Trendspotting: Shifting consumer behavior reshaping retail food competition
The retail food business is not for the faint of heart. Razor thin margins can cause many a sleepless night for store and department managers. Making it more difficult is the fact that it seems every retailer and their mother now sells groceries in one form or another.
Blue Banner Co. to launch Goody at the Global Produce & Floral Show
Celebrating 75 years of excellence in the produce and packing industry, Blue Banner Co.’s new brand Goody will offer unparalleled packing and shipping services for clients who value customer service fueled with integrity. Fusing together the best of Mother Nature and the time-tested expertise from four generations of the Mazzetti family, Goody is the culmination of unsurpassed experience, authentic customer service and an unwavering commitment to preserving the goodness of the produce industry.
E. Armata plans to connect with customers at IFPA Global
Officials at E. Armata are on a mission to educate themselves about the produce industry while attending the annual IFPA Global Produce &Floral show in Anaheim, CA.
The goal: Find out what the company, founded in the late 1890s and based at the Hunts Point Market in The Bronx, can do to help their customers be more efficient and what their needs are.
HLB set to showcase popular line of specialties and tropicals
At the upcoming IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show, HLB Specialties is looking forward to promoting its line of specialty and tropical items while staying abreast of the latest issues that affect the produce industry.
Pacific Produce increasing its asparagus footprint in Peru
For more than two decades, Miami-based Pacific Produce has been importing asparagus, beginning with its own production from Peru in 2002.
Ben B. Schwartz & Sons has growth on its mind
Ben B. Schwartz & Sons, a noted operator on the Michigan Produce Terminal in Detroit, is heading to the IFPA Global Produce & Floral show with big things to share.
“This is an important event for us because it brings stakeholders together from across the industry to discuss the latest trends and challenges in fresh produce,” said Jordan Grainger, vice president of sales for the company.
The Continental Fresh mission lands at IFPA to promote Produce with Purpose
At this year’s IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, CA, on October 16-18, Continental Fresh will showcase Water For All, its mission-driven mango program, and connect with partners who believe produce can be a force for good.
“Some companies ship produce, we ship purpose,” said Albert Perez, CEO of Continental Fresh. “It’s meaningful to know you’re part of something that tastes good and does good.”
Giorgio Fresh taps influencers, bringing brand to a new generation
Giorgio Fresh is expanding its digital presence with a targeted influencer strategy aimed at connecting with younger consumers. By partnering with food creators and content-driven chefs, Giorgio is delivering its message of real food, bold flavors and everyday versatility directly to Millennial and Gen Z audiences.
Strategies for increasing produce consumption frequency
Adages like “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and “eat your greens” may be old, but the overriding message is still important today, especially as only about a third of consumers consume fresh produce on a daily basis. That statistic, plus other findings from FMI’s 2025 Power of Produce report, reveal notable gaps in the intake of fruits and vegetables.
PRO*ACT Crop Update: Struggles out west persist
Another week deeper into fall and conditions in the Salinas Valley remain challenging. Roughly a quarter-inch of rain fell last week, followed by warm, humid weather that has stuck around. That combination of moisture and heat has increased disease pressure and put additional stress on crops just as the season begins to wind down.