Archive For The “News” Category
Guatemala’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food (MAGA) reports the country has shipped over 14 million kg (32 million pounds) of fresh mangoes to the United States in eight months.
The figure is already higher than last year’s export shipments of 30.86 million pounds, and can be attributed to higher supply from Guatemala.
The government agency says it inspected 20.9 million kilograms of fresh mango at authorized packing plants from January to August, of which 71 percent was designated for export to the United States.
n a press release, it said Guatemala’s compliance with the US phytosanitary requirements, which include hydrothermal treatment, reaffirms its cooperation and commitments with U.S. authorities, strengthening the competitiveness of the national agricultural sector.
The acquisition of SpartanNash Co. has been completed by C&S Wholesale Grocers LLC.
The combined company employs more than 30,000 team members and operates almost 60 complementary distribution centers covering the U.S. It serves close to 10,000 independent retail locations, as well as military commissaries and exchanges, with more than 200 corporate-run grocery stores, according to a news release.
“The combination of these two great companies creates a platform for future success. As ONE, we bring the best team in the industry to provide advanced solutions to ensure braggingly happy customers and feed our communities for generations to come,” says Eric Winn, CEO of C&S Wholesale Grocers.
The industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the company says in the release, “and both our customers and our own businesses must evolve at or ahead of that pace, to compete effectively and win. The integration of two industry-leading companies will drive an even better service experience for chain, independent and military customers across the nation, with the right products at the right prices to support tailored assortments.”
SpartanNash President and CEO Tony Sarsam, who will now serve as an adviser for a transitionary period with the combined company, says, “We are grateful to our associates, customers and partners who have supported us throughout this process. Our combined capabilities will create meaningful new opportunities for our people, customers and shoppers as we continue to deliver the ingredients for a better life.”
“Our goal is to build a company that will redefine our industry and drive future growth for the next phase of our collective legacy as the best food solutions company in the industry,” says Rick Cohen, executive chairman.
Bolthouse Fresh Foods of Bakersfield, CA, North America’s carrot leader, is proud to announce its operational expansion into the Southeast region of the United States with an additional growing and packing facility in Sparks, Georgia, near Valdosta.
The Sparks facility represents a key milestone in Bolthouse Fresh Foods strategic growth, significantly expanding its agricultural and operational footprint and strengthening its distribution network in the Southeast.
This investment ensures a more efficient supply chain and improves service for customers across the region. Planting is already underway, with the first harvest expected in January—ensuring fresh, high-quality carrots are ready for consumers to enjoy at the start of the year.
“Establishing operations in Sparks, Georgia, marks an exciting chapter for Bolthouse Fresh Foods,” said Timothy Escamilla, Chief Executive Officer. “This investment expands our capacity, strengthens our supply, and elevates how we serve our customers—ensuring we can capture growth, meet rising demand, and drive category growth.”
Escamilla added, “Equally important, we’re excited to support the Sparks community with new job opportunities and local partnerships, creating long-term value for the region while advancing our mission to nourish people with fresh, nutritious food.”
This expansion builds on Bolthouse Fresh Foods’ legacy of delivering fresh, nutritious, and great-tasting carrots. With over 100 years of expertise in distribution efficiency and supply chain excellence, it underscores the company’s commitment to long-term growth and continued leadership in the industry.
About Bolthouse Fresh Foods
Headquartered in the heart of California’s Central Valley, Bolthouse Fresh Foods has been a trusted name in produce since 1915. As one of North America’s largest growers, packers, and distributors of fresh carrots, we serve a full range of eating occasions—from healthy snacking to meal prep staples. With a dedicated team of 1,600 employees across our growing, harvesting, and processing operations, we cultivate and distribute fresh carrots year-round through an integrated network that includes efficient rail shipping to our distribution center in Hodgkins, Illinois. You’ll find Bolthouse Fresh products in major retailers across the U.S. and in foodservice and manufacturing channels nationwide. In 2025, Bolthouse Fresh Foods was recognized by Fast Company as one of North America’s Most Innovative Companies, a testament to our commitment to bringing fresh thinking to the produce aisle.
Wonderful® Pistachios of Los Angeles is bringing a layer of indulgence to its fan-favorite snack lineup with the introduction of two products: Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Toffee. With these launches, Wonderful Pistachios marks its debut in the confectionary category without straying from its commitment to premium quality products and innovation.
Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Toffee pistachios deliver protein with a sweet punch and dark chocolate antioxidant goodness, offering consumers better-for-you ingredients when sweet cravings strike. Both products feature Wonderful Pistachios’ signature California-grown roasted pistachios, thinly dipped in rich dark chocolate made with 50% cacao, delivering a crave-worthy combination of salty and sweet that offers an indulgent twist on the brand’s award-winning portfolio.
“Consumers are increasingly looking for snacks that hit the sweet spot, literally and nutritionally,” said Diana Salsa, vice president of marketing for Wonderful Pistachios. “With Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Toffee, we’re giving snackers the best of both worlds: The crisp crunch of pistachios paired with a bite-sized amount of dark chocolate decadence. We’re excited to introduce a treat that delivers indulgence without compromise.”
Designed for those who want to treat themselves while still making mindful choices, this new offering is a smart snack that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Toffee will be available in resealable four-ounce bags, launching first at Walmart stores this fall and online at Walmart.com.
Most recently, Wonderful Pistachios has experienced tremendous growth by adding bold and savory varieties to its roster that tap into today’s viral flavor trends. The launch of Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Toffee marks the first time Wonderful Pistachios is creating an entirely new snacking category for itself. With this first step into chocolate, Wonderful Pistachios is expanding beyond traditional nut snacks and opening a whole new chapter for the brand.
Global blueberry exports reached 1 million tons in 2024, garnering revenues of $6.73 billion. Peru remained the leading exporter with 31-percent of the volume , followed by Chile, Spain, and Morocco, each with 8 percent, and the United States with 7 percent, according to Agraria, citing figures from Fluctuante.
Morocco climbed from seventh to fourth place in just one year, consolidating its rank among the top five exporters worldwide. The move reinforces its position as one of the most dynamic emerging players in the industry.
Morocco has increased its position in the international blueberry trade from 2009 through 2024, going from exporting just 636 tons to reaching a record 83,000 tons in 2024. This growth, with an average annual rate of 43 percent, reflects the consolidation of a dynamic and competitive industry that has taken advantage of its natural, technological, and geographical advantages.
This has resulted in Morocco managing to consolidate its presence in major international destinations, becoming one of the five largest blueberry exporters in the world.
Morocco plans to maintain an upward trend in its blueberry exports, both in terms of volume and value. The incorporation of new production areas, such as Dakhla and areas in the Atlas Mountains, will allow for an extended harvest season and more precise response to the demand windows of various international markets.
This territorial expansion, along with constant developments in agricultural practices, will contribute to strengthening the stability of Moroccan supply and improving its responsiveness compared to its main global competitors, such as Spain, Chile, and Peru.
At the same time, local exporters are adopting a more strategic and professional approach, adjusting their business models to address price volatility and establishing more direct links with destination markets.
If this trend continues, Morocco will not only consolidate its presence in Europe but will also be better positioned to gain access to new destinations such as Asia and the Middle East, thus strengthening its role within the global blueberry supply chain in the coming years.
The jackfruit market is gearing up to reach new heights. According to the latest data from Research Intelo, the global market for the fruit reached a valuation of $343.2 million in 2024, reflecting strong demand for the product worldwide.
These results align with the upward trend the market has been experiencing, translating into a projected growth rate of 6.7 percent from 2025 to 2033. By the end of 2033, the global jackfruit market is forecasted to be $620.4 million business.
This spiky-peel fruit may not be top of mind for most Americans, but the tide has been changing steadily in the last decade. Consumer awareness about plant-based diets and the ever-growing trends driving veganism and vegetarianism have translated into constant growth rates for the product.
Jackfruit has been known to be used as a delictable meat substitute in various recipes, such as vegan-friendly dishes like tacos, burgers, and stir-fries. Its shredded texture mimics pulled pork or chicken, making it an ideal component in plant-based diets.
This health-conscious approach is not limited to those adhering to vegetarian and vegan diets, as consumers are increasingly seeking additive-free, low-calorie, high-nutritional-value foods.
For consumers looking to align their values with their grocery list, jackfruit has also proven to be a sustainable product. Its trees are resilient, requiring minimal maintenance, and yielding a high amount of fruit per season. Their low carbon footprint and minimal input requirements position the product as an eco-friendly crop—a growing priority for sustainable agriculture investors.
It’s this nutritional value and culinary versatility that have transformed the global jackfruit market, turning this regional staple into a global superfood, gaining widespread popularity in Western markets.
Like any growing market with ample potential, the jackfruit market faces a few challenges that could hinder its sustained growth.
Limited supply chain infrastructure, post-harvest losses, and a lack of awareness among consumers in non-tropical regions remain significant hurdles that the fruit’s growers and distributors must overcome. Additionally, the fruit’s large size and perishable nature make transportation and storage difficult, making market expansion a logistical challenge.
However, technological advancements in food processing and preservation might change the landscape. Innovations in food processing, cold chain logistics, and packaging have begun to address long-standing challenges in the handling and storage of fruit.
Meanwhile, advanced vacuum sealing, freeze-drying, and canning techniques are extending the shelf life of jackfruit products. Additionally, new machinery is making it easier to process the fruit for mass consumption, enabling manufacturers to scale operations efficiently and reduce post-harvest waste.
Several startups are currently exploring ways to extend jackfruit’s shelf life, and the eventual creation of diverse product offerings, ranging from dehydrated chips to canned curry, could help distributors bypass the shelf-life conundrum altogether.
The market outlook for this tropical fruit is promising as health trends, environmental awareness, and food innovation continue to evolve.
Consumer interest in sustainable superfoods is expected to continue rising, boosting demand for the fruit in diverse formats—from fresh and frozen to snacks and meat alternatives. With growing investments in agritech and global supply chains, jackfruit is poised to transition from a niche ingredient to a mainstream dietary staple across continents.
Georgia Ports announced its activity now supports 650,965 full- and part-time jobs across the Peach State, according to a press release.
Compared to the same period last year, this raises the number to 41,770 jobs, according to an economic impact study by the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, representing a seven percent increase. In other words, Georgia Ports now help sustain 12 percent of total state employment, according to the study.
“Georgia’s ports are one of its strongest economic engines, fostering the development of virtually every industry,” said Jeff Humphreys, director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth, who conducted the study. “The ports are especially supportive of other forms of transportation, logistics, wholesale/distribution centers, warehousing, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, and mining.”
According to the new findings, the statewide economic impact of Georgia’s deepwater ports in fiscal year 2024 (from July 2023 to June 2024) includes $174 billion in sales, accounting for 11 percent of the state’s total sales; $77 billion in state GDP, representing 9 percent of Georgia’s total GDP; and $43 billion in income, amounting to 7 percent of Georgia’s total personal income.
Georgia Port Authority’s top three export commodity groups for the study period were forest products, food, and automotive cargo. The top imports were machinery, retail goods, and furniture.
“At Georgia Ports, we’re proud to be part of a team where everyone is pulling together in the same direction for success,” said GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch.
GPA Board Chairman Alec Poitevint noted the terminal improvements Georgia Ports is making to support growth are self-financed through port proceeds and do not rely on taxpayers.
The Port of Savannah handles 35 weekly vessel services, between 14,000 and 16,000 truck moves per day, and 42 double-stack trains per week. The Port of Brunswick became the nation’s busiest gateway for autos and heavy equipment in 2024, moving 901,000 units of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo.
The decline in Florida’s citrus crop continues.
According to a collection of annual reports, released Aug. 29 by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Florida’s total citrus acreage declined 24% this year compared to last. Total production is down 28% across all classes of citrus. While lemons were added to Florida’s production this past year, some counties saw staggering losses.
According to the annual Florida Commercial Citrus Inventory report, the state had 208,183 total acres of citrus for the 2024-25 year, representing roughly 32,538,800 trees. This is down 24% compared to the 2024 annual report, with a net loss of 66,522 acres, representing about 42,131,500 trees.
The 2024-25 acreage numbers are less than a quarter of what they were in 2000 (832,275 acres) when the survey data began.
By variety, orange acres took the largest hit, both proportionally and in raw acreage. At 183,860 acres, Florida’s orange acres are down almost 26% compared to last year’s 248,028 acres. For the 2024-25 year, orange acres represented 88.3% of total Florida citrus acres.
By comparison, total grapefruit acres (12,787) declined 10.6% from the prior year, and total specialty citrus acres (11,536) were down 6.6%.
The only variety within the report’s categories to see additional acreage in the 2025 report compared to the 2024 report was “other citrus,” part of the specialty citrus category. “Other citrus” includes lemons and excludes mandarins. That subcategory saw an additional 590 acres (11.4%) with a total of 5,762 acres in the current report.
Peru’s avocado revolution continues to expand in both new and established markets. In the first six months of 2025, the Latin American country’s avocado exports to the U.S. increased 42 percent compared to the same period last year. According to the Peruvian Exporters Association (ADEX), these deliveries generated a profit of $134 million for Peru.
The North American market is Peru’s third-largest export destination for avocados, following the Netherlands and Spain.
Overall, Peruvian avocado shipments increased 16 percent, totaling over $917 million. The increase was mainly driven by an 18 percent order uptick from the Netherlands, which accounts for 33.5 percent of total avocado exports.
Fresh avocados make up more than 95 percent of the country’s fruit exports, making it over $876 million. Other profitable categories are frozen avocados ($32.897 million) and avocado pulp or purée ($7.961 million).
According to Trade Map, in 2024, Peru was the world’s second-largest avocado exporter, second only to Mexico and ahead of the Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, Colombia, Chile, and Israel.
After two straight years of above-average production, apple growers expect another high-performing year, according to a new report released by the U.S. Apple Association (USApple) BB #:145473 at the organization’s 130th annual Outlook Conference in Chicago.
Authored by USApple Vice President of Insights and Analytics, Chris Gerlach, Industry Outlook 2025* provides the most up-to-date data and analysis on U.S. and global apple production, utilization and trade.
*The Outlook Report features the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates. Following the presentation of these figures, USApple members met in person to discuss current growing conditions and develop a more up-to-date production forecast — the numbers below reflect that adjustment.
U.S. Production
According to USApple’s analysis, total U.S. apple production for the 2025/26 crop year (CY) is forecast at:
• 11.7 billion pounds / 278.5 million bushels
• Up 1.3% from last year
• 3.6% above the five-year production average
These figures are more comprehensive than the USDA data, which only reflect the top seven apple-producing states. USApple analyzes production from states outside of the top seven and adds that into USDA’s figure. It also incorporates feedback from growers based on what they’re seeing in the field every day.
“The U.S. grows the best apples in the world, and this year we will certainly have plenty for domestic and global consumption,” said Gerlach. “That said, growers carefully select what comes off the tree to ensure only the highest quality fruit makes it to the store. And with skyrocketing labor costs, growers are having to be even more disciplined in their harvest decisions.”
Varietal Mix
At the varietal level, Gala is expected to retain the top spot with nearly 47 million bushels, accounting for 16% of the market.
The top five:
• Gala – 47 million bushels (16% of U.S. production)
• Red Delicious – 39 million bushels (13%)
• Honeycrisp – 34 million bushels (12%)
• Granny Smith – 32 million bushels (11%)
• Fuji – 25 million bushels (9%)
Varieties on the rise include Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Cosmic Crisp® and Pink Lady/Cripps Pink. Gala, Fuji and Rome are trending down.
Trade
While fresh apple exports declined 5% year over year, the U.S. maintained a strong trade balance in 2024/25 (July–June):
• Exports: 44M bushels
• Imports: <5M bushels
• Net exports: ~40M bushels valued at $900 million
“With another large crop on the way, maintaining and expanding exports is essential,” said Gerlach. “We’re exploring all avenues to strengthen our presence in established markets like Taiwan, Thailand, and India, while pushing to open new high-value markets such as South Korea and Japan.”
State Production
At the state level:
• Washington remains the nation’s top producer with a forecasted record crop of more than 180 million bushels valued at nearly $2.3 billion, up 1% from 2024/25.
• New York holds the No. 2 spot at 30.5 million bushels, a 0.7% decrease from last season.
• Michigan up 10% to about 30 million bushels.
• Pennsylvania up 2% at 10.5 million bushels.
• Virginia down 50% to 2.75 million bushels.
• Oregon up 40% to 3.9 million bushels.
Global Context
According to United Nations (UN) data, worldwide apple production is more than 5 billion bushels. In 2023 (latest data point), China alone was responsible for producing 51% of the world’s total supply, with the U.S. producing the second-largest share of the global crop.
• China – 2.6 billion bushels (51% of global supply)
• United States – 5.3% of global supply
• Turkey – 4.7%
• Poland – 4%
• India – 3%
“With China down 100 million bushels and Turkey’s crop off by 40%, the U.S. has a real opportunity,” said Gerlach. “Given Turkey’s role as a major supplier to India, this could open the door for us to regain market share there.”
US APPLE
USApple is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 36 state and regional apple associations, representing 26,000 apple growers throughout the country and more than 3,700 apple-related companies. Our members collectively grow more than 10 billion pounds of apples a year on average, supporting about 150,000 jobs and generating more than $8 billion in total wages and almost $23 billion in economic activity.
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