Watercooler Chat: New editors, GOPEX and retail shortages

In this video, we chat with two new editors, Melissa Treolo and Ed Boling, and we cover the Global Organic Produce Expo (GOPEX) and retail shortages.

Melissa Treolo, Amy Sowder, Tom Karst and Ed Boling of The Packer and PMG
Melissa Treolo, Amy Sowder, Tom Karst and Ed Boling of The Packer and PMG
(Photo: Amy Sowder)

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

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

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

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

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

Find out more about GOPEX.

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

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

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

The Packer logo (567x120)
Related Stories
Columnist Armand Lobato explains what can be learned from observing shopping carts — both in your store and at a competitor.
Sustainability Insights 2026 finds that as reliance on consumer price premiums fades, growers and retailers are turning to operational sustainability to defend margins, build climate resilience and survive rising supply chain costs.
Even if a manager insists the produce team “knows what to do,” operation standards essentially don’t exist if they aren’t defined in writing — and not doing that can lead to breakdowns later on, says columnist Armand Lobato.
Read Next
Driven by younger sustainability-minded generations, fresh produce purchases are shifting from strict environmentalism into personal lifestyle choices, with organic and local sourcing taking center stage.
Get Daily News
GET MARKET ALERTS
Get News & Markets App