SEATTLE , WA - It’s Yumi watermelon and cherry season over at Charlie’s Produce! The supplier is ready to meet summertime demand for these fresh fruits, and I recently got in touch with P.J. Cawley, Global Purchasing Manager of Organics and Farmer’s Own, and Laura Severance, Marketing Director, to discuss what’s in store for this season.

“Charlie’s Produce has plenty of availability this season on Yumi watermelons, with more traditional yields. We continue to expand the program as the demand and following for the Yumi brand increases,” P.J. told me. “During peak season, we ship over a million pounds a week.”

In California, Charlie’s Produce’s Yumi watermelons are grown from mid-May through the majority of July. Washington-grown fruit starts in the last week of July and runs through Labor Day, including conventional watermelon.

The supplier provides dynamic branding to entice retail shoppers to add Yumi watermelons to their carts. Plus, it touts a fresh-cut program, available in organic and conventional, and will have availability of the new Yumi Organic watermelon x Healeo Juice in August.

In addition to watermelon, Charlie’s Produce reports a strong crop for Yumi cherries this year.

“We launched Yumi red and Rainier cherries in the summer of 2023, with availability from early June to late July,” Laura added. “Eastern Washington is known for growing the best cherries. Long, warm days and cool nights provide the perfect growing climate for lots of orchards on hills and slopes in the Yakima and Wenatchee areas.”

The Yumi brand has had an impressive track record in recent years. Yumi strawberries launched in 2022, blueberries and cherries launched in 2023, raspberries and blackberries launched in 2024, and northwest-grown cranberries will be coming this fall.

Stop by booth #314 at the Organic Produce Summit to try the organic Yumi watermelon and learn more about Charlie’s Produce’s organic programs. And keep reading ANUK to stay up to date on the industry’s latest.

DALLAS, TX - A collaboration of epic proportions is taking place in the transportation segment. Uber Freight has partnered with Aurora Innovation to launch Premier Autonomy, which provides early access to over 1 billion of Aurora’s driverless miles to Uber Freight carriers through 2030. The program furthers their commitment to integrate and deploy autonomous trucks on the Uber Freight network. Uber Freight will be one of Aurora's first customers on its Dallas-to-Houston route, with driverless hauls at the end of 2024.

“Uber Freight and Aurora see a tremendous opportunity to democratize autonomous trucks for carriers of all sizes, enabling them to drive more revenue, scale their fleets, and strengthen their bottom lines,” said Lior Ron, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Uber Freight. “Autonomous trucks will make moving goods more efficient, and this industry-first program will help facilitate and accelerate the adoption of autonomous trucks with our carriers. We’re proud to work alongside the amazing team at Aurora to bring this technology into the hands of carriers and ultimately usher in a new era of logistics.”

Premier Autonomy will pave the way for Uber Freight carriers to begin driverless operations in the years to come. The program offers carriers an early and streamlined path to purchase and onboard the Aurora Driver.

Today, a human-driven truck takes two to three days to move freight from Dallas to Los Angeles. With the Aurora Driver, that trip has the potential to be completed in a single day. A press release noted that Aurora’s research indicates autonomous trucks could be up to 32 percent more energy efficient than traditional trucking.

“With Uber Freight, we can provide hundreds of carriers priority access to autonomous truck capacity that they wouldn’t otherwise have. Working with carriers of all sizes is one of the many ways we will transform the industry and see thousands of driverless trucks on the road,” said Ossa Fisher, President of Aurora. “It’s exciting and validating that companies like Uber Freight are reserving our long-term capacity for their customers. We all see collective value in this offering.”

For carriers interested in the Premier Autonomy Program click here; for more from the press release, click here.

Stay tuned for more transportation news in the industry.

SACRAMENTO, CA - Using less to make more has long been the fresh industry’s mantra, but ensuring consumers understand this is another labor entirely. Sacramento’s acclaimed Museum of Science and Curiosity (MOSAC) is working to make a dent in this effort with its Water Challenge Exhibit, interactive displays that illustrate how farmers are working hard to use less water.

“Our water exhibits bring home the fact that water is essential to grow our food and that California farmers are leading the world in conserving it,” Farm Water Coalition Executive Director Mike Wade said. “It’s important that everyone knows that farmers are using water in an efficient manner and that as consumers, we all depend on farmers.”

Jacob DeBoer, Regional Marketing Manager with American AgCredit, and Kevin Ralph, AgWest Farm Credit’s California President, reflected on the importance of creating innovative ways to educate Californians about California ag’s crucial role. It is why, according to a press release, Farm Credit organizations serving the state’s farmers and ranchers are contributing $100,000 to Cultivate California this year.

“Providing accurate information about California agriculture to our state’s mainly urban population is critically important, and every year Cultivate California finds new creative ways to reach people online and get them to engage with the content,” Ralph said. “Farm Credit looks forward to continuing to help them spread the good news about the state’s farms and ranches.”

Since opening in November 2021, more than 331,000 visitors have toured the facility, which features dozens of interactive exhibits on health care, nature, space exploration, and more, in addition to water. The complete release is available here.

“Firmly rooted in American AgCredit’s core values is an unwavering commitment to the communities where we work and live,” DeBoer said. “The MOSAC exhibit does such a great job of educating California consumers on how vital water is in growing the food that feeds our families, and how farmers are always aiming to optimize their water usage to ensure they’re being good stewards of our land.”

The MOSAC exhibit is one part of Cultivate California’s toolkit. Wade said a recent digital campaign reached about 10 million people in 2023 and resulted in over 165,000 people engaging with the material through likes, comments, and shares. To reach an even broader audience, the campaign is branching out into social media platforms that cater to younger audiences.

“None of this would be possible without the ongoing support of the Farm Credit system,” Wade said. “Farm Credit is among our most generous supporters, allowing us to drive our messaging the way we intended.”

Making science fun while impressing the importance of practices society takes for granted is a key way to educate Californians and beyond about the vital link between farms, ranches, water supplies, and our way of life as a whole. Cultivate California strives to do so while also sharing how the ag community is working hard to grow even more food and fiber while using less water, a commendable and critical mission!

OTTAWA, ON - There’s nothing like a centennial to get the party started! Not only is this year’s Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s 2025 Annual Convention and Trade Show (CPMA 2025 Fresh Week) 90 percent sold out as of June 26, but the non-profit organization will also be celebrating its 100-year anniversary.

“We are looking forward to reconnecting with industry members once again in Montreal,” says Ron Lemaire, CPMA President. “This year’s event will be even more special as we will not only provide members with exceptional education, networking, and business development opportunities but also celebrate the organization’s 100 years of supporting the growth of the produce industry.”

A press release stated that due to the 90 percent sell-out, the remaining space will be on sale on a first-come, first-serve basis. The event will host more than 300 companies at over 650 booths, comprised of major growers, importers, and exporters from around the world.

Concurrent events include the New Produce Showcase program which introduces innovative products to the market, as well as an Innovation Zone that will feature cutting-edge technology, products, and services. Speaker sessions will be held with industry experts, along with social evenings for networking opportunities and connecting with peers.

The CPMA Annual Convention and Trade Show brings together attendees from the entire produce supply chain and buy-side, from farm gate to dinner plate, each year. It is also Canada’s largest produce industry event!

CPMA 2025 Fresh Week will take place April 8-10, 2025, in Montreal, Quebec, at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. Exhibitor info and opportunities can be found on the event’s website here.

Don’t forget to stick with AndNowUKnow for more upcoming industry events.

CHARLOTTE, NC - The Organic Produce Summit 2024 is nearly here, presenting an opportunity for many companies in fresh produce who jump at the chance to share their unique programs in a high-quality and intimate atmosphere. Dole Food Company is one of those best-in-class operations bringing its platform this year. With an anniversary to celebrate, we jumped at the chance to showcase its message.

“With more than 25 years of organic banana program experience, Dole’s credentials as a world-class organic grower are already firmly established,” Bil Goldfield, Director of Corporate Communications, shares with me. “Dole is the largest grower and distributor of both premium organic bananas and pineapples in the United States and should be the brand retailers turn to in this space, with practices and scale to deliver consistent quality products and meaningful impacts.”

With fresh produce leading the charge as a key category across global retail, Bil adds that more and more consumers are trading up from conventional to organic in many produce categories.

“The ability to consistently exceed and deliver on consumer expectations in organics is a core competency of Dole and a great reason to partner with us as a supplier of retail organic programs,” he continues. “Throughout the organization, we are committed to educating, inspiring, and empowering consumers to make healthier lifestyle choices. The Dole Way assures customers and consumers of safe, healthy, nutritious, and responsibly grown food. Through Dole, they can expect continuity and consistency of supply of fresh organic bananas and pineapples week in and week out, grown in accordance with best agronomic and sustainable practices.”

With a breadth and scale that allow better sourcing, transportation control, and efficiencies across the supply chain, Dole is increasing its advantages and benefits at each turn in the supply chain.

So, what can we hope to see at the OPS show? DOLE® Organic Bananas and DOLE® Organic Tropical Gold® Pineapples, of course!

“Shoppers today have ever-increasing expectations for both suppliers and retailers to reflect their cares and values in-store offerings—including environmental sustainability, climate mitigation, health and wellness, social issues, and food security and safety,” Bil expresses. “Over the past 25 years of organic production, Dole has pushed these ideals into the forefront of our business, and incorporated many of the best practices learned from organics into our conventional farming operations, too. However, we are not complacent, continuing to learn and push forward organic farming.”

Bil concludes by pointing out that Dole consistently delivers superior organic produce to consumers and partners 52 weeks of the year.

Check out booth #904 at OPS for more details. I hope Dole is on your list of must-see companies—I know it is definitely on mine.

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, NEW ZEALAND - Back at the beginning of June, Zespri made headlines with the launch of an insightful study exploring the benefits of a fruit and vegetable-heavy diet for kids. After digging into the results of the Feel Good Study, I tapped Dr. Paul Blatchford, Zespri’s Innovation Manager – Core Products, for a deeper understanding of the study and its implications.

“Core to our beliefs, Zespri aims to make a positive contribution to people's livelihoods and wellbeing, and the Feel Good Study is a first step toward seeking concrete evidence of the positive effects of fruit and vegetables (FV) on primary school children’s overall development,” Paul shared. “By bridging the research gap, Zespri assessed the viability and acceptability of a FV intervention in children, emphasizing well-being outcomes. We hope that this study brings more awareness and research that shows the correlation between a healthy diet and children’s well-being to improve overall health.”

As Paul and the Zespri team shared, early education on healthy habits increases the likelihood of children carrying these traits into adulthood, directly influencing their lifelong well-being and creating long-time produce fanatics.

“At Zespri, we believe that more can be done to bring forward tangible results on nutrition outcomes on children’s well-being,” Paul continued. “We know of many studies that show the connection between increased FV consumption and improved physical health; however, research on the impacts of FV on children’s well-being has only started to gain interest in the past few years.”

The Feel Good Study unveiled promising insights that suggest positive changes to diet quality, vegetable intake, and behavioral outcomes in the intervention group.

“The main findings of the Feel Good Study demonstrated the potential of continuing to a full randomized controlled clinical study. Furthermore, the study suggested an increase in FV acceptance, overall diet quality, as well as vegetable intake among participants by raising awareness of the diverse options available locally,” added Paul. “A multi-component approach of school- and home-based strategies cultivated a stronger behavioral change among children and parents/caregivers. Although the results did not reach statistical significance, the study showed an indicative trend of positive improvement to emotional well-being scores in the intervention group compared to the control group.”

With the initial results from the Feel Good Study now published, Zespri will be focusing its attention on trials in China and other key markets and sharing those results once they are available.

“We believe the Feel Good Study sets the foundation for large-scale clinical trials that are set to take place in other key markets for the company as part of building greater knowledge and capacity to encourage sustainable change and cultivate positive eating habits in children in the long run,” Paul concluded.

As the company scales this exploration to other markets, Zespri aims to foster meaningful partnerships and welcome interest from other like-minded organizations who share the same commitment in promoting healthy eating habits from an early age, and ultimately building healthier societies.

ANUK will continue to report as the kiwifruit brand pushes further toward this mission, so stick around for more updates.