The International Fresh Produce Association announced the dynamic keynote speaker lineup for the Global Produce & Floral Show, bringing together influential voices who will inspire attendees with insights on leadership, purpose and impact.

Taking place Oct. 14-16 in Orlando, FL, the Global Produce & Floral Show will feature three unique keynote sessions designed to inform, motivate, and empower produce and floral professionals from around the world.

Church Bros. Farms introduced Church Brothers Farms Organic, a new retail brand that redefines how organic produce is merchandised at retail. Built around the concept of functional wellness, the brand combines easy-to-understand nutritional benefits, thoughtfully designed packaging and right-sized portions to create a differentiated offering for today's health-conscious consumers.

United Natural Foods Inc. has named Matteo Tarditi its new president and chief operating officer. Additionally, the company has named Louis Martin its new chief commercial officer and Alfredo Luchini its chief financial officer.

These updates, effective Aug. 3, 2026, are designed to align UNFI’s leadership structure more closely with its strategy, helping the company accelerate capability building, sharpen operational execution and continue strengthening its financial performance.

A creative Idaho potato display and a passion for innovative produce merchandising earned Garrett Fowden, produce manager at Kamas Food Town in Kamas, UT, the Western Region Grand Prize in the Idaho Potato Commission’s 2026 Idaho Potato Lovers Month Retail Display Contest.

Fowden’s display met all contest requirements, earning him a place in the grand prize drawing, where his entry was randomly selected from thousands of qualifying displays submitted by retailers across North America.

Melons remain in focus as the industry works through a rough handoff from the desert to the San Joaquin Valley. The Arizona-California desert season has wrapped up after insect pressure, worsened by a warm winter, reduced yields and forced an early finish. San Joaquin Valley production is under way, but the crop is not building fast enough yet to fully cover demand. Cooler weather this week may slow growth and stretch the supply gap a little longer, keeping markets elevated until new fields gain momentum.

Field Fresh Farms has expanded its lineup to include chopped Romaine, as well as one- and two-pound clamshells of conventional and organic Spinach, Spring Mix, Arugula and Kale.

With its chopped Romaine, the vertically integrated grower-shipper offers the triple-washed, ready-to-serve pre-cut lettuce directly to the foodservice market. Already a favorite ingredient in salads, wraps, bowls and more, chopped Romaine provides a significant cost-savings to busy customers who need a flavorful no-waste ingredient that won’t slow them down with a lot of prep time.