dependence on single-use plastics becomes increasingly fraught.

A panel of experts spanning the fresh produce and packaging supply chain shared their struggles and triumphs in moving the needle in sustainable packaging for fresh fruits and vegetables at the 2023 Sustainable Produce Summit, held May 18 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa.

What’s the point of packaging anyway?

“It’s important to remember that our food waste is going be a lot higher without the right packaging materials, and the industry has come a long way,” panel moderator and Farm Fresh to You CEO Thaddeus Barsotti said in kicking off the discussion.

If you look at packaging broadly, packaging exists to ultimately extend the life of what it carries, said Marco Bini, CEO of NexxtPack.

“But it carries the values and the messaging from the farmer to the consumer. There is a message element to packaging — you have to sell products at the end of the day,” he added.

Opportunities and innovations in the market

Not only is produce packaging highly varied when it comes to materials, shape and size, the packaging market today is inundated with new ideas and technologies for growers and packaging producers to pilot commercial adoption.

“A lot of new systems now are leveraging technology to enable better tracking, tracing and accountability for assets in the systems that are being used,” said Jonathan North, vice president of sustainable and core solutions at Rehrig Pacific.

With all the opportunities to experiment and invest in more sustainable packaging solutions, what’s holding producers back?

Often, it comes down to cost.

What consumers say they’re going to purchase and what they actually purchase in the store are often two different things, said West Rock’s Kelly Morris.

“One of the things that we focus on is looking at the entire supply chain,” Morris said. “If you’re going to move into a more sustainable material, it’s likely that that’s going to come with a higher price cap.

“One of the things that you can do is you look at the entire supply chain and ask, ‘Where are there opportunities for us to take costs out?’” she continued. “It that takes a strong relationship with your supplier and openness and a willingness to do that. But when you find those opportunities, you can reduce your total costs of the package.”

Improving produce packaging happens one small step at a time

One area that often slows down producers from improving their produce packaging is not being able to recognize that perfection often gets in the way of “good enough,” said Emerald Packaging’s Todd Somers.

He said the biggest step, more times than not, is simply getting people to take the first few steps in the right direction.

“When we add up the one, two, three, four, five steps — suddenly you’ve made a big difference!” Somers said. “It’s honestly much easier to talk to people about taking smaller steps to get to the larger sustainability goals.”

The magic bullet doesn’t exist, and organizations can spend a lot of time looking for one instead of getting started, he added.

Moving away from the industry’s reliance on single-use plastic packaging won’t happen overnight and will likely involve a combination of industry, regulation and collaborative problem-solving to turn the tide.

“Step 1 is mandating different measures, including no-emission trucks. There’s also grants to help that happen, but we have to make that happen,” said OK Produce CEO Brady Matoian.

For a packaging evolution to take hold in fresh produce, especially leafy greens, a combination of things must come together to catch a “snowball effect,” he said.

“I’m optimistic because of venture capital funds, which seems like an oxymoron. But venture capital money is coming into the recycle industry,” Somers said. “Really smart people see [recycling] as being a profitable industry.”

At the end of the day, a steady stream of funding is another positive sign sustainable packaging is a sound investment for organizations across the supply chain and is only gaining traction.

SPS features Neil Stern of Bristol Farms, Metropolitan Market and more

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:26:39 GMT

PALM DESERT, Calif. — Neil Stern differentiates his five retail banners by fine-tuning his focus on lifestyles and a digital presence. Well, and a few other strategies.

Click here to watch the full 2022 Sustainable Produce Summit On-Demand.

Stern is CEO of Good Food Holdings, which operates 51 premium and natural and organic supermarkets in Washington, Oregon and California under these grocery banners: Bristol Farms , Lazy Acres Natural Market , Metropolitan Market, New Seasons Market and New Leaf Community Markets .

He was the keynote speaker during a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception at the June 2 Sustainable Produce Summit, held a day before the June 3-4 West Coast Produce Expo.

In Stern’s presentation, he shared with the crowd that 43% of respondents said they followed a diet in the past year, according to International Food Information Council Foundation’s 2020 Food and Health Survey — which is up from 38% in 2019. And 58% of consumers ages 18 to 34 said they’ve dieted.

So, it’s no surprise that the company’s virtual cooking classes draw thousands of viewers, especially classes focused on healthy eating.

Each banner has a different personality to suit its clientele, Stern said.

He called Bristol Farms a melding of two celebrity chefs and authors: the late Anthony Bourdain and Alice Waters – outspoken, edgy and classy and highly regarded, respectively. Lazy Acres caters to a lifestyle-driven crowd, and New Leaf really focuses on local.

“Local is a huge part of what we do,” Stern said. “It’s not the most efficient way to do businesses, but it’s important to us.”

The produce departments focus on seasonality, with especially high-intensity, short-duration promotion campaigns. Peach and hatch chili seasons are two examples.

Before joining Good Food Holdings, Stern was a senior partner at McMillanDoolittle, specializing in strategic planning and developing new retail concepts. In his 35-plus-year career, Stern has developed strategies and new concepts for a variety of clients across the retail industry.

Stern is also recognized as a key thought leader in the retail arena, serving as editor of Retail Innovations, an annual global overview on the retail trends, and he is a regular contributor to publications such as Forbes. He is the author of two books, “Winning At Retail” and “Greentailing and Other Revolutions in Retailing.”

New Seasons Market is a Certified B Corporation, which undergoes rigorous audits to ensure sustainable, socially responsible efforts are being made for the benefit of “people, prosperity and planet,” Stern said. “We’re a B Corp, and we mean it. Today’s customers? You can’t fool them.”

(Farm Journal)

In the California stores, produce labeled “local” has to be hyper-local, or local-local, he said. Fresh produce coming from within the state doesn’t impress shoppers. It’s a big state.

“We talk to the local farmer, tell the story, build the story out,” he said.

It’s all about storytelling.

One way to tell the story is with point-of-sale materials and produce displays. Those displays are often created with bulk produce, because it’s more sustainable without packaging. More eye-catching, artistic displays are possible that way, anyway, he said.

Think: A mushroom foraging display. Even a display of Amuseables, a line of produce-themed plush toys, can help.

“I hear if it’s not Instagram-able, it doesn’t matter,” Stern said, although he joked he was a bit incredulous about that assertion.

But social media is the way to tell the story of the company, the produce, the farmer and the sustainable efforts of all.

“How do you connect with customers? It’s a two-way communication,” Stern said, mentioning social media as one example.

The future focus for Good Food Holdings involves three extremes:

Extreme value: expanding private labels and merchandising analytics and intelligence;
Extreme convenience: self-service and contactless solutions, plus micro-fulfillment centers; and
Extreme experience: next-generation store formats.

Related news: These are the winners of Sustainable Produce Summit Marketing Awards

Where the Ethical Charter Implementation Program is headed

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:51:32 GMT

PALM DESERT, Calif. — Melinda Goodman, principal and chief storyteller at Full Tilt Marketing, kicked off the education session on the Ethical Charter Implementation Program at the Sustainable Produce Summit by saying, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

Goodman, who moderated the discussion, asked attendees about their familiarity with the program; after a show of a few hands, she explained the Ethical Charter Implementation Program grew out of the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices adopted in 2018 by the Produce Marketing Association and the United Fresh Produce Association, which are now known as the International Fresh Produce Association.

Goodman said Maisie Ganzler — a strategic adviser for Bon Appétit Management Co. —recently said, “It doesn’t matter how much good we do at sustainability if it comes at the consequence or harm of people.”

This, Goodman said, is where the Ethical Charter Implementation Program, or ECIP, helps those in the fresh produce industry benchmark continuous social improvement.

Goodman, joined by panelists Wyatt Maysey, director of sustainability for Taylor Farms, and Stephanie Teclaw, quality program manager for RPE, delved into ECIP and its potential for both suppliers and retailers.

Maysey said ECIP is like food safety programs in that customers want to know that companies take social responsibility seriously; ECIP is a capacity-building tool that features a self-assessment questionnaire for growers covering 54 questions. The costs range from $200 for growers and supplier fees are based on annual sales ranging from $1,800 - $9,000.

“What ECIP is said and done, let’s not get caught in a compliance loop,” he said. “Let’s build a capacity-building program that gets out of that [compliance loop], and how does that lead to improvement?”

What makes ECIP unique is that growers have more influence in developing what this social audit will look like, Maysey said.

“We actually have a seat at the table, and it’s not a compliance stick approach,” he said. “This is definitely a capacity-building approach, which is different from what we’ve ever been asked to do.”

Goodman pointed out that ECIP’s capacity-building is self-regulation, which is different than an audit or compliance approach. She said research shows compliance doesn’t always change behavior.

Goodman asked Teclaw to weigh in on her perspective of working with getting growers on board with ECIP.

“This is a behavior change for a lot of our grower partners, because they’re not used to capacity-building tools,” Teclaw said. “What we saw early on in the pilot that we were a part of was [that] engagement was a little lower, but I think that’s where that behavior change is really showing itself, as far as [how growers are] just not used to it, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not being impactful.”

Teclaw said retailers have individual objectives with ECIP that need to be communicated to the grower. She said it’s important to get to why the objective is important to the retailer and what it means.

“The challenge is engaging the grower partners on the importance [of ECIP], and I think that messaging really has to be sustained from customers and suppliers as well,” she said.

Maysey said another important factor is how companies engage in ECIP objectives down the supply chain in a practical way.

A component of ECIP is a self-assessment of about 55 questions. He said the program will only be valuable if the industry answers honestly and indicates risks in the supply chain or labor practices.

Maysey said another component of ECIP is the marketplace, where ECIP will compile answers to highlight where the industry is doing well and where it needs to improve. And the marketplace will highlight areas where growers need improvement. For example, if the marketplace shows the need to develop good recruitment processes, the marketplace will develop to assist those participating in ECIP to improve recruitment.

“It’s an opportunity for us to enhance the culture of the growers and allow them to self-grade, because they know their business better than we do and they know their business better than the buyers,” he said. “They’ll have an opportunity to build their own marketplace on what resources they really feel they need to reduce that risk.”

He said there will come a time when buyers want proof of high ECIP scores, but that’s where Maysey said it’s important for ECIP participants to take the self-assessment seriously.

“If we treat it seriously, it’s a real tool to change that culture,” he said. “We know our business best, we know where we need the most help, and now, we have a tool to build that marketplace to do so today.”

Teclaw said in going through a pilot program with some growers, she noticed that some retailers emphasize ECIP’s capacity-building program, while others want evaluations of farm-level oversight for social audits — and often these retailers work with the same supplier.

“One is prioritizing capacity-building while the other is prioritizing a social audit,” she said. “And the farm has to do both. Then it becomes a moot point for the farm.”

She said this is where harmonization and communicating the need back to suppliers will help growers get the best benefit of ECIP. Maysey said it’s also important to go over ECIP responses with human resources and other members of the team. Those who participate in ECIP should use the resources in the marketplace.

“What’s great about this program is it can scale, and more buyers and more suppliers can come in,” he said.

Teclaw said retailers need to see ECIP as a process tailored broadly: not commodity by commodity, but by commodities with common harvesting practices and similar production.

Maysey said ECIP is also an inexpensive investment — $200 now — and as more growers come on board, it will bring more uniformity to social audits and drive the program’s value moving forward.

“I feel like ECIP helps demonstrate what the growers are already doing,” Teclaw said. “Our growers are already doing and engaging in sustainable practices and social compliance practices. It’s just a matter of documenting them. The hang-up right now is the documentation piece, and that’s why capacity-building is a better solution than an audit in these types of scenarios.”

Goodman asked both Maysey and Teclaw about the value of ECIP and how it’s changed conversations.

Maysey said he’s tried to stress to the growers he invites to participate that the value of ECIP is in how honest the grower is in answering questions. Teclaw, too, said she tries to stress the continuous improvement of ECIP as a capacity-building program instead of an audit, where it’s an evaluation where nothing changes.

Maysey said, as a supplier, he can’t see individual responses of the growers participating in ECIP. All he can see is a participation score and industrywide responses. He said he’s interested in working with individual growers to make sure the grower takes advantage of the resources within the marketplace and how the program will better benefit its participants.

“When we looked at our engagement score after the pilot, we’re not what I thought was low at 40%, but actuality is fairly high,” Teclaw said. “I was pleasantly surprised, but we took a very methodical approach to our first cohort. It was a mix of foreign partners and domestic partners, and our foreign partners in Canada far outpaced our domestic partners.”

She speculated a higher participation rate for Canadian partners is more likely due to familiarity with the type of documentation ECIP requires.

Goodman closed out the session by asking Teclaw and Maysey for advice on how the industry gets started and prepared for ECIP.

Teclaw said it’s important to connect with the right contacts on the customer side to ensure the proper messaging and priorities within ECIP get communicated to the supplier partners. Maysey encouraged those in attendance to participate in ECIP.

“This is an opportunity — if our industry commits to it — to showcase what capacity-building could mean and reduce audit fatigue and reduce that cost,” he said. “I’d heavily encourage the industry to participate in and see the value in it.”

He also encouraged growers and suppliers asked by retailers about social practices and labor practices to encourage the retailer to participate in ECIP to better understand what the industry is doing right.

“The more buyers we get in the program the better,” he said. “It’ll bring uniformity to [evaluating social practices and labor practices] as well.”

The challenges and opportunities for agriculture in California

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:11:57 GMT

PALM DESERT, Calif. — A.G. Kawamura brought a wealth of knowledge to his role as the secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. As a third-generation farmer, he’s seen the evolution of agriculture firsthand.

In this episode of the “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast, filmed during the 2024 Sustainable Produce Summit, Kawamura shared how farming in California’s Orange County has changed. He said his family started farming in the county when it was very rural. Now Kawamura calls himself an urban farmer because he selects pieces of land to lease for farming in areas typically not thought of for agriculture.

“We always look for a vacant land lot, and if the weeds are going well, we know it’s probably pretty good piece of ground,” he said. “We look for a water supply, because we are irrigated agriculture. Being able to use that model over and over and over again, we’ve been able to jump into an abandoned airport, an abandoned golf course; we’ve been able to walk into a military base and realize that they have a lot of ground that’s sitting idle, and we can help revive it and put it back into production.”

He said the cost of farming has changed over the years and threatens the very existence of California farmers. He said he’s seen many farmers in the Golden State opt to leave the industry or the country and begin production in Mexico to avoid the high cost of land, labor and water.

“If you have a labor-intensive highly perishable crop that has higher labor cost that spell the difference between viability and actually survivability,” he said. “Ultimately, you’re a high-cost producer and you’re losing the ability to make money. So many people have picked up and left. … That may be the most tragic thing is when you see really good farmers going out of business either because they can’t grow fast enough to offset these costs or they just can’t compete in a marketplace where they’re competing head-to-head against other imported goods.”

Kawamura said at one point in Southern California there were 27,000 acres of table grapes about 13 years ago. Now there’s less than 2,000 acres in production.

Mechanization, he said, is one bright spot in the future of farming, and asparagus, he is a crop ripe for robotics. He said at one point, there were more than 30,000 in production in the state, and it’s less than 100 or 200 acres now.

“That industry, for example, could come back tomorrow once you have robotics,” he said. “These are the kinds of opportunities that exist; you just have to recognize that things have to change.”

Agriculture’s water use in the state is always a big debate, and Kawamura said he’s excited to see where the future of the industry is headed, thanks to new technologies and targeted irrigation methods.

“We’ve gone from flood irrigation to furrow irrigation, to sprinklers, to drip irrigation,” he said. “We see that there’s all kinds of interesting ways to save on water and become more efficient in our water. The new tools that continue to come out including in the breeding arena for more water-efficient plants or salt-tolerant plants if the water quality is potentially impacted — these are all the new things that are coming along just in for many of us to try and put into play.”

He said he wished the lawmakers in the state had a better handle on the challenges of modern farming, calling it death by a million cuts. He said farmers in the state — and around the country — do so much good work in the realm of sustainability and social responsibility. He said something must change where farmers get some break or incentive for growing nutritious food.

“Where the government has a wonderful role where they can step in in many ways,” he said. “Whether you’re dealing with climate-smart agriculture whether you’re dealing with nutrient-dense food distribution into the most food insecure — it’s finally starting to happen that people are realizing ‘Boy we’ve had these problems for a long, long time let’s start looking at solution’ instead of wringing our hands and saying ‘Oh, it can’t be done.’ Ultimately we can say that don’t wait for the government to get it right; the industry itself is starting to get these things right.”

Click on the video player above to hear the full podcast.

Related: How sustainability and technology are shaping fruit breeding

It's time for the fresh produce industry to tell its sustainability story, panelists say

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 18:20:53 GMT

PALM DESERT, CALIF. — Tamara Muruetagoiena, vice president of sustainability for the International Fresh Produce Association, asked Sustainable Produce Summit attendees, “Do you know what the opposite of greenwashing is?”

The answer? The produce industry, she said.

Muruetagoiena’s point — as part of a panel about marketing sustainability in the fresh produce industry — was that the fresh produce industry is behind other industries in telling its story. The panel was moderated by Brock Nemecek, marketing manager of fresh produce for Farm Journal, and also included Melinda Goodman, principal at Full Tilt Marketing,

Goodman agreed with Muruetagoiena’s statement, noting it’s not a level playing field with consumer packaged goods.

“We don’t have the same tools and resources. It’s not that we don’t have the same messages or the same values, but it’s harder to accomplish it with smaller budgets,” she said.

Muruetagoiena said this lack of a level playing field is playing out for the produce industry in terms of the push to reduce plastics and change packaging both from retailers and from regulators.

“We’re suffering tremendously right now from very unfair regulations on packaging around the world,” she said. “One of the reasons why they’re so unfair to us and not to other industries is that regulators just don’t know why we might need packaging to bring our products to work.”

She said retailers also tend to group all fresh produce into one category instead of working with the industry to help realistically meet sustainability goals. She used a scenario of major soda-producing companies to illustrate her point.

“Let’s say retailers are asking them to sell their products on a fountain that sometimes is shared with one another,” Muruetagoiena said. “Or, even worse, you go with your own container and get your soda. That seems unfathomable. That is what they’re asking of the produce industry. We have the same or far worse, more complex food safety requirements and quality requirements, but because we’re not that well known it seems like ‘Oh, we can ask the person to do anything.’”

Muruetagoiena said part of the double standard is the very nature of the industry — highly perishable products with fast turnaround and food safety concerns.

Goodman said the industry often tries to “science our way out of a problem.”

“We want to inundate people with facts and information and hope that they understand sometimes a very complex issue,” she said.

Muruetagoiena adds that often growers wear many hats on their farms, from human resources to organic production to food safety and often just put out the most important fire and move on to the next pressing issue.

Goodman, too, said growers need to market to two different audiences: retailers and consumers and the produce industry overall faces a branding crisis. Why do consumer packaged goods have such a hold on consumers? Branding.

“We have very few brands in the fresh produce industry,” she said “In the fresh produce industry we are often asked over and over and over to put our products in a private label or own-brand situation. … Private label has done very well in many parts of the store and category including fresh products, but it also strips away the reality of how you communicate your message.”

Goodman said private-label or even reduced packaging also eliminates a grower’s ability to share how they grow their produce and their sustainability efforts.

“The buyer says, ‘Tell your story, tell your sustainability initiatives and efforts to the consumer so they know what you’re doing,’” she said. “How do they find this? They don’t even know how to look for us, let alone find this. How do they find an apple grower or an asparagus grower or a potato grower and say ‘I love that guy. I want to buy his stuff, but I can’t find it because I don’t understand where it is.’”

Goodman said there are multiple pillars of sustainability — from biodiversity to carbon reduction, to reducing food waste, packaging and recycling, regenerative agriculture, soil quality and social sustainability.

Nemecek also mentioned that three out of the four SPS Marketing Award winners all focused on people, and Muruetagoiena said the focus is on more environmental factors, such as reducing plastic packaging and other quantifiable efforts, is a big change from the early 2010s when the produce industry focused more on farmworkers.

“We at the association level get not that much interest in talking about social responsibility,” she said. “One of the reasons why is that people feel very uncomfortable talking about it, and because it’s much easier to talk about Scope 1, 2 and 3 [emissions], even though it’s hard to even understand what they are.”

Goodman said an example is how the foodservice industry reduced plastic straw use because consumers believed plastic straws killed turtles.

“It goes back to finding the message that’s going to resonate and move and industry,” she said. “We don’t want to look for ways that the industry is making mistakes and then have to be reacted. We want to take a positive approach. Tell our stories and make sure we’re not the ones left behind reacting. If we’re telling our stories and staying in front of things, that’s not a position that we have to take.”

Goodman quoted Maisie Ganzler, chief strategy and brand officer at Bon Appétit Management Co., who said companies shouldn’t celebrate the progress made in sustainability if it harms people in the process of doing so.

Muruetagoiena said the fresh produce industry has such a great opportunity for storytelling. As plant-based diets gain in popularity, the fresh produce industry needs to tout its benefits.

“We know clearly that by increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables, you will improve your health and the health of the planet,” she said. “And if we add to that the heavy focus that we’re putting on sustainable agriculture, regenerative agriculture [and] climate-smart agriculture, we’re on a really, really good path.”

She encouraged all attendees to start sharing the benefits of the fresh produce industry “Because we have a great story to tell.”

Goodman, too, says sustainability is a critical component of that story. She encouraged those in the audience to set a goal for how the brand would communicate its sustainability story and identify someone within the company to take on that role to craft a social media message a month or share the things done in the field each month related to sustainability.

“You have to start somewhere and make someone team accountable to that,” she said.

Muruetagoiena also encouraged attendees to have a strategy and a goal in this storytelling journey.

“Each company is different, and that’s the beauty of it,” she said. “And that journey, ideally, needs to be documented.”

She said transparency is a critical part of sustainability.

“I think that’s what the world wants to hear — those stories,” she said. “But at the core, the company has to have a clear strategy toward where they want to go, and they have to start embarking on their own journey. And then they need to tell the story, but first, have goals and a strategy before we even start documenting anything.”

How sustainability and technology are shaping fruit breeding

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:54:03 GMT

PALM DESERT, CALIF. — The 21st-century renaissance of agriculture is underway, said A.G. Kawamura, former secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, as he opened a panel discussion on seed cultivation, fruit breeding and genetics during the May 30 Sustainable Produce Summit .

“It truly is a cascade of knowledge and new technologies and a new way of looking at how we might solve some of the greatest challenges and solutions of our lifetime,” said Kawamura, who moderated the session.

Kawamura was joined by Sun World Chief Science Officer Jennifer Peterson and Cristiane Lourenco, global sustainability director for Bayer Vegetable Seeds.

Peterson shared how Sun World breeds new varieties for climate-smart farming, adding that breeding starts with the grower.

“The fewer inputs that you have to deliver exceptional quality and good yields in a way that people can maintain their businesses and be successful, [the better],” she said. “We’ve got to have varieties out there that people can be successful with for our growers, but also, of course, for everybody in the value chain and, of course, eventually the consumer.”

Peterson said climate-smart farming is a blanket term for the innovations and R&D needed to anticipate where farming is headed in the next 10 to 20 years.

“It takes 10-plus years to develop a variety,” she said. “So, our climate-smart breeding initiative is really around trying to understand the changes of climate and what that will look like in the 5-, 10-, 15- or 20-year time frames.”

Sun World also focuses on efficient water use and disease resistance, Peterson said, but it has to keep the consumer in mind and select varieties based on what the consumer wants.

“We’ve got to not overemphasize the grower traits and then not pay attention to the consumer,” she said.

Lourenco said Bayer also looks to productivity, disease resistance, water use and taste when breeding for the varieties of the future, adding that the company focuses on creating varieties with more efficient input and water use and climate resilience.

As Bayer develops those varieties, it uses data to predict and model what growing regions will look like 10 years in the future, Lourenco said.

“We are developing modeling tools and using data science to create the environment that these microregions will have in the next 10 to 20 years,” she said. “We can start to breed the plants already looking for that environment and then also simulate the new climates or the new water conditions that we have there.”

Peterson said perennial crop breeders also need to look at the longevity of the crops, and as much as possible, “develop varieties that are going to be durable and persist and be able to be successful over a long-time horizon.”

Kawamura asked the panelists to discuss how technology, such as gene editing, can help breeding programs.

“It’s a numbers game, so we’ve got to de-risk that that whole process,” Peterson said. “[Breeding technologies are] so powerful and enable us to go faster but weed the chaff. Get rid of all the stuff that you don’t really want to spend any time having a breeder to evaluate.”

Gene-marker technology, she said, helps breeders look for things like seedlessness and disease resistance in table grape seedlings in Sun World’s R&D greenhouses.

“The whole thing here is to shorten the product development timeline and get a better product faster,” she said.

Using DNA sequence data and genomes that control flavor, productivity and water use can help breeders select the best varieties to develop.

Resilience is a major focus for the future of breeding, according to Lourenco, who said Bayer uses technology to help look for seeds that help minimize carbon-dioxide emissions, use less water, increase yields and minimize inputs.

During a Q&A, an attendee asked about GMOs and how the panelists communicate the use of gene editing and GMOs to consumers.

Peterson said it’s important the produce industry understands the perspective of the consumer.

“There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer on this,” she said. “Sometimes it’s a fear of the technology or a ... food safety issue. Once we understand that, we can target the messaging.”

Peterson said using this technology is not that far from what breeders have done for hundreds of years.

“They’re all genes in our genomes in a population or in a species,” she said. “We’re just trying to do a little bit of tailoring to make the process a little faster, a little bit more precise. And we could probably get there the old-fashioned way of having lots of plants in the ground. You don’t have time for that. We don’t have money for that.”

Another panelist asked about the use of artificial intelligence in breeding. Peterson shared how Sun World works with Climate AI to help understand how its varieties perform in growing regions around the world.

Climate AI also applies climate change models to predict how growing regions will change and shift over time. Pairing that data with specific genetic markers could play an important role in variety selection in the future, Peterson said.

Where biodiversity in fresh produce is headed

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:16:44 GMT

PALM DESERT, CALIF. — As Roberta Anderson, president of GLOBALG.A.P. North America, took the Sustainable Produce Summit stage to moderate a panel on biodiversity, she reminded attendees about Global Biodiversity Day, which was held May 22.

Anderson said the panel, including Josh VanDeWalle of Bayer, Giovanni Cavaletto of GLC Cerritos and Ariel Larson of the Sustainable Food Group, would look at biodiversity on a global level because biodiversity loss means the reduction of the number of plants and animal species in any given area.

“In the U.S., retailers tend to be focusing specifically right now on the role of pollinators,” she said. “One in every three bites we take is from a pollinated product, and 75% of the fruits, vegetables and nuts.”

Anderson asked VanDeWalle to share how row crop growers take less-productive areas of the field and convert them to pollinator fields. Growers also use climate-smart grants to plant cover crops and reduce tillage.

Cavaletto said GLC Cerritos worked on reforestation efforts in Mexico, which created some wildlife corridors. The company has been Rainforest Alliance certified since 2017.

Anderson said a big component of biodiversity is integrated pest management, which VanDeWalle explained is when growers scout and monitor for pests — anything from insects, disease or weeds — and identify the severity of the issue and then use chemical or cultural solutions to control the pest.

“The most important thing in a good integrated pest management plan is to assess what was successful,” he said. “The end result ideally is a crop at the end of the season that is marketable and that you can take to your buyers, free from disease and insects.”

Larson said retailers realize the critical role that pollinators play in food and in turn are starting to implement some pollinator health requirements. She said retailers also face external pressure from stakeholders and nonprofits to do more.

“They see promoting pollinator health, protecting pollinator health as important to food security as well as important to their ability to continue to do business,” she said. “There’s all of this pressure to address habitat and loss of biodiversity, and there’s opportunity to do that in agricultural supply chains.”

Larson said retailers also face pressure targeting specific chemical classes or banning specific chemical classes that growers use.

“There’s a lot of risk for unintended consequences when you take an approach like that,” she said. “There is this recognition that IPM [integrated pest management] is really a holistic approach and the sort of convergence around certification as tools to drive that progress.”

Larson also said these biodiversity certifications help retailers communicate to the consumer what is happening at the grower level and throughout the supply chain.

“We know that there’s an audit happening, so we know that somebody is at the farm and has gone through a checklist of practices,” she said. “And that checklist is public. Anybody can pull those documents up online, and you can see exactly what practices have been verified.”

VanDeWalle said the threat of potential bans on neonicotinoids or other crop protection products is a challenge for growers. Agrochemical companies such as Bayer continue to research new and better modes of action, but growers face a lot of challenges with resistance to pests and diseases and need as many tools in their respective toolboxes as possible, he said.

Seed treatments, for example, offer a precise application, said VanDeWalle.

“We’ve done a lot of label updates also to our foliar products and insecticides and there’s even specific language around pollinators,” VanDeWalle said. “There is a ton of research that goes into every product, every protection product in this market in the United States. We provide a lot of research on the environmental and human effects of any chemistry, not just insecticides. We’re doing a lot to train and make sure that the farmers are using it in the right way.”

Cavaletto said that given the multigenerational nature of farming, sustainability is a natural fit for farmers. One thing he said GLC Cerritos recognized with its certifications is that the company was making great strides in sustainability, but it wasn’t as vocal about it. That inspired GLC Cerritos to seek out Rainforest Alliance and fair trade certifications.

“We’re doing a lot of good things already,” he said. “But we’re not telling the story very well.”

VanDeWalle said one thing the audience should understand is that these additional sustainability requirements often add cost and expense to the grower. Often the grower doesn’t get compensation for their efforts.

Cavaletto noted that as GLC Cerritos added certifications and retailer audits, the company quickly realized that those audits and certifications helped start conversations with large accounts.

“GLOBALG.A.P. was an investment that paid for itself when all things being equal between different farmers or different shippers,” he said. “If one has his audit, one doesn’t then it’s easier than you if you can get over that barrier to entry into some of that some of those blue-chip customers. We’ve seen it over time as allowing us to get the nod versus somebody else into some of those more premium accounts.”

And Larson said there are a lot of resources available for farmers in the form of technical and financial support to add biodiversity efforts. She also said retailers should look at adding these requirements as a carrot and the stick approach.

“You have the power here to make requirements of your suppliers but also with that a responsibility to figure out how you can support that whether it’s connecting with technical assistance or cost share different types of contracts,” she said. “Think about how you can also be supporting because the margins are slimmest there at the producer level.”

When Larson was asked about the future of biodiversity metrics, she said she believes that biodiversity will be its own measurement. She said, in many ways, pollinator health was the entry point for retailers and there will likely be an expansion of scope to more forms of biodiversity beyond pollinators into more science-based targets for nature.

“I think some of the data or maybe much of the data already exists at the retailer level from other sources and maybe other audits that are already happening, but I think it’s going to have to be integrated into biodiversity metrics,” she said. “I’m not sure you’ll be able to use water metrics or other metrics to really like represent biodiversity metrics. I think there will be a lot of intersection though in terms of the data supporting them.”

VIDEOS: Industry insights from the 2024 West Coast Produce Expo, Sustainable Produce Summit

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:45:22 GMT

PALM DESERT, Calif. — Educational sessions at both the 2024 West Coast Produce Expo and the Sustainable Produce Summit provided attendees with a wealth of insights from industry experts. With the following presentation videos, you can take a virtual seat at the session of your choice.

(Scroll down to browse the sessions or click the topic links below to jump to a specific video and overview.)

The Right Stuff: Meet the Retailers Keeping Shoppers Coming Back for More
Why the Future of Produce is Now
Sustainability Insights Revealed
Walking the talk: Communicating sustainability in marketing
Labor and Talent Acquisition Panel
Biodiversity and the Future of Food
Leading the Ethical Charter Implementation Program
A New Breed: The Role of Seed Cultivation, Fruit Breeding and Genetics in in a More Sustainable Food Supply

The Right Stuff: Meet the Retailers Keeping Shoppers Coming Back for More

From product mix and the power of private label to price sensitivity and sustainable packaging, today’s produce retailers are navigating an ever-changing world of challenges and opportunities in-store and online. Hear how leading retailers including Amazon, Grocery Outlet, Sprouts Farmers Market and Cardenas Markets are meeting these challenges and seizing the opportunities to increase produce purchases.

Moderator Daniel Bell, director of produce for Grocery Outlet, presents with panelists Charchil Shah, senior product manager and business lead for Amazon Fresh Private Brands; Shonna Williams, vice president of produce and floral for Heritage Grocers Group; and David Dudley Sr., category manager for Sprouts Farmers Market.

Why the Future of Produce is Now

Jonna Parker, team lead of Fresh Foods at Circana, shares the latest consumer and sales trends on how households are eating and shopping for total food and beverage — and how it spells opportunity for the future of fresh produce. ( freshproduce@circana.com )

Sustainability Insights Revealed

Brock Nemecek, marketing manager for fresh produce, and Christina Herrick of The Packer lead a deep dive into the proprietary data, insights and trends revealed in The Packer’s annual survey of consumers, retailers and growers. Each segment has a unique perspective and an important role to play in creating a more sustainable world.

Walking the talk: Communicating sustainability in marketing

While fresh produce is leading the charge on sustainability, the industry’s sensitivity to greenwashing keeps some silent on their efforts. How can the industry better communicate their story? This session includes the presentation of The Packer’s annual Sustainable Marketing Awards. This session is led by Brock Nemecek of Farm Journal; Tamara Muruetagoiena, International Fresh Produce Association vice president of sustainability; and Melinda Goodman of Full Tilt Marketing.

Labor and Talent Acquisition Panel

Industry experts and college students share their experiences and perspectives on salaries, interests, benefits, career goals and examine unique hiring challenges in the produce industry.

Moderator Mary Maranville of Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture speaks with panelists Cornell University researcher Adam Brumberg; Cornell University student Kaylee Yin; Koushik Saha, professor at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo; and Jayna Kaur, a student at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo.

Biodiversity and the future of food

Biodiversity is essential to supporting a healthy planet and sustainable food supply. Increasingly, retailers are requiring their business partners to support sustainable practices. Walmart has pollinator requirements that go into effect next year. And The Kroger Co. recently said it will require all of its fresh produce suppliers to use Integrated Pest Management practices for all products supplied to Kroger by 2028 or 2030, based on the grower’s size. This panel brings together stakeholders committed to advancing biodiversity in the fresh produce industry.

Moderator Roberta Anderson, president of GLOBALG.A.P. North America, speaks with panelists Josh VanDeWalle of Bayer; Giovanni Cavaletto, president of GLC Cerritos LLC; and Ariel Larson of the Sustainable Food Group.

Leading the Ethical Charter Implementation Program

The Ethical Charter Implementation Program is a collaboration among retailers/buyers, grower-shippers and implementing organizations to recognize and strengthen engagement around labor practices in the fresh produce industry. The program highlights existing best-practice efforts and works to identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Moderator Melinda Goodman of Full Tilt Marketing speaks with panelists Wyatt Maysey of Taylor Farms and Stephanie Teclaw of RPE.

A New Breed: The role of seed cultivation, fruit breeding and genetics in in a more sustainable food supply

Environmental challenges have spurred innovation in fruit breeding, genetics and seed cultivation to address climate change and disease resistance, foster biodiversity and improve the quality, flavor and freshness of the food we grow. Meet the experts leading the charge in this ever evolving and critically important sector of food cultivation. Moderator A.G. Kawamura, former secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, speaks with panelists Jennifer Peterson, chief science officer for Sun World, and Cristiane Lourenco, global sustainability director for Bayer Vegetable Seeds.

The Packer and Trust In Food Launch Sustainable Produce Summit

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:42:47 GMT

Sustainable business practices within the fresh produce industry will be the focus of The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summit.

The virtual event, Sept. 22-24, is presented by The Packer and Farm Journal’s Trust In Food , in partnership with Apeel Sciences . Registration and agenda information is at www.sustainableproducesummit.com .

The program offers exclusive content centered on daily themes of environmental practices, social sustainability and consumer insights.
“We believe that true sustainability can only be reached as a community — it takes all of us,” said Matt Morgan, executive vice president of produce for Farm Journal. “To advance that goal, we’re excited to deliver this new virtual event, which will bring together top thought leaders and change-makers in this space, while also meeting the demands of companies and customers, throughout the supply chain, who are asking for more guidance and collaboration around sustainable business practices.”

The schedule features speakers, interactive breakout sessions and sustainability case studies.

The event will provide educational opportunities for attendees and exhibitors with online networking features available throughout the event.

A highlight will be the presentation of data and analysis from a recent study commissioned by The Packer and Trust In Food that polled growers, retailers and consumers about their perspectives and practices related to sustainability.

“In partnership with leaders across the supply chain, we are realizing the environmental, social and business benefits of applying nature’s solutions to solve food waste,” said Jason De Turris, vice president of brand marketing at Apeel. “We’re excited to partner with The Packer and Trust In Food to educate the growing community of sustainability innovators. The more we understand about how we use natural resources, the more power we will have in making the right decisions for our food system and beyond.”

The Packer’s Sustainability Coverage

The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summit

Apeel poised for growth

Water management critical to sustainability

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:47:04 GMT

Water supplies are under pressure now and will be even more so in the future. That spells trouble for growers and the entire planet.

Emilio Tenuta, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer at St. Paul, Minn.,-based Ecolab, spoke Sept. 22 at The Packer’s virtual Sustainable Produce Summit on the importance of water management.

Ecolab helped its customers save 206 billion gallons of water in 2019, he said, which is equivalent to the drinking water needs of about 700 million people. “We’re on track toward our goal of 300 billion gallons (saved) by 2030.”

The need to save water is real, he said, noting the reality of climate change.

“California has been getting hotter and drier for years now,” he said.

Tenuta said temperatures in California’s San Fernando Valley have recently topped 120 degrees, and hot weather has resulted in a longer and more destructive fire season.

“This is not a coincidence, it is a consequence of climate change,” he said.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought its share of troubles, Tenuta said water and other resource issues demand attention.

“We’re going to have 10 billion people on this earth by 2050,” he said. “By 2030, we need 40% more water, 35% more food and 25% more energy.”

Scientists say it is critical to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, Tenuta said, with net zero emissions by 2050.

With all of these concurrent pressures, he said it can be easy to downplay the fundamental importance of water. But water stress is an issue now in many countries.

“In all parts of the world, not just in low-income countries. our world’s freshwater resources are under stress,” he said. “Today, 2 billion people, more than a quarter of the world’s population, live in water stressed regions.”

The World Economic Forum places water as a top-five global risk, more significant than cyber attacks and man-made natural disasters.

“Given the trajectory of population growth, and economic growth, the world is facing a projected 56% water deficit by 2030,” Tenuta said. “If no action is taken, we will wreak havoc on the way we use and replenish water.”

Businesses will be hurt by water stress in ways we can’t imagine now, he said. By 2050, 45% of global Gross Domestic Product will be at risk due to water stress.

Ecolab helps companies manage water systematically, he said.

“Companies should build a water and climate resilience plan,” he said.

A plan to lower water use will also lower energy use and carbon dioxide emissions.

Ecolab was a founding member of the California Water Action Collaborative. The group brings together multiple non-profit organizations, agricultural producers, investors and global companies to address challenges to the state’s water supply.

The goal to improve local water management and stewardship by sharing best practices throughout the state.

“All this sounds very good and logical, but here is the challenge; most companies aren’t doing enough.”

A 2019 survey indicated that while many businesses have made pledges to reduce water usage, progress has been spotty.

“What we found is while there are many businesses that have made commitments to conserve water, the trend line is going the wrong way; 50% of companies reported they use more water today than they did in 2015,” he said.

Eighty percent of companies are aware of water-related risks, but he said only about half of them have a plan to manage these risks.

Ecolab has online tools that help monetize the risk of water insecurity. That tool can help rank businesses measure and monetize their water risks, he said.

“You can actually prioritize certain locations for action based on the highest risk,” he said.
That also helps companies put together an action plan for each produce facility based on what Ecolab calls a water return curve.

The collective challenge will be huge over the next 10 years, but it is possible.

“We can significantly improve our impact on the climate, and we can save money along the way,” he said.

“We’ll also be able to boost our reputation and improve our bottom line in the process. There’s no reason we shouldn’t do this.”

Correction: A previous version of the story had an incorrect number related to Ecolab-assisted water savings.

The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summit Coverage

The Packer’s Sustainabiility Coverage

Sustainable Produce Summits give insight

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:27:41 GMT

Providing an in-depth look at the produce industry’s path forward in an era of unprecedented social and environmental awareness, The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summit is scheduled for May 28 at the JW Marriott Palm Desert, Palm Desert, Calif.

“We are excited to focus the produce industry, in this deep dive kind of format, on sustainability, in an ongoing and consistent conversation,” said Jessie Gunn, vice president of marketing and events for produce at The Packer and Farm Journal.

“Sustainable Produce Summits (SPS) will empower, enable and equip the fresh produce industry to grow fresh produce that cares for life and planet. That’s our mission statement for the summits, and I think it will be as it should be, our North star.”

The event, which occurs just before The Packer’s May 29-30 West Coast Produce Expo, also in Palm Desert, will include:

A full day of education with multi-track sessions;
A focus on three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Reduced Inequalities; and
An ecological Jeep tour of the San Andres Fault line and dinner and a presentation under the stars at Metate Ranch.

Consumer insight

Consumer research by The Packer will answer several questions related to sustainability, according to event organizers:

What elements of sustainability drive consumer choices;

Monitoring the importance of sustainable certification in the consumer purchasing process;
Geographic and demographic comparisons of sustainability preferences;
What impact sustainability measures will have on price point sensitivity and/or loyalty; and
Investigating the impact of meal kits and consumer’s perceptions of sustainability.

After the May summit, the next SPS event is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2021, just prior to the start of the Global Organic Produce Expo in Miami, Fla.
Gunn said the Sustainable Produce Summits will help guide the industry’s path forward on related issues.

“By using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as our map to lead the conversation, we’ve aligned ourselves with a global effort that American retailers and producers alike are embracing,” Gunn said.

“We want to build a table around which the retailer, grower, input, seed producers and packaging and allied companies can discuss, learn and solution-seek in collaboration to move this entire industry forward,” she said.

“We want the information (to be) scalable and to meet companies where they are to push the work they’re doing, from first steps to their fifth-year work, forward. Sustainability is about measurement and constant improvement and we are all in it together.”

For more information about The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summits, contact Jessie Gunn at jgunn@farmjournal.com.

View more related content here. The Sustainable Produce Summit is scheduled for May 28 at the JW Marriott Palm Desert, Palm Desert, Calif.

To find the latest on sustainable food systems and conservation ag, visit AgWeb.com/ACAM.

Apeel poised for growth

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:38:47 GMT

The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summit will empower, enable and equip the fresh produce industry to grow fresh produce that cares for the life and planet. Click here to register for our free virtual event, September 2020.

Building on a new substantial influx of new financing, Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Apeel Sciences says it is poised to expand to more suppliers, produce categories, retailers and foodservice channels around the world.

The company in late May announced $250 million in new financing, and endorsements from Oprah Winfrey and Katy Perry.

The financial boost brings the company’s valuation to more than $1 billion.

It will enable the company, which markets a post-harvest shelf-life extending technology for fresh produce to continue tackling food waste on the global level, according to a news release.

GIC led investors on the round of funding, with Viking Global Investors, Up front Ventures, Tao Capital Partners and Rock Creek Group also participating. Celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Katy Perry joined the effort as minority, non-participatory investors to support Apeel’s mission, according to the release.

The funding and support from celebrities like Oprah and Katy Perry will help increase awareness on what needs to happen in order to successfully reduce food waste across the supply chain, according to the company, and will help accelerate Apeel’s path, “enabling more time, access and freshness across the supply chain.”

The company has reported it has significantly expanded its global footprint over the past year, with Apeel produce, including apples, avocados and citrus, in stores throughout the U.S., Germany and Denmark.

Taking measure

The company recently published its first sustainability report (bit.ly/apeel-sustainability), which examined food waste and resource reduction enabled by Apeel’s solution throughout a fruit or vegetable’s life cycle.

For example, the report included Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of avocados, limes, apples and other commodities. In the case of avocados, the LCA showed that an Apeel-treated avocado requires 23 fewer liters of water and 30 fewer grams of greenhouse gas emissions than untreated fruit.

Since 2018, Apeel has saved over 2 million avocados at grocery stores from going to waste, which has saved enough water to fill 427 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to the company.

With COVID-19 causing major disruptions in the fresh food supply chain, Apeel’s solution enables longer lasting produce and operational flexibility, the company said.

“Together, we’re putting time back on the industry’s side to help deal with the food waste crisis and the challenges it poses to food businesses,” Apeel Sciences CEO James Rogers said in the release.

Apeel produce also helps consumers by extending shelf life and giving more time to enjoy it and less of a chance it will go to waste, according to company officials.

Related content:
Starr Ranch Grower launches blog, cherry sweepstakes
Apeel Sciences secures $250 million in financing
Starr Ranch Growers to use Apeel technology on organic apples

COVID-19 brings focus on benefits of packaging

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:37:09 GMT

The COVID-19 crisis has caused consumers to see plastic produce in a new way.

The Produce Marketing Association’s periodic survey of U.S. consumer sentiment reflected consumer concern over the safety/cleanliness of fresh produce and the substantial preference for packaged produce over bulk or loose produce.

In its fourth update on consumer sentiment, collected May 11-13, the PMA report surveyed 500 U.S. consumers.

In the survey, consumers were asked “Why would you say you are buying less fresh produce?”

May 11-13 selected responses, with comparisons with an earlier survey conducted March 27-31, were:

I am concerned about the safety/cleanliness for fresh produce now: 58%, down 3%;
I’d be more likely to buy produce now if it came in sealed containers or bags: 50%, down 3%.

Inexpensive prices for plastic packaging compared with some other options, said Jay Singh, director of the packaging program at Cal Poly University.

“At the end of the day, most of the businesses operate on making profits,” he said.

Cheaper virgin plastic packaging may make it difficult for compostable packaging to make inroads in the near future.

“The pandemic has brought forward the value of single use packaging,” said Kevin Kelly, CEO of Emerald Packing, Union City, Calif.

“If you look at produce sales over the (COVID-19) period, packaged produce sold best because people see it as safe,” he said.

Consumers are looking at packaging as a sort of guarantee of safety, he said.

“A lot of the retailers are now asking the growers to send in package produce and not unpackaged,” Kelly said.

Developments in the past three months have changed the conversation around single-use plastic.

Earlier in the year, the California Circular Economy and Pollution Reduction Act — Senate Bill 54 and companion legislation Assembly Bill 1080 — would have required massive investment in California’s recycling infrastructure and mandate changes to the way produce is packed.

The legislation now being considered for passage in California would by 2030 largely ban all single-use packaging that isn’t recycled. The distinction is “recycled,” not “recyclable,” Kelly said.

The bill would require regulations to “achieve and maintain,” by Jan. 1, 2030, a 75% reduction statewide of the waste generated from single-use packaging and priority single-use products offered for sale, sold, distributed, or imported in or into the state through source reduction, recycling, or composting.

The legislation was expected to have big implications for the produce industry, particularly for some types of salad bag packaging that cannot be easily recycled because it is created by combining polyethylene, polypropylene and adhesive.

Now, Kelly said the legislation remains under consideration by California lawmakers but there may be more discussion.

“The COVID-19 (crisis) has certainly made the case for a produce packaging exemption to Senate Bill 54,” he said.

To read more COVID-19 updates click here.

Sustainability progress

Even so, Kelly said that technology continues to advance in search of ways to improve sustainability in packaging, including new ways to improve recycling technology for polypropylene.

Another barrier for California’s packaging legislation, Kelly said, is the fact it would require adding new staff to CalRecycle to create a devision to handle packaging recycling.

“There’s not going to be money there to hire (staff), and there may be not much appetite for additional regulation of business,” Kelly said.

A ballot initiative to regulate single-use plastic in the upcoming election was shelved.

While the authors of the ballot initiative said they couldn’t gather signatures during the pandemic, Kelly speculated the public may be increasingly aware of the benefits of packaging in relation to food safety and preservation.

While many packaging materials can be recycled, most packaging ends up in a landfill.

“One of the reasons almost everything is going into landfills right now is because there’s no end market for waste material, especially when you can buy virgin low density resin at almost at historic lows,” he said.

“Recycled resins are almost six times more expensive (than virgin resin),” he said.

With limited domestic demand for recyclable plastic, Kelly believes the government should be getting involved in creating a market for recycled material.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, Kelly said consumers and the market place will still want recyclability.

“I think there’ll be an appreciation for the uses of single use plastic. and so outright bans are much less likely,” he said.

“Again, I think the push towards recyclability is going to persist, and it should; we can’t keep throwing stuff in landfills, or having it end up in oceans,” he said.

Related content:
Sustainability’s a drop in a bucket for Bobalu Berries
Naturipe Farms sustainable packaging goal removes tons of plastic
COVID-19 pandemic complicates sustainability preferences

Tuesday at the Sustainable Produce Summit

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:46:23 GMT

Keynote Speaker: Emilio Tenuta (Ecolab)

Tenuta will be giving a talk titled Planting the seeds: How smart water and climate practices foster resilience and growth.

Emilio Tenuta’s 36-year tenure at Ecolab includes 25 years of technical and marketing management experience in various industries, including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, lodging, healthcare, and automotive. In the past 11 years, Tenuta has led Ecolab’s strategic sustainability journey focused on corporate responsibility, internal environmental stewardship and helping customers operate more sustainably.

Research Panel: Growers Seizing the Sustainability Moment:

Scott Caine, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Aimpoint Research;

Alison Edwards, director and facilitator at the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops;

Amy Duda Kinder, vice president of food safety and sustainability at Duda Farm Fresh Foods;

Louis DeMaso, sustainability and operations analyst at Lipman Family Farms; and

Jessica Vieira, director of sustainability at Apeel Sciences.

Industry Leaders Panel: The Future of Sustainable Agribusiness

Shyam Kamath, dean at California State University-Monterey Bay;

Rod Braga, president and CEO of Braga Ranch;

Bruce Taylor, director of organics at Taylor Farms;

David Rosenberg, co-founder and CEO of AeroFarms; and

Kevin Murphy, former CEO of Driscoll’s Inc.

Case Study: Pursuing and Prioritizing Sustainability

Speakers: John Chamberlain and Edgar Gutierrez (Limoneira)

Chamberlain, vice president of marketing at Limoneira Co., a 126-year old California-based global agribusiness and real estate development company, has more than 30 years of marketing, brand development and communications experience with global multinationals. He is the former head of ABB Asea Brown Boveri’s external communications department.

Edgar Gutierrez is vice president of agricultural operations at Limoneira. Previously, he was research and development director for Wonderful Citrus’ Mexican division and oversaw 14,000 acres of land under production. He has extensive experience in the produce supply chain, and citrus experience in Mexico and Central America.

Thursday at the Sustainable Produce Summit

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:46:23 GMT

Keynote Speaker: Ryan Shadrick Wilson (Chairperson of Feeding Change, Miken Institute, CEO of Boardwalk Collective)

After a decade as a leading food attorney at international law firm Hogan Lovells, Wilson turned her energy to launching Michelle Obama’s health initiative, serving as the chief strategy officer and general counsel of Partnership for a Healthier America. She then founded Boardwalk Collective, which advises CEOs, philanthropists, celebrities and investors committed to creating a healthier, happier and more connected world. Ryan serves on the board of directors or board of advisors for companies that include Territory Foods, Apeel Sciences, Brightseed, RightRice, Treasure8 and Plenty, as well as several nonprofit organization boards, including the executive advisory board of Feeding America.

Research Panel: Who are the Trusted Parties on Sustainability? Consumers Speak

Scott Caine, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Aimpoint Research;

Lori Taylor, founder and CEO of The Produce Moms; and

Kevin Byers, senior produce merchandiser for PCC Community Markets.

Industry Leaders Panel

Deep Dive: Industry Perspectives on Four Social Responsibility Certifications

Hugo Hays, global director of compliance and food safety at Fyffes;

Ricardo Crisantes, chief communications officer and co-owner of Wholesum;

Barry Rogers, president of Rogers Agro Inc.; and

Matt Rogers, co-founder and general manager of AgSocio

Case Study: Taking Care of People

Speakers: Tanimura & Antle

Scott Grabau, president and CEO

Kerry Varney, chief administrative officer

Brian Antle, president of PlantTape USA

Briselda Gutierrez, employee housing supervisor

Register Here!

Rest of the agenda

Vision for a Healthier America

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:48:24 GMT

Ryan Wilson describes how produce can boost to health, economy, equity, national security and more in U.S. Watch now on demand in the video player above.

Sustainable Produce Summit is an opportunity for produce leaders to attend a unique and inspiring experience focused entirely on sustainability in the fresh food industry. This event empowers, enables and equips the fresh food industry to grow fresh produce in a way that promotes environmental stewardship and enhances the quality of life in our communities. Relevant topics in the following themes will be covered: environmental, social and consumer.

Love this content? Visit sustainableproducesummit.com to learn more about the event.

Lettuce Learn More Podcast — Vision for a Healthier America (And the Role of Produce)

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 19:11:11 GMT

Didn’t get to attend all the education sessions at the Sustainable Produce Summit? We’ve got you. Now you can listen on the go — while driving, exercising, cleaning, whatever! — on the Lettuce Learn More Podcast.

In this episode, Ryan Wilson, chairperson of the Milken Institute’s Feeding Change initiative and CEO of Boardwalk Collective, describes how produce can boost health, economy, equity, national security and more in U.S. You can listen to her SPS session on the player below or on popular listening apps including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

If you enjoy produce conversations and podcasts, be sure to check out The Packer’s weekly Tip of The Iceberg Podcast for news and analysis of what’s happening around the industry.

Sustainability transparency key to trust, panel says

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:47:43 GMT

Getting started with sustainability initiatives and consumer education is the first step toward building consumer trust about the process.

That was one conclusion at a Sept. 25 session at The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summit looking at consumer trusts about industry efforts around sustainability.

Ashley Nickle, editor of PMG and retail editor of The Packer, moderated a panel that included Lori Taylor, founder and CEO of The Produce Moms, Kevin Byers, senior produce merchandiser for PCC Community Markets , Brent Kawamura, senior sustainability specialist for PCC and Scott Caine, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Aimpoint Research.

Caine presented results from The Packer’s consumer research on sustainability, supported by Apeel Sciences and Emerald Packaging.

A survey of more than 600 consumers indicated about nine out of 10 are pursuing a sustainable lifestyle, Caine said, and about one in three support sustainability through support of an association or environmental group. Consumers who are more deeply engaged with sustainability issues visit retailer or brand websites to research their sustainability commitments, Caine said.

Some consumers say they don’t know enough to say if they can trust the food industry, and Caine said that lack of knowledge presents an opportunity to be transparent about sustainability efforts.
“There is a large opportunity for us to build trust across the board, and in many cases, that trust comes from transparency.”

Taylor said consumers would probably appreciate a definition or standard when it comes to sustainability, although she noted the fresh produce industry is communicating about sustainability through innovative packaging efforts and other initiatives.

“There is still a misunderstanding of what the definition even is, what it means,” she said. “Does it simply mean environmental stewardship? Does it mean getting away from plastics? What does it mean in terms of agricultural practices?”

Taylor said that she would love to see a universal sustainability standard, in the same way that the U.S. Department of Agriculture certification for organics has helped the industry define and explain organics in a way that consumers understand and rally around it.

Kawamura said PCC shoppers are engaged and involved with social environmental responsibility and sustainability initiatives, particularly relating to sustainable packaging and climate change. Consumers care about how they can reduce their carbon footprint by the products they buy.

Trying to understand all elements of sustainability can be a daunting task, Byers said, but the topic of packaging resonates with consumers.

“There has been a lot of talk about (reducing) single-use plastics, and I think we have a groundswell there,” he said.

When packaging changes, such as from plastic to compostable materials, Kawamura said consumers have to be educated on how to dispose or recycle the material.

Byers said he encourages suppliers to try more sustainable packaging options.

“If you want to go into a cardboard clamshell instead of a plastic, or you want to go into a paper tote bag instead of a plastic bag, I will guarantee you I’m going to buy it,” he said.

Not every package works, however, so there will always be back and forth on what can be done to improve new package options, he said.

Kawamura said sustainability is an evolving concept, but it is important for produce operators to get started.

“Get it going. You can always it improve it along the way.”

Growers want more reward for sustainability efforts

Packaging panel considers sustainability progress

Early movers reap sustainability rewards

Kroger's Ambitious Journey to Zero Hunger Zero Waste

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:49:55 GMT

Catch up on what you missed at our first Sustainable Produce Summit – here’s the full video of the session “Kroger’s Ambitious Journey to Zero Hunger Zero Waste.”

Kari Armbruster will discuss her work operationalizing Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste commitment to end hunger in communities where Kroger operates and to eliminate waste across the company by 2025.

Don’t have time to watch? Check out the story here.

To make sure you don’t miss out on more great sessions like this one, sign up today for West Coast Produce Expo .

You can stay right where you are and experience more education, more networking, more sales opportunities and:

> Expert keynote presentations
> Q&A sessions with top retailers
> Virtual Farm Tours
> Additionally, we’ll offer the BizMatch sales meeting scheduler service all five days to pair buyers and suppliers based on specific matching criteria.
> And more

Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative, is proud to present the Sustainable Produce Summit in partnership with The Packer. We take Farm Journal’s expertise, data, insights, unparalleled reach and time-honored relationships with growers and put them to work to support financially and environmentally resilient food systems, from farmer to consumer and every step in between. To learn more, visit www.TrustInFood.com .

At Trust In Food, produce sector sustainability—and helping growers succeed—is our business. Through America’s Conservation Ag Movement, we are working with growers in California’s Calleguas Watershed and beyond in partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and leading agribusinesses, food companies and nonprofit organizations. To learn more, visit www.AgWeb.com/ACAM .

New Research: Growers Seizing the Sustainability Moment

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:49:55 GMT

Catch up on what you missed at our first Sustainable Produce Summit – here’s the full video of the session ‘New Research: Growers Seizing the Sustainability Moment.”

Growers believe that sustainability is important, but how does that conviction translate to action? This session will consider what sustainability practices are being pursued and how those line up with retail and consumer perspectives.

This session features commentary from Scott Caine, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Aimpoint Research; Amy Duda Kinder, vice president of food safety, worker safety and sustainability for A. Duda & Sons Inc .; Louis DeMaso, sustainability and operations analyst for Lipman Family Farms ; and Jessica Vieira, director of sustainability for Apeel .

To make sure you don’t miss out on more great sessions like this one, sign up today for West Coast Produce Expo .

You can stay right where you are and experience more education, more networking, more sales opportunities and:

> Expert keynote presentations
> Q&A sessions with top retailers
> Virtual Farm Tours
> Additionally, we’ll offer the BizMatch sales meeting scheduler service all five days to pair buyers and suppliers based on specific matching criteria.
> And more

Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative, is proud to present the Sustainable Produce Summit in partnership with The Packer. We take Farm Journal’s expertise, data, insights, unparalleled reach and time-honored relationships with growers and put them to work to support financially and environmentally resilient food systems, from farmer to consumer and every step in between. To learn more, visit www.TrustInFood.com .

From the Source: How COVID is Changing Consumer Purchases

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:49:55 GMT

Catch up on what you missed at our first Sustainable Produce Summit – here’s the full video of the session “From the Source: How COVID is Changing Consumer Purchases.”

How does an interest in sustainability influence consumer purchases? To what degree has COVID-19 changed that, if at all? Where are shoppers looking for information on which products are sustainably produced? We put those questions and more to a group of consumers who value sustainability.

To make sure you don’t miss out on more great sessions like this one, sign up today for West Coast Produce Expo .

You can stay right where you are and experience more education, more networking, more sales opportunities and:

> Expert keynote presentations
> Q&A sessions with top retailers
> Virtual Farm Tours
> Additionally, we’ll offer the BizMatch sales meeting scheduler service all five days to pair buyers and suppliers based on specific matching criteria.
> And more

Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative, is proud to present the Sustainable Produce Summit in partnership with The Packer. We take Farm Journal’s expertise, data, insights, unparalleled reach and time-honored relationships with growers and put them to work to support financially and environmentally resilient food systems, from farmer to consumer and every step in between. To learn more, visit www.TrustInFood.com .

At Trust In Food, produce sector sustainability—and helping growers succeed—is our business. Through America’s Conservation Ag Movement, we are working with growers in California’s Calleguas Watershed and beyond in partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and leading agribusinesses, food companies and nonprofit organizations. To learn more, visit www.AgWeb.com/ACAM .

New Research: Who are the Trusted Parties on Sustainability? Consumers Speak

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:49:55 GMT

Catch up on what you missed at our first Sustainable Produce Summit – here’s the full video of the session “New Research: Who are the Trusted Parties on Sustainability? Consumers Speak.”

What are shoppers looking for when it comes to sustainability? Hear the results of new research on this question plus valuable perspectives from Lori Taylor of The Produce Moms, who gets feedback from consumers on a daily basis in her work, and from Kevin Byers and Brent Kawamura at PCC Community Markets, who are constantly looking for ways to improve the sustainability of the shopping experience.

Don’t have time to watch? Read the story here.

To make sure you don’t miss out on more great sessions like this one, sign up today for West Coast Produce Expo .

You can stay right where you are and experience more education, more networking, more sales opportunities and:

> Expert keynote presentations
> Q&A sessions with top retailers
> Virtual Farm Tours
> Additionally, we’ll offer the BizMatch sales meeting scheduler service all five days to pair buyers and suppliers based on specific matching criteria.
> And more

Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative, is proud to present the Sustainable Produce Summit in partnership with The Packer. We take Farm Journal’s expertise, data, insights, unparalleled reach and time-honored relationships with growers and put them to work to support financially and environmentally resilient food systems, from farmer to consumer and every step in between. To learn more, visit www.TrustInFood.com .

At Trust In Food, produce sector sustainability—and helping growers succeed—is our business. Through America’s Conservation Ag Movement, we are working with growers in California’s Calleguas Watershed and beyond in partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and leading agribusinesses, food companies and nonprofit organizations. To learn more, visit www.AgWeb.com/ACAM .

Taking Care of People

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:49:55 GMT

Catch up on what you missed at our first Sustainable Produce Summit – here’s the full video of the session “Taking Care of People.”

Hear about what Tanimura & Antle has done to meet the needs of their employees on multiple levels and give them a stake in the future of the company.

To make sure you don’t miss out on more great sessions like this one, sign up today for West Coast Produce Expo .

You can stay right where you are and experience more education, more networking, more sales opportunities and:

> Expert keynote presentations
> Q&A sessions with top retailers
> Virtual Farm Tours
> Additionally, we’ll offer the BizMatch sales meeting scheduler service all five days to pair buyers and suppliers based on specific matching criteria.
> And more

Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative, is proud to present the Sustainable Produce Summit in partnership with The Packer. We take Farm Journal’s expertise, data, insights, unparalleled reach and time-honored relationships with growers and put them to work to support financially and environmentally resilient food systems, from farmer to consumer and every step in between. To learn more, visit www.TrustInFood.com .

At Trust In Food, produce sector sustainability—and helping growers succeed—is our business. Through America’s Conservation Ag Movement, we are working with growers in California’s Calleguas Watershed and beyond in partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and leading agribusinesses, food companies and nonprofit organizations. To learn more, visit www.AgWeb.com/ACAM .

Pursuing and Prioritizing Sustainability

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:49:55 GMT

Catch up on what you missed at our first Sustainable Produce Summit – here’s the full video of the session “Pursuing and Prioritizing Sustainability.”

Leaders at Limoneira discuss how they prioritize the various elements of sustainability and share details on some of their recent sustainability projects in this informational and inspirational session.

To make sure you don’t miss out on more great sessions like this one, sign up today for West Coast Produce Expo .

You can stay right where you are and experience more education, more networking, more sales opportunities and:

> Expert keynote presentations
> Q&A sessions with top retailers
> Virtual Farm Tours
> Additionally, we’ll offer the BizMatch sales meeting scheduler service all five days to pair buyers and suppliers based on specific matching criteria.
> And more

Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative, is proud to present the Sustainable Produce Summit in partnership with The Packer. We take Farm Journal’s expertise, data, insights, unparalleled reach and time-honored relationships with growers and put them to work to support financially and environmentally resilient food systems, from farmer to consumer and every step in between. To learn more, visit www.TrustInFood.com .

At Trust In Food, produce sector sustainability—and helping growers succeed—is our business. Through America’s Conservation Ag Movement, we are working with growers in California’s Calleguas Watershed and beyond in partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and leading agribusinesses, food companies and nonprofit organizations. To learn more, visit www.AgWeb.com/ACAM .

Meeting the Consumer Where They Are... Or Not?

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:49:55 GMT

Catch up on what you missed at our first Sustainable Produce Summit – here’s the full video of the session “Meeting the Consumer Where They Are... Or Not?”

In this session, key members of the Raley’s team discuss the company’s sustainability initiatives and how produce departments fit into the picture, including how one of the company’s newest stores models best practices in various areas of sustainability.

To make sure you don’t miss out on more great sessions like this one, sign up today for West Coast Produce Expo .

You can stay right where you are and experience more education, more networking, more sales opportunities and:

> Expert keynote presentations
> Q&A sessions with top retailers
> Virtual Farm Tours
> Additionally, we’ll offer the BizMatch sales meeting scheduler service all five days to pair buyers and suppliers based on specific matching criteria.
> And more

Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative, is proud to present the Sustainable Produce Summit in partnership with The Packer. We take Farm Journal’s expertise, data, insights, unparalleled reach and time-honored relationships with growers and put them to work to support financially and environmentally resilient food systems, from farmer to consumer and every step in between. To learn more, visit www.TrustInFood.com .

At Trust In Food, produce sector sustainability—and helping growers succeed—is our business. Through America’s Conservation Ag Movement, we are working with growers in California’s Calleguas Watershed and beyond in partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and leading agribusinesses, food companies and nonprofit organizations. To learn more, visit www.AgWeb.com/ACAM .

Packaging panel considers sustainability progress

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:47:14 GMT

Substantial investments in recycling and industrial compost facilities will be necessary to bring greater sustainability to produce packaging.

That was one conclusion of panelists participating in a Sept. 23 virtual packaging panel at The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summit .

Moderated by The Packer’s Editor Tom Karst, the panel considered research conducted by The Packer on consumer attitudes toward sustainable packaging.

During the 45-minute panel discussion and a 20-minute video breakout for discussion groups, participants spoke of strong demand for produce packaging during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for greater investments in plastic recycling efforts and some of the roadblocks to greater use of bio-based materials in produce packaging.

Survey says

Eight out of ten consumers believe sustainability is very important, said Scott Caine, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Aim Point Research. Caine presented research findings of a survey commissioned by The Packer and supported by Apeel Sciences and Emerald Packaging.

For consumers, Caine said packaging is an important measure of sustainability of a product because it is a touch point.

Consumers most value packaging that is either recyclable or biodegradable, Caine said.

When 600 consumers were asked “Which of the following product features help you define a product as sustainable?,” 62% indicated eco-friendly packaging (compostable or bioderadable), compared with 47% for organic, 43% for local and 43% for pesticide free.

Consumers surveyed indicated they are willing to pay about 5% more for a product if they understand the product is sustainably grown and packaged.

Caine urged industry leaders to find common ground with consumers in conversations about sustainable packaging.

The panelist talked about consumer willingness to pay eco-friendly packaging and the constraints on moving more fully into that packaging.

The raw materials to make biodegradable packaging are scarce and scaling production to meet consumer demand in the next 10 years is nearly impossible, said Kevin Kelly, CEO of Emerald Packaging . What’s more, the cost of biodegradable packaging is 30% to 40% more expensive than conventional plastic alternatives. Much more capacity is needed at industrial composting facilities to handle increased levels of compostable packaging, he said.

Kelly said switching to bio-based materials for packaging also could create negative environmental impacts, as more crops like corn or sugar will be grown to meet packaging needs instead of grown for food.

Jay Singh, professor and packaging program director at Cal Poly, said bio-based plastics don’t solve all packaging needs.

“I’m not saying bio-based plastics are not our future, (but) as it currently stands, there are a lot of issues with it,” Singh said, noting that consumer perceptions of biodegradable and compostable packaging don’t always match their performance.

“You cannot just make a choice because it sounds better,” he said.

Replacing plastic

Panelist David Bell, chief marketing officer for Houweling’s Group , talked about the attention the company is receiving for its English cucumbers, treated by a shelf-life extension product from Apeel Sciences . The plant-based coating from Apeel on the greenhouse cucumbers replaces the need for plastic wrapping.

“The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “In partnering with Apeel, what we did is found an alternative solution that didn’t involve plastic to provide that same life extension that the plastic provides.”
Consumers appreciate the opportunity to buy cucumbers without the plastic, he said.

“We need to find our opportunities like this Apeel (application) where we can make incremental improvements and change and start to see consumers vote with their dollars,” Bell said.

Bell said brands and retailers are hearing more from consumers regarding their distaste for plastic.

“What we haven’t seen enough of, for my opinion, at retail is where the consumer has backed that up,” he said. “But I do believe we’re on the precipice of where that is happening at a greater rate, and as brands and as retailers, the commitment needs to be on finding those incremental opportunities and being able to commit to saying we may not be able to get there all in one step, but many steps will get us closer to the prize.”

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Keynote delivers insight on Kroger’s Zero Hunger|Zero Waste program

Keynote delivers insight on Kroger’s Zero Hunger|Zero Waste program

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:35:44 GMT

Kari Armbruster, program manager for Kroger’s Zero Hunger|Zero Waste initiative, presented at the Sustainable Produce Summit about the retailer’s sustainability goals and provided more perspective by responding to myriad attendee questions via a live chat.

One attendee commented that growers report there is “a disconnect between sustainability voices and purchasing in the retail sector — that when push comes to shove, purchasing always acts on price irrespective of responsible grower sustainability practices.”

“It is definitely a journey,” Armbruster replied in the chat. “We are working every day with our procurement and merchandising teams as well as our suppliers to develop more sustainable practices while also ensuring products are available at a price point that makes sense for our customers.”

Another attendee queried causes of waste in stores. Armbruster mentioned as factors over-ordering, expired or damaged product and damaged packaging.

“We are working to be better at predicting shopper behavior and properly stocking our shelves,” Armbruster wrote, later adding that Kroger is also working on better ordering systems, increasing best practices on food handling, standardizing date labels and implementing merchandising practices to prevent waste.

Many in produce retail, however, contend that having shrink below a certain level impedes sales because it results in out-of-stocks. One attendee brought up this tradeoff: “Has the policy toward out-of-stocks changed? If the objective is to sell out, out-of-stock is an unfortunate byproduct. Is lower consumer satisfaction less important than the zero-waste goals?”

Armbruster called the query a great question and explained that currently a balance is needed between meeting the expectations of shoppers and increasing operational sustainability.

“In the U.S., consumers expect the store to be fully stocked at all times,” Armbruster wrote in the chat. “It presents a massive challenge for retailers. As we continue to work on customer expectations, we can do better at staying in stock while limiting our surplus on hand. It will take action on both ends to make this work.”

In her presentation, Armbruster described many aspects of the Zero Hunger|Zero Waste program, from the company’s recent milestone of donating one billion meals, to its ambitious packaging goals for 2030, to its work with circular e-commerce platform Loop.