Produce departments that keep their spuds tucked away in the back are missing out on natural growth opportunities, advised Ross Johnson, vice president of retail for the Idaho Potato Commission. No matter what the demographics of a retailer’s market are, savvy potato merchandising can help propel higher sales through the entire produce department. Eighty-five percent of all U.S. households purchase potatoes, according to Circana research commissioned by IPC, and these customers can drive up store profits with their average shopper basket size of $86.

IPC field directors are uniquely positioned

Picture the perfect conditions for producing Idaho potatoes, and that image would look exactly like the 2025 growing season, reported Travis Blacker, vice president of industry relations and research for the Idaho Potato Commission.

“In Idaho, it’s common to have a frost right around Father’s Day, or some hail that will set the potato plants back a little bit, but not this year,” Blacker said. “The warm days and cool nights combined for a great-looking potato crop this year. We also had excellent harvest weather, despite a couple of days that were rainy.”

Russet potatoes are still king in Idaho

Finding new products for its curious customers is one of the pillars that drive the various procurement teams at Sprouts Farmers Market. While this pursuit might seem more suited for the consumer packaged goods sections of the store, the retailer does have a group of produce buyers devoted to the task.

Meghan Diaz, who has been with Sprouts for a decade, heads up the team as senior director of local and strategic sourcing and innovation. She agreed that innovation does look a bit different in the produce department as locally grown, first to market, seasonality and new varieties can be the

While Sprouts Farmers Market was not launched officially until 2002, its roots date back to 1943 when Henry Boney opened a fruit stand in San Diego. Today’s modern iteration of that humble beginning includes 470-plus stores in half the United States with a stated growth rate of close to 10 percent annually, which would double that number over the next decade.  

“We are pleased that we opened 37 stores in 2025, exceeding our original target of 35 [for fiscal 2025],” CEO Jack Sinclair said in November. “We continue to expand our store presence from sea to shining sea.”

Expanding at breakneck speed

We know the age-old sentiment: fruits and vegetables are key to good health. Yet despite this understanding, most consumers still fall short of the recommended intake. The release of the 2025–30 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages fruits and vegetables to be eaten throughout the day, shifting focus from one-off goals to everyday habits. This underscores why the message Every Time You Eat, Have A Plant remains both relevant and grounded in science.

From a registered dietitian’s perspective, these guidelines highlight an important opportunity to shape how consumers eat fruits and

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).

So, why was Sprouts our 2026 Retailer of the Year?

Talk to almost anybody and