A few months ago, we at The Produce News named Sprouts Farmers Market as our 2026 Retailer of Year. At long last, the wait to read about the Phoenix-based retailer is over. Our Retailer of the Year issue drops online today and will be in print Monday.

This is the seventh year The Produce News has taken a deep dive into a retailer that is doing an exemplary job selling and promoting produce. Previous winners range from regional chains (Harps, Gelsons, Roche Bros. and Food Lion) to national giants (Walmart and Costco).

The California Date Commission is a non-profit organization funded by growers and packers, which supports the industry through marketing, research and government affairs.

We’re still feeling the squeeze on small citrus, but carrots have become the next challenge out west. In a market where jumbos matter, harvest conditions have made it difficult to get the size and volume the market expects.

Bard Valley Natural Delights, which offers whole dates for the traditionalists, pitted dates for convenience seekers and Mini Medjool Date Rolls and Medjool Date Strips for those looking for innovative, flavor-packed snacks, continues to make dates accessible to a broad audience. 

Salix Fruits has become a year-round citrus supplier, connecting growers from both hemispheres with retail, foodservice and wholesale customers. 

“Our role is to ensure continuity and reliability, sourcing from diverse regions so that citrus is available 52 weeks a year,” said Alejandro Moralejo, CEO of Salix Fruits. “This diversification has been key to navigating market volatility and climate challenges.”

For nearly 70 years, Kurt Zuhlke & Associates has been a trusted name in produce packaging, known for its innovation in PET clamshells, liners and thermoformed solutions that keep fruits and vegetables protected, visible and retail-ready. 

Even as economic pressures, shifting customer needs and supply-chain complexities continue to reshape the industry, company President Kurt Zuhlke sees steady demand, a healthy year ahead and new opportunities to bring sustainable packaging options to growers, packers and retailers.