-
2 weeks ago | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
By Craig Levitt June 12, 2025 For the second consecutive year, the International Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Conference took place in June (instead of September), bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and advocates to champion and safeguard the future of fresh produce. One of the key themes throughout the event was the recent MAHA report, and how the industry is not exactly thrilled with much of its content.
-
3 weeks ago | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
By Craig Levitt June 5, 2025 It’s not front page news that food shopping is more expensive than it has been in a while — and prices show no signs of decreasing anytime soon. With that in mind, Brick Meets Click expects growth in grocery spending to slow over the next five years. Online sales, however, are expected to outpace in-store spending by about 5 percent.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
The more things change…. Almost 11 years ago, Market Basket's board of directors fired Arthur T. Demoulas, president and CEO, along with two other executives: Bill Marsden, director of operations; and Joe Rockwell, vice president of grocery. Combined, the three men had been with the company for more than 110 years. A few months later the company was sold and Demoulas and his team returned to power.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
By Craig Levitt May 23, 2025 Organics are no longer that mysterious area in that produce aisle where only a handful of eclectic shoppers bother to go. Organics are now mainstream, which of course means those massive year-over-year sales increases are long gone, replaced by consistently strong sales. According to the Organic Produce Network and its State of Organic Produce report, fresh organic produce sales reached $9.5 billion, up 5.7 percent. Volume was up 6.1 percent.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
By Craig Levitt May 14, 2025 Online grocery sales continue to grow with April’s total sales reaching $9.8 billion, a 15.2 percent increase compared to last year and the ninth consecutive month above $9.5 billion, according to the latest Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey, sponsored by Mercatus.
-
1 month ago | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." — Chares DarwinI think it is safe to say that the grocery industry is coming to a crossroads. Artificial intelligence has infiltrated all walks of life, and the retailers that don’t embrace the technology do so at their own peril. Food retail is an incredibly competitive business and food stores work on very small margins to begin with.
-
2 months ago | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
By Craig Levitt April 24, 2025 The South Carolina Department of Agriculture and the Eastern Produce Council hosted a night at the driving range at TopGolf in Edison, NJ, on April 22. The event marked the 53rd year of the SCDA and EPC relationship. Prior to tee off, Michael Cranford of the SCDA, along with members of the South Carolina contingent, promoted the crops the state offers, which include peaches, watermelon and specialty crops.
-
2 months ago | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
By Craig Levitt April 4, 2025 Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, and as we all know, without guacamole (and tequila, but that’s another story), Cinco de Mayo becomes just May 5. Mexico is the main supplier of avocados the United States: between 80 and 88 percent of the non-domestic avocado supply, depending on who you ask. No matter how the on-again, off-again, on-again tariff drama continues play out, Mexico will surely remain the main supplier of avocados the United States.
-
Mar 14, 2025 | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
It was a record-breaking month for online grocery sales. According to the most recent Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey, the online grocery segment jumped 31 percent versus last year, ending February 2025 with $10.3 billion in monthly sales, and more than 80 million households placed one or more eGrocery orders during the month.
-
Feb 28, 2025 | 
theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt
Artificial Intelligence has infiltrated nearly every aspect of our lives. It has become unavoidable. It won’t be long before we bow down to our AI overlords. Until that time eventually arrives, it would behoove retailers to best take advantage of the AI currently available — and logically, many, if not most, are.
