Bee Sweet Citrus has partnered with the American Red Cross to support victims of wildfires in Southern California.

"When Bee Sweet Citrus first heard of the destruction that's taking place in Southern California due to ongoing wildfires, we knew we wanted to help in some capacity," said Monique Mueller, director of communications at Bee Sweet Citrus. "After connecting with the American Red Cross, we learned more about what would be most helpful to victims and quickly got to work."

Bee Sweet Citrus will be donating an assortment of citrus fruits to the Red Cross. Once the product is received

Cold temperatures in the Southwestern desert growing regions are forecast to continue into next week following the heavy wind event last week. This will delay harvesting in the region until temperatures warm sufficiently for harvests to resume. This in turn will lessen overall supplies in the chain during these cold mornings.

These desert fields will see very cold morning temperatures with moderate to heavy lettuce ice across the region. The leafy green fields will likely begin to show some wind and fringe burn, feathering/epidermal peeling, blister and discoloration in upcoming harvests

Heading into 2025, Mission Produce is getting ready for the biggest “avo-ccaision” of the year — the big game.

“In the two weeks leading up to the 2024 game, avocados generated a significant $133 million dollars in sales, so we’re looking forward to what 2025 has in store for the category,” said Brooke Becker, senior vice president of sales for the Oxnard, CA-based company. “Guacamole is considered the top game day snack by one-third of football fans, so retailers can drive sales by cross-merchandising avocados with affinity items like tomatoes, onions and tortilla chips.”

Mission Produce

Fire and winds, smoke and ashes became part of the Southern California landscape for the past two weeks following a series of fires that first appeared on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 7, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in western Los Angeles County. Two weeks later, the two largest fires (Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire in the hills and mountains southeast of L.A.)  are still burning with close to 40,000 acres having been scorched.

The Palisades Fire was 59 percent contained by the start of this week while firefighters declared 87 percent containment of the Eaton Fire. Communities

The Fresh Direct Produce Group, a leader in the distribution of ethnic, organic and conventional produce, has come to an agreement to sell Mike & Mike’s, an organic fruits and vegetables distributor based in Vaughan, ON, to Mike Fronte, one of the company’s original founders.

This strategic move supports Fronte’s desire to return to the organic business he co-founded in 2004, while allowing the Fresh Direct Produce Group to focus on its broader growth plans.

Mike & Mike’s distributes organic fresh fruits, vegetables, snacks and grocery items to retailers across eastern Canada, with a

What lies ahead for 2025, and beyond?

Some trends to look out for are smart digital tags, artificial intelligence to support analytics, enhanced technology to maintain produce packaging freshness, upgraded systems for distribution centers to boost automation efficiencies, the increasing demand for plant-based food items and more safety and security of product items.

The companies that grasp these trends will succeed the most in this ever-changing produce world.

I asked five produce industry individuals their thoughts, outlooks and challenges that they feel lies ahead in 2025. Here are