Mike Knowles

Managing Director at Eurofruit

Fresh produce industry expert and MD of Fruitnet Europe, Watching and analysing trends and #freshideas in the fruit and veg business 🍎🍊🍌🥦🫐🍇

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Articles

Vip automates apple production with AI and robotics

1 week ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Italian company Vip says the recent deployment of AI and automation is transforming the way apples are grown and handled in its home region of Val Venosta, and therefore helping it to meet demand for greater quality and traceability.
Picadeli Finland names Kaisa Väistö-Nurminen as new MD

1 week ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Kaisa Väistö-Nurminen, Picadeli FinlandKaisa Väistö-Nurminen will officially take on a new role as managing director of salad bar specialist Picadeli Finland on 1 June. She succeeds Nina Westerberg, who up to now has led both Picadeli Finland and Salico Oy – both part of Swedish organisation Greenfood Group – but will now focus fully on her role as MD of Salico Oy.Both divisions have seen substantial growth in recent years.
DSI director Klop buys out founder’s share

1 week ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Hilbert Klop (left) with Jan van den Adel (right)Jan van den Adel has sold his share of Dutch fresh produce company Direct Source International – part of DSI Group – to its managing director, Hilbert Klop. In a statement, the group revealed that Klop was now one of the enterprise’s owners, alongside Jan de Sterke and Marnix van Fraassen. It also said that Van den Adel had set his sights “on a different path” after 14 years at DSI and more than 35 years in the fresh produce business.
Trump threatens 50 per cent tariff on EU imports

2 weeks ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

In a surprise move, Donald Trump has threatened a 50 per cent tariff on imports from the EU from 1 June. Posting on his Truth Social channel, the US president said he would impose the new import tax because trade talks between his country and the trading bloc had stalled. “Our discussions with them are going nowhere! Therefore I am recommending a straight 50 per cent Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025,” he stated.
Driscoll’s appoints first ever chief communications officer

2 weeks ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Berry marketer has appointed Frances Dillard as its first ever chief communications officer, a newly created position with responsibility for shaping the company’s international reputation.
Europe’s largest fruit and veg AOP appoints new president

2 weeks ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Davide Vernocchi (left) pictured with Finaf director Lisa Martini and outgoing president Roberto CeraDavide Vernocchi is the new president of Finaf, Europe’s largest association of fruit and vegetable producer organisations. The current president of Apo Conerpo takes over from Roberto Cera, who has led the group for more than ten years and was himself previously president of the Italian producer organisation which Vernocchi now leads.
Peru blueberry exports set to grow

2 weeks ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Peru’s blueberry industry will produce a record 355,000 tonnes in 2025/26, a 4 per cent annual increase, as it continues to recover from a major downturn in production and exports in 2023/24. According to a new report published by the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), the country’s production area has averaged 65 per cent annual growth since 2012, rising from just 80ha to its current level of 20,500ha.
Chilled logistics firm has been hacked, BBC reveals

2 weeks ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Temperature-controlled logistics operator Peter Green Chilled, which distributes chilled, frozen and ambient food products to supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, and Lidl has told the BBC it has fallen victim to a ransomware attack. Speaking on Wake Up to Money, the company’s managing director Tom Binks insisted its transport activities had continued unaffected throughout the incident, and that orders placed on Wednesday would be fulfilled.
La Niña casts shadow over Peru’s avocado export growth

2 weeks ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Peru’s avocado exports are expected to reach 630,000 metric tonnes in 2025, according to a USDA report, which also suggests that a potential La Niña on the country’s coast may reduce production of the fruit in country – despite recent expansion in planted area. The forecast export volume represents a two per cent increase on the previous year’s figure, which was itself down 4 per cent year on year.
Anecoop and Asaja help create new Citrusbusters alliance

2 weeks ago | fruitnet.com | Mike Knowles

Ainia hosts an event to launch CitrusbustersSuppliers, scientists, and policymakers have formed a new alliance to combat the growing problem of pests and diseases in Europe’s citrus production.