Weather is one of the most popular daily topics and is a neutral subject that people discuss. We talk about it every day within the produce industry because it plays a major role in growing, harvesting and shipping fresh produce to wholesalers and retailers everywhere in the world.

Currently, there are incidents of heavy rain in areas causing delays in harvesting as a result of soggy fields. Freezing temperatures are also causing some havoc in the desert area.

The markets are brimming with weather-related events.

The Bell pepper market reports colder temperatures slowing supplies. Lighter

Around 32 percent of the energy used in the whole food supply chain is for distribution and processing, according to a report released by the Environmental Protection Agency in October 2023. Distribution and processing is also the stage that most post-harvest loss happens — as much as 30 percent in America, according to recent statistics.

With this in mind, Lytone Enterprise, a leading global innovator, has developed a comprehensive solution, LytoFresh, that could reduce post-harvest loss with the lowest environmental impact. In order to extend the benefit of this technology system, the

Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, concluded its most-recent programming season with incredible numbers as a result of support from key industry partners.

Since fall 2022, the nonprofit has distributed over $17 million in retail cost of produce, including 287 fruit and vegetable varietals to the 51,615 families enrolled in the program. Additionally, across the 263 program sites across the country, Brighter Bites implemented 25,357 nutrition education lessons and physical education activities to 103,891 students to

SpartanNash announced its launch of the ReposiTrak Traceability Network, a food traceability program that advances efforts to create a safer, more transparent supply chain.

Now, hundreds of the company's suppliers who harvest or handle products on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's Food Traceability List are now required to exchange traceability data with SpartanNash and the thousands of retailers served by the company.

"From a food-safety perspective, there is tremendous value in knowing exactly where each product and ingredient has been before it reaches our shelves and consumers," said

What is the secret sauce at E. Armata, the New York-based fruit and produce wholesaler now successfully run by the fourth generation of the family?

“It is all about hard work and passion,” said Michael Armata, a fourth-generation buyer for the Hunts Point-based company, which was formed by his great- grandfather Erasmo Armata in the late 1890s. “With all the work we do, the hours we put in connecting with customers and the phone calls we make building relationships, passion is vital to our success.

“And, we also work hard taking care of our customers,” Armata continued. “We work hard making

As we enter the new year, what’s in store in 2024 and beyond for produce? What will change and what won’t? How will it affect the consumers, retailers and produce companies?

For one thing, it won’t be business as usual for produce this year. There are just too many uncertainties in the air. Every level of the produce industry will be under more pressure and scrutiny than ever before to achieve the revenue numbers. This involves absolutely everyone.

Times have changed. We are in a new retail marketing age that is changing consumer shopping habits immensely. The produce workplace has changed