At this year’s SEPC show, the theme From Fields to Families underscored a growing reality in today’s marketplace: consumers want fresh, wholesome meals – but they are more time-starved than ever. Ocean Mist Farms was excited to showcase how its premium, convenience-driven vegetable offerings are helping retailers meet the demands of today’s busy shoppers.

Nopales, the edible pads of the prickly pear cactus, have long been a staple in Mexican and the broader Latino cuisine, and they continue to be an important specialty item for Chico Produce LLC. The company sources high-quality Nopales from Mexico and supplies retailers across the United States, where demand rises sharply during the Lenten season.

Rob Ybarra, president of San Antonio, TX-based Chico Produce LLC, said nopales are deeply rooted in cultural traditions and remain a versatile ingredient in both classic and modern cooking.

The Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association announced Wednesday that the 2027 Floral Distribution Conference will take place at the Miami Airport Convention Center in Miami.

Stephen Mansfield, a New York Times best-selling author and popular speaker who leads a training and consulting firm based in Washington, DC, spoke to a large crowd Friday afternoon, Feb. 27, at the Good Seeds MENtor Program, part of the Southeast Produce Council’s 2026 Southern Exposure, held in Orlando, FL.

Mansfield has written celebrated biographies of Booker T. Washington, George Whitefield, Winston Churchill, Pope Benedict XVI and Abraham Lincoln, among others.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods announced its eighth annual National Celery Month consumer sweepstakes aligning  with the company’s 100th anniversary.

Throughout March, Duda Farm Fresh Foods will educate shoppers on its proprietary seed varietals, the benefits of purchasing Dandy celery, inspirational usage of the veg and offer 100 exciting opportunities for participants to win.

I spent last week in Orlando, FL, for SEPC, and it was nice connecting with many of you out there. While I was in Florida, I got a firsthand look at what the late January freeze did to crops in the region and the impact is more significant than the reports suggested.