Tag: produce blueprints

In marketing, like in fashion, anything old can be new again. “Newstalgia,” or putting a modern spin on classic products to capitalize on Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s interest in nostalgia, is a trend across all retail.

One positive development in the quest to drive more consumption of fruits and vegetables is an increase in availability and access to a wider variety of produce.

Rob Goldstein, CEO, and Christina Sanchez, manager of risk and compliance at Genpro, Inc. in Rutherford, NJ, are expecting automation to markedly change the industry this year, for better and worse.

The aging industry is another issue for companies to deal with. One source points out that farmers, on average, are about 60 years old in the United States, versus in their 40s in Brazil.

When it comes to labor, Daniel Scheitrum, assistant professor of agribusiness at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, CA, believes automation will be key to tamping down prices and augmenting the workforce across the supply chain.

The slow recovery of discretionary spending, years after the pandemic, remains a challenge for the foodservice sector.

Many economic indicators improved in 2024. Inflation moderated, but high consumer prices, especially for food, and supplier costs, especially in labor, are ongoing issues for growers, retailers, and foodservice. 

“In 2024, the produce industry had some big wins in terms of sustainability and continuing to implement environmentally conscious practices,” notes Jim Roberts, president of sales for Naturipe Farms

When it comes to the weather, most everyone along the perishables pipeline has been affected in some way.

Retail dietetic groups across the country are continuously adapting their blueprint to fit the ever-changing needs of the healthcare and food industries.