Posts Tagged “feature”
With the citrus season underway in the Southern Hemisphere, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) released a statement projecting a 15 percent increase in citrus imports this season.
To gear up for the surge, the ports are ramping up investments in cold chain facilities and enhanced vessel services.
Savannah and Brunswick ports now offer new shipping routes connecting West and South Africa to Savannah, with a 26-day transit time.
Georgia Ports Authority’s CEO, Griff Lynch, states that the ports are prepared for initial arrivals from South Africa, South America, and other regional markets, expected to begin in May and June.
“This year, we will be serving a broader portfolio of citrus customers and cold chain shippers,” Lynch adds. “We’ve added new vessel services to citrus markets, and we have a new $4.5 million temperature-controlled, CBP inspection site opening in June, which is on our Garden City Terminal for ease of use.”
US Customs and Border Protection operations at the Port of Savannah will expand to include a 4,000-square-foot refrigerated space for inspections of chilled cargo. This will allow produce importers to choose on-port or off-dock inspections at refrigerated warehouses.
This feature is part of a new 300,000-square-foot facility at Garden City Terminal, which opened in February and is being expanded to support temperature-controlled cargo requiring inspections by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
According to market data agency Verified Market Reports, growth is driven primarily by the health trend, an increasing demand for organic and locally sourced fruits and vegetables, and a shift toward convenient, at-home, healthy eating.
North America leads in produce box demand, accounting for approximately 38 percent of total market revenue.
According to the report, in the US specifically, consumers seek consistent access to a diverse, high-quality range of national produce, which isn’t always easy depending on the state and region.
Violet Jordan, Sourcing and Fulfillment Manager at Chicago’s independent grocery store Forty Acre Fresh Market, has watched the business blossom from a subscription service into a bustling storefront.
Yet, the appetite for produce boxes remains as strong as ever.
She explained that the store opening prompted some customers to change their produce box subscriptions—from every week to every other week—so they could pick out products available at the brick-and-mortar location. To her, this reflects the audience’s commitment to healthy eating and a personal engagement with the local food system.
Forty Acre Fresh Market serves all of the Windy City, offering subscriptions that include local herbs and vegetables as well as a rotating selection of produce sourced nationwide.
“There aren’t many fruits grown in Chicago,” Jordan explained. “We’re sourcing from different growers, from here, the Midwest, Illinois—as long as it’s good quality, which is what our customers care about the most.”
But just as great-tasting produce, seasonality is also a crucial element driving subscriptions, she says.
“People want to cook in sync with the weather,” Jordan added. “Once we kind of hit fall and winter, I’m bringing in a lot more winter squashes or pumpkins. Once we get summer, I like to bring in some watermelon; a lot more fresh stuff.”
She explained that Forty Acre Fresh Market offers three types of produce boxes at different price points, which change weekly based on availability. However, the subscription model offers flexibility that greatly benefits the business, but demands a certain level of trust from the subscriber.
For example, after this year’s freezes in Florida, blueberries were scarce, so the team reached out to customers to ask about their preferred alternative—blackberries or strawberries.
“Sometimes our stock shifts with what we’re able to get in the price range—because we don’t want to get things that are super expensive and then have to pass that cost on to customers,” she explained.
Jordan noted that berries and greens are essential in the produce box, peaches are popular in summer, and watermelons are consistently well-received. She explained that a major benefit of the subscription is outsourcing decision-making to someone who understands seasonality and knows which categories and items to pick each time.
Overall, she believes the produce subscription box trend offers a unique experience, with continued demand driven by convenience and expert selection of seasonal produce.
Peruvian avocado exports soared by 38 percent in 2025, but expectations are lower for this year.
The 2026 Peruvian Hass avocado season is projected to close with exports exceeding 765 thousand metric tons (MT), a six percent increase from the 723 thousand MT exported in 2025, according to ProHass.
Europe will remain the main destination for Peruvian Hass avocados. with shipments to the continent estimated at 488 thousand MT, equivalent to 64 percent of the total exported volume. However, Europe’s explosive 39 percent growth in 2025 is unlikely to be repeated, forcing exporters and importers to plan their commercial operations accordingly and ensure an orderly supply during the season.
The United States is expected to receive six percent more fruit, equivalent to about 107 thousand MT, while Asia is projected to reach nearly 82 thousand MT, an eight percent increase over the previous year. This consolidates Asia’s growing relevance to the Peruvian Hass avocado industry, especially in markets such as China, Korea, and Japan.
Meanwhile, Chile and Argentina will jointly account for around 86 thousand MT, maintaining their complementary roles within the sector’s export strategy.
California strawberry loadings are expected to remain ample throughout the season.
The California Strawberry Commission of Watsonville, CA projects weekly volumes between 7 and 8 million trays through August, supporting sustained retail promotions and consistent market availability during key demand periods.
California, which accounts for approximately 90 percent of US strawberry production, is expected to see a slight expansion in planted area.
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), acreage in the Golden State is projected to increase by two percent year-on-year to about 43,700 acres. This growth, combined with the introduction of new varieties, is expected to support an uplift in fresh output.
“We project an increase in overall fresh production compared to 2025, based on a slight increase in acreage and the new varieties now in production,” Christian says. Peak shipments are expected between May and August, aligning with historical consumption trends.
Despite some pest pressure linked to warm conditions, growers continue to report strong crop performance. Overall, the market outlook points to a well-supplied season characterized by strong production fundamentals, good fruit quality, and continued promotional opportunities.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have found that anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for the deep red color in dark sweet cherries, may help slow the spread of one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.
Published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in July 2025, the study examined the chemopreventive effects of dark sweet cherry extracts rich in anthocyanins, as well as their potential to complement chemotherapy with doxorubicin, on the spread and growth of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Using a mouse model, researchers divided test subjects into four groups: a control group, a preventive anthocyanin group, a chemotherapy-only group (using doxorubicin), and a combined treatment group. Anthocyanins were administered 1 week before implantation, and tumor growth was tracked over multiple days after tumors formed.
Results showed that treatments that included anthocyanins resulted in slower tumor growth, reduced cancer spread to multiple organs, and altered gene activity linked to metastasis and treatment resistance.
According to the research, mice given anthocyanin-rich cherry extracts before tumor development showed slower tumor growth with no noticeable side effects.
The tumor was suppressed earlier in mice taking both the dark sweet cherry extract and undergoing chemotherapy than in those only treated with chemotherapy. They also maintained their body weight, and some even gained some.
Mice treated with chemotherapy alone experienced slowed tumor growth, only later in the study, and at times lost weight.
Antocyanin treatments also reduced the spread of cancer to the lungs beyond what was observed with no treatment or chemotherapy alone, and lowered the likelihood of cancer spreading to other organs, although the number and size of tumors varied among individual animals.
Texas A&M University Research Scientist Giuliana Noratto Stevens says these findings are important because TNBC is considered one of the most aggressive cancers due to its rapid cell division, higher likelihood of spreading, and difficulty in treating.
Unlike other breast cancer types, TNBC lacks key molecular targets—such as hormone receptors and HER2 protein expression—making it more difficult to treat and more prone to spreading to organs such as the lungs and brain.
Further research is needed to better understand how these compounds behave in the body, including their absorption, safety, and effectiveness in clinical settings, Noratto emphasizes. However, she adds that the findings point to new avenues for exploring how fruit-derived compounds could contribute to cancer treatment strategies.
By Makenna Christensen ALC Logistics
For over half a century, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has leveraged its unique ability to secure federal EPA waivers to set emissions standards that have dramatically reduced pollution and improved air quality across California. While CARB deserves credit for its historic accomplishments, its recent trajectory has sparked concern. The agency’s mandate to achieve carbon neutrality in the freight and logistics sector will be nearly impossible without widespread, bipartisan buy-in. Further, without a massive expansion of our electrical grid and a full-scale overhaul of supporting infrastructure, we risk placing an impossible burden on the carriers that keep goods moving across the United States.
Compounding this pressure is a federal government locked in a decades-long battle over climate policy. As federal waivers are granted and revoked with each change in presidential administration, the resulting regulatory whiplash makes long-term business planning nearly impossible.
| When President Trump took office last year, he made clear that many Biden-era waivers would not survive his second term. Rather than simply revoking them, his administration worked with Congress to successfully invoke the Congressional Review Act (CRA) against three specific EPA waivers. These CRA resolutions not only void the EPA waivers, but they also permanently ban the EPA from issuing any ‘substantially similar’ rules without formal approval from Congress. California responded by filing a lawsuit against the federal government that challenges the constitutionality of the resolutions; the case is ongoing. Faced with a federal roadblock, California lawmakers are attempting to circumvent the federal government entirely with Assembly Bill 1777. This legislation would give CARB and other air regulators the power to regulate “indirect sources of pollution.” By labeling warehouses, railyards, and ports as ‘pollution centers,’ the state shifts the burden of emissions reduction squarely onto the shoulders of shippers and receivers across California. If passed, AB 1777 will likely face intense litigation. For many shippers and receivers, these ‘indirect source rules’ are more than just a legislative threat; they are a present-day reality. In recent weeks, CARB has quietly ramped up enforcement of its Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) regulations. Under these rules, large facilities receiving refrigerated shipments must either report every TRU that enters their gates or sign a declaration, under penalty of perjury, that they will not permit non-compliant units on-site. Ultimately, state and federal regulators remain deadlocked in a high-stakes political chess match. But it isn’t the politicians who will suffer the consequences; it’s the U.S. supply chain and everyday consumers who are left to navigate the chaos. ***** Makenna Christensen graduated from Marquette University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Human Resources. In July of the same year, she joined the Allen Lund Company as a Software Marketing Coordinator for ALC Logistics. She is a proud alumna of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council’s Apprenticeship Program, Class of 2024. makenna.christensen@alclogistics.com |
Zespri’s RubyRed kiwifruit exports to the US are projected to triple this year, with the fruit hitting store shelves by mid-April.
New Zealand’s kiwi powerhouse Zespri also is bringing its berry-flavored RubyRed variety to retailers in Australia, Vietnam, and Canada.
Zespri credits this expansion to a bumper crop, with production jumping from three million trays in 2025 to five million, or 18,000 tons. This season, thanks to increased volume and demand, RubyRed will reach shoppers in 16 markets.
Zespri notes that RubyRed Kiwifruit has quickly captured North American taste buds, especially the US, and now plays a key role in launching the company’s sales season.
The company reports consumers are loving its bright red colour and sweet, berry-like taste, and it’s also attracting new and younger consumers to the kiwifruit category, as well as the wider fruit category.
Fowler, CA based Bee Sweet Citrus shipping department has launched an online check-in platform for drivers picking up fruit at their facility. This custom digital portal enables seamless two-way communication between drivers and shipping clerks, ensuring a hassle-free pickup experience, the press release read.
“Our new, custom-built shipping portal offers an easy and effective way for drivers to check in for their pick-ups prior to arrival,” stated Bee Sweet Citrus Shipping Manager Salvador Rivera. “By using our portal, drivers minimize unnecessary wait times at our facility, and the system is conveniently accessible on both desktop and mobile devices.”
Before the portal, all drivers checked in at Bee Sweet Citrus’ shipping office using paper forms to provide shipment, driver, and product details. These forms required manual verification by the company’s shipping clerks, making the process time-consuming—especially if errors occurred.
Each day, up to 150 carriers move through Bee Sweet’s shipping department. With 24 available docks and cross-docking capabilities, maintaining an efficient check-in process is essential for drivers, customers, and Bee Sweet Citrus’ shipping team.
“After a driver checks into our portal, a clerk can digitally confirm their information and assign a pick-up time,” Rivera continued. “An authorization code is then sent to the driver to enter the facility, followed by further instruction regarding their shipment.”
The portal also allows drivers to select their preferred language for all communications, further supporting Bee Sweet’s commitment to a smooth check-in process.
To access the portal, drivers should visit https://shipping.beesweetcitrus.com/. For questions, call Bee Sweet’s shipping department at 559-834-4214.
A grower, packer and shipper of premium California citrus, Bee Sweet Citrus is a leader in today’s agriculture industry. Founded in 1987, Bee Sweet Citrus is a family owned and operated company and provides approximately 10 different citrus varieties to its consumers! Located in the heart of California’s Central Valley, Bee Sweet is focused on innovation, sustainability and customer satisfaction.
Moving into the next quarter of the Washington apple shipping season, the industry has continued to revise crop estimates downward, according to the Produce Alliance LLC of Chicago.
Current projections place the crop near 130 million boxes, compared to early-season expectations of 140 plus million boxes. The adjustment has largely been driven by lower-than-anticipated pack-out
percentages across several varieties, reducing the overall number of fresh market cartons available.
At this point, the crop is estimated to be roughly 8% smaller than last season, which has begun to
tighten the supply picture as the storage season progresses.
Sizing continues to be one of the primary challenges this season. The crop skewed larger overall, and
smaller sizes that were packed (113–175 ct) are being heavily directed into retail bag programs, which are currently paying a premium over traditional tray pack markets.
As a result, foodservice and wholesale channels are seeing tight availability on the smaller counts. Washington will continue to ship fruit from controlled atmosphere storage with good overall quality, but the combination of reduced pack-outs, smaller storage inventories, and strong retail bagdemand is expected to keep markets firm.
The latest US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS) report comes bearing good news and a revised forecast for the Florida citrus industry, up two percent from the previous January estimate.
The good news comes following a devastating February freeze that wreaked havoc on the state’s blueberry and strawberry fields.
Florida will end the season with 12.2 million boxes, down only one percent from the previous year. Non-Valencia oranges will account for 4.7 million boxes, while Valencia orange numbers remain unchanged at the category’s end of the season in January, with a projection of 7.5 million boxes.
The effects of the cold snap might have been more evident in variables such as Valencia orange fruit size and droppage, which were below and above average, respectively.
The estimate for other Florida grapefruit production is up four percent, says the report, sitting at 1.25 million boxes—50,000 more in January. In the citrus breakdown, white grapefruit forecast is down 20 percent, while red grapefruit is up by 70,000 boxes, reaching 1.17 million.
Lemon growers are also celebrating, as the category’s forecast is up 29 percent since January, reaching 900,000 boxes. Meanwhile, tangerine and tangelos production will be up 13 percent, says the USDA, sitting at 450,000 boxes.
The agency’s citrus report also included revised estimates for other producing states, including California, Arizona, and Texas.
In the Golden State, all-orange production is expected to increase to 48.5 million boxes, up six percent since January. Lemons are also up to 26 million boxes, while tangerines and mandarins are up 11 percent and sit at 30 million boxes. The state’s grapefruit forecast remains unchanged at 4.3 million boxes.
Down south, the forecast for Texas oranges kept steady, with a slight one percent increase, leaving production at 910,000 boxes. Grapefruit did take a hit, with a 10 percent decrease that reduced the production estimate to two million boxes.
The lemon projection for Arizona was also down, though a bit more dramatically. The state estimate decreased by more than 20 percent, to 950,000 boxes.
The next and final USDA forecast for the 2025/26 season will be published on July 10.