UNITED STATES - An idea, an issue, a challenge takes on two lives in fresh produce. There is the one that unfolds internally between colleagues, customers, and advocates in the trade, and then there is the story that lives in the minds of the consumer. The current Cyclospora outbreak is one such story. As the event continues to dominate headlines, a broader impact has taken hold, stripping down consumer confidence and produce consumption. While we know that the current investigation is focused on specific products, many consumers appear to be treating the entire produce department as a risk.
Suppliers across categories tell me the danger in this is that produce sales have declined significantly, as consumers, fueled by social media and unsupported, unverifiable accusations, have chosen to avoid produce as a whole instead of specific products.
From misrepresented raspberries, tomatoes, mushrooms, and herbs to a range of other produce items appearing in national media coverage of the outbreak to social media conjecture, those visuals are reinforcing confusion and contributing to broader declines in consumer confidence.
Those reductions in produce movement are creating real consequences.
This industry is not for the faint of heart. Our growers and supply chain companies are already inundated by growing input costs and disruptive weather conditions. The wide net cast by reduced demand only adds to that pressure. This is not a criticism, but a rallying cry, for those organizations and category leaders to come together and streamline messaging, connect to the consumer, and find a voice that is stronger—and more accurate—than those voices out there right now.
Growers warn that if consumption does not rebound immediately, they will be forced to make difficult decisions around future plantings, acreage, pruning schedules, harvest plans, and other investments.
The consequences move faster than the planting calendar. If there is no crop to sell, it will not be packed. If it is not packed, crews have no work. And crews will not wait. They move on to other opportunities rather than stand alongside growers, hoping consumers start buying fresh again. There is serious concern here, because a labor force that walks away this season does not simply reassemble the next.
This goes beyond the impact of the year's P&L sheets. The tide of consumer demand will not shift back overnight. Suppliers and retailers need to come together behind a single source of information, then communicate aligned messaging to consumers.
Retailers are not standing outside this. They are feeling the same pressures the supply side is feeling. The value of the basket depends heavily on the produce department, and when consumers stop buying fresh, that impact lands on the retail floor, too. The work in front of all of us is the same work: Restore consumer confidence in the produce aisle, promote consumption, support customer communications, and help rebuild trust.
I don't need to tell you why it is important that consumers refer only to accredited sources and continue following FDA and CDC guidance to maintain healthy eating habits that include fresh fruits and vegetables.
Our industry friends are clear that this is not a story about minimizing food safety concerns. Food safety must always come first. Rather, it's about helping the industry communicate facts clearly, supporting informed consumer decisions, and preventing unnecessary damage to categories and commodities that have no connection to the outbreak.
