WESTLAKE VILLAGE - Bryan Barsness, a seasoned leader with a wealth of experience in agriculture, food technology, and business operations, has been appointed Business Development Director at Prophet. In his new role, Bryan will drive continued growth and innovation for Prophet ERP’s cutting-edge solutions tailored to the produce and agricultural industries. His expertise will further strengthen Prophet ERP's position as a leader in the convergence of technology and agribusiness.

Says Bryan, "Joining Prophet ERP is an incredible opportunity to bring a groundbreaking, custom-tailored solution to the produce and agricultural industries. I'm excited to work alongside such a talented team, leveraging leading technology to help customers streamline operations, improve efficiency, and achieve their goals. With markets seeing never-before-seen challenges, the industry is looking for an innovative yet established technology to help the next generation of leaders get the right information in their hands faster than ever. That solution is Prophet."

Bryan’s career, which spans over two decades, is rooted in innovation and technology, a press release explained. He graduated with a degree in Agricultural Business with a concentration in International Management and a minor in Spanish from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. His early career included impactful roles, such as leading the implementation of a computerized inventory system at Del Rey Avocado, and driving Primus Labs certification. Bryan's entrepreneurial spirit was evident throughout his 10-year tenure at Famous Software, an ERP software company. As a key player in managing customer implementations and providing bilingual support, Bryan transitioned into a sales role, where he quickly became the company’s top performer. His success set the stage for future leadership roles.

As Vice President at ProducePay, Bryan drove transformative sales growth before being recruited to duplicate such success at Linkfresh, facilitating its acquisition by Aptean. Bryan's leadership continued with ProduceIQ, where he co-founded the company and led sales and marketing, achieving remarkable growth within the first six months. Most recently, Bryan led sales and marketing efforts at GrubMarket, helping to elevate the tech solutions at one of the world's largest privately held food-tech companies to reach all new heights.

Now, as Business Development Director at Prophet ERP, Bryan will continue to leverage his deep industry knowledge and leadership skills to propel the company's mission to deliver best-in-class ERP solutions to the produce and agricultural sectors.

“We are excited to welcome Bryan Barsness to the Prophet ERP team as our new Business Development Director,” said CEO Paul Stofberg. “Bryan's extensive experience in agriculture, food technology, and his proven track record of driving sales and innovation will undoubtedly enhance our ability to deliver exceptional ERP solutions to the produce and agricultural sectors. His leadership aligns perfectly with our vision of leveraging technology to fuel growth and sustainability in the industry.”

LOS ANGELES, CA - Pacific Trellis Fruit, a leading importer, grower, and marketer of premium fresh fruit, is pleased to announce the addition of Shelby Obert as its new Marketing Manager.

Shelby brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, having spent the past five years in the fresh produce industry. Most recently, she served as Senior Marketing Manager at a prominent fresh produce consulting agency, where she led impactful brand campaigns and managed direct customer and consumer strategies for clients throughout the produce value chain.

“We are thrilled to welcome Shelby to the Pacific Trellis Fruit team,” said Howard Nager, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Pacific Trellis Fruit. “Her proven track record in the fresh produce industry, combined with her strategic marketing vision and passion for the sector, make her an invaluable asset as we continue to grow and strengthen our Dulcinea® brand.”

In her new role, Shelby will be responsible for the development and execution of marketing initiatives aimed at enhancing Dulcinea’s brand presence and supporting our growers, customers, and consumer initiatives. Her extensive experience in the fresh produce industry equips her to drive innovation and elevate the company’s marketing efforts to new heights.

“I am excited to join the Pacific Trellis Fruit team and contribute to its legacy of delivering high-quality fruit and memorable experiences to consumers,” said Obert. “I look forward to collaborating with the team to create impactful marketing strategies that resonate and highlight the exceptional value of our products.”

Congratulations to Shelby Obert on this new position!

PROVIDENCE, RI - United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) completed its Spring and Summer Selling Show in San Diego, CA, the first of the company’s 2025 show season. The two-day show brought together more than 4,300 attendees, connecting 1,800 retailers with 800 supplier brands. Exhibitors showcased thousands of unique brands spanning natural, organic, fresh, specialty, and conventional grocery products.

During the show, UNFI experts discussed current trends and emerging growth opportunities across the grocery retail industry. According to a press release, top trends include:

1. Retail media is projected to grow over 24% annually between 2024 and 2028.
2. Private label brands are estimated to grow ~40% over the next six years.
3. Fresh product growth is now outpacing the rest of the store.
4. Natural/organic and functional food/beverages are expected to grow ~4% annually over the next four years.
5. Creating a differentiated experience is key to success for grocery retailers of all sizes.

Louis Martin, President of Conventional Grocery Products and UNFI Chief Commercial Officer, reflected on the continued growth of retail media and said, “While many retailers are engaging their shoppers digitally, there are still untapped opportunities to create a more comprehensive and customized digital experience. By partnering with UNFI, both retailers and suppliers can access our broad range of digital and professional services, like the UNFI Media Network, to drive profitable growth.”

A highlight of the show was a conversation with UNFI Co-Founder and Board Member Michael Funk, who shared his perspectives on the evolution of the grocery industry and UNFI’s focus on helping its customers be as competitive as possible. He said, “Innovation is key to keeping this industry vibrant. We need to constantly reset and adapt to best meet the needs of our customers.”

“We have a true partnership with UNFI, who’s been our primary distributor since 2010,” said Aaron Jones, Senior Director of Merchandising and Logistics, Bristol Farms. “I've enjoyed growing the relationship, finding unique brands, and learning about new-to-market products UNFI is bringing in. We’ve continued to strengthen our partnership on every level, from corporate buying to our store teams.”

During the show’s Pitch Slam competition, emerging suppliers in UNFI’s UpNext program had the opportunity to pitch their innovative new products to a live audience. “We’re thrilled to be a UNFI UpNext supplier,” said Eric Ji Sun Wu, Co-Founder of Sobo Foods and winner of the San Diego Pitch Slam. "We don’t know how we would have done this without the endlessly patient support the UNFI team has given us and the unreal visibility for Sobo Foods at this event.”

To support communities impacted by the Los Angeles County fires, the UNFI Foundation provided a donation to Food Forward, a nonprofit organization that is working to deliver fresh produce to the affected areas.

_*Sources:

1. _{Emarketer – Retail Media Ad Spending Forecast H1 2024}
2. _{Morgan Stanley – Private Label Tipping Point}
3. _{NielsenIQ Discover, Total US x AOC, all departments, data through 11/30/24}
4. _{Nutritional Business Journal “State of Natural Four-Year Forecast” (2024-2028)}

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - Caliber, a stakeholder intelligence company helping brands build trust, released its annual U.S. Fortune 30 Most Trusted & Liked Companies Survey, finding that Amazon, Costco, and UPS have the best corporate reputation among the biggest listed companies in the United States in 2024, just ahead of well-respected brands like FedEx and Lowe’s. The same study also found that significantly more companies fell in the Trust & Like Score (TLS) ranking, compared to years past, when reputation scores have risen or remained neutral.

Amazon, Costco, and UPS topped the list with a TLS of 78—two points lower than last year for Amazon and one point higher for both Costco and UPS, a press release stated. Costco and UPS are two of only five companies on the list this year to improve their TLS. Freight and package delivery company FedEx followed at a score of 77 and home improvement and hardware store chains Lowe’s and Home Depot tied for third at 76 points.

“Amazon maintains its strong reputation and position at the top of the list, which likely reflects its consistent presence in most Americans’ lives and its continued drive to innovate,” said Caliber CEO Shahar Silbershatz. “The fact that Amazon has maintained this lead even with a two-point drop in its Trust & Like Score is an impressive sign of the reputational capital it has banked, given the reputational hurdles like employee strikes that it faced in 2024. The company’s investments in and partnership with OpenAI rival Anthropic likely also contributed to its position at the top of the list and the 44.4% increase in its share price, keeping it competitive for its key stakeholders.”

Here’s this year’s top 10:

• Amazon
• Costco
• UPS
• FedEx
• Lowe’s
• The Home Depot
• Kroger
• CVS Health
• Target
• Walmart

A string of household names filled out the top 10 this year, including retailers Kroger, Lowe’s, CVS, and Target. Other notable rankings include Apple (12th place with a TLS of 70, down four points from 2023), Meta (29th place with a TLS of 54, down four), and Tesla (30th place with a TLS of 53, down nine). This cemented Tesla’s status as the biggest faller of the year, its TLS having fallen further than any other company by a margin of at least five.

Caliber’s annual Trust & Like Score ranking is based on a daily tracking study that measures public perceptions of the 30 largest and most visible Fortune 500 companies, selected based on their annual revenue and familiarity among the general public. This year’s results are based on 14,230 evaluations throughout 2024 representing the U.S. population.

The U.S. ranking is one of 11 country rankings that Caliber will publish this year.

Adidas has the best corporate reputation in Germany, while Michelin has the top spot in France and cosmetics group Natura tops the list in Brazil. Food retail giant Tesco claims the best reputation in the U.K.

WASHINGTON - Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers, and consumer groups, is proud to announce the return and expansion of its educational course curriculum for 2025. Building on the success of last year’s programming, EFI continues to support agricultural professionals with knowledge and tools that promote safer workplaces, enhanced collaboration, employee retention, and environmental stewardship.

Launched last year, EFI’s course curriculum was designed to address critical issues in the agricultural sector, including workplace inclusivity, effective communication, and sustainability. More than 500 people attended in 2024, with standout sessions such as the Fostering Respectful and Inclusive Workplaces seminar and the ECIP Introductory webinar, which drew over 100 registrations. Online resources saw robust engagement, drawing thousands of workshop page visits and new users exploring EFI’s comprehensive offerings.

This year, EFI is expanding its curriculum with new webinars, seminars, workshops, and courses tailored to the evolving needs of the industry.

EFI Product Marketing Manager Madelyn Edlin commented, “By equipping the industry with practical strategies to attract and retain skilled workers, align with the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices, and enhance sustainability efforts, we are helping to create a more resilient food supply chain.”

Among notable topic additions is "Securing a Reliable Workforce: How to Attract and Retain Skilled Labor," a seminar focused on addressing labor shortages. Also added in 2025 is a hands-on workshop, "Leading With Impact: Supervisor Training," to enhance leadership skills among agricultural supervisors. EFI has also introduced a free sustainability mini-series, underscoring its commitment to people-centric environmental responsibility and climate-forward farming practices.

Returning favorites such as Sustainability 101 and Facilitation 101 & 102 ensure participants can build on their knowledge while accessing fresh insights and tools to navigate emerging challenges. According to a press release, participants will have opportunities to learn from industry experts, engage with peers, and explore practical solutions to issues like workforce retention and audit implementation.

“The agricultural industry continues to face big challenges, from labor shortages to the growing need for sustainability training and practices,” Edlin continued. “We are committed to addressing these needs by equipping growers, farmworkers, and stakeholders with the knowledge, skills, and strategies they need to create a more equitable and efficient workplace.”

EFI’s online learning opportunities have become a vital resource for promoting collaboration and innovation within the fresh produce supply chain. By uniting diverse stakeholders and fostering respectful, inclusive workplaces, EFI helps create a foundation for long-term success across the industry.