REEDLEY, CA - Fall fruit is preparing to take the stage, but peaches still have a place in the produce department spotlight. Moonlight Companies’ Encore® peaches are available now through mid-October, giving retailers an opportunity to keep sweet summer flavor in the mix as they merchandise for fall.

For produce buyers making seasonal assortment decisions, Encore offers a reason to keep peaches in shoppers’ sight—and on their shopping lists. Encore’s late-season availability allows retailers to feature peaches alongside incoming fall favorites, with messaging that makes the remaining purchase window clear.

“Changing the seasonal display doesn’t have to mean saying goodbye to peaches,” said Ben Clay of Moonlight Companies in the recent release. “Encore gives retailers an excellent opportunity to offer shoppers the peaches they love within a fall assortment.”

Retailers can draw attention to Encore with “last taste of summer” signage and serving suggestions for fall baking and entertaining. Peach pies and cobblers offer a natural connection to cooler-weather occasions, while grilling, salads, and fresh snacking showcase the fruit’s versatility in any climate.

With availability expected through mid-October, buyers can work with Moonlight’s sales team on current offerings and delivery timing to match their remaining promotional windows.

An Encore Now. An Opening Act Next Spring.

As retailers make the most of Encore’s final weeks, it’s also time to put Moonlight’s Coachella Valley peaches and nectarines on the calendar for spring 2027. The region’s mild winters and abundant sunshine allow Moonlight to begin harvesting in spring, giving buyers an early start on their next stone fruit program.

“Encore is the immediate opportunity, and Coachella is the next one to plan for,” added Clay. “We want to help buyers finish this season strong and be ready for the first fruit next spring.”

Both programs are part of Moonlight’s Seven Months of Summer™ approach, supported by growing regions spanning the Coachella Valley, Central California, and Washington. That extended season gives retailers opportunities to build promotions around stone fruit from the first spring arrivals to the final fall features.

Retail buyers interested in Encore availability or planning their spring Coachella programs can contact Moonlight Companies at (559) 638-7799 or visit moonlightcompanies.com.

BOLOGNA, ITALY - Behind many of the family farms that keep our supply chain moving, there's a woman balancing the books, planning the next season, and making the key calls—often without the credit. As a juror for this year's Agraya Changemaker Awards, Christy Slay, Chief Executive Officer of The Sustainability Consortium, is helping bring that work into the light. 

Christy took some time to tell me what she believes industry leaders are missing, and why supporting women farmers is as much a business case as it is a cause.

"Globally, women make up a significant portion of the agricultural workforce, close to 40 percent, and play critical economic roles strengthening communities, yet there are powerful cultural and supply chain barriers that prevent women from accessing the full value of their work," Christy explained, citing data from the World Bank, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The Changemaker Awards are a global program celebrating bold, innovative initiatives that reshape agriculture and empower women in agrifood systems worldwide, backed by a jury of sector leaders in sustainable food systems and agribusiness. The Awards are part of Agraya's bi-annual Summit, Christy said, which will bring the agriculture and food sectors together in Bologna, Italy, for three days of exchange, insights, and connections.

She noted that women in agriculture have significantly lower wages than men, often have limited or no access to owning farmland, and less access to training, credit, and tools and equipment. And some of the biggest contributions are the hardest to see.

"Even more hidden is the fact that women are often the business operators for their family farms making key financial and planning decisions. As such, the role of women is harder to quantify as their leadership influence is often masked by their spouse or commercial farm operations," she said.

Christy shared that she and her fellow jurors will shine a spotlight on some of these 'invisible' achievers, honoring innovators helping women farmers break down persistent barriers.

The Business Case for Resilience

For Christy, supporting women farmers pays off across the whole chain.

"Given women's influence and impact in global agriculture, supporting programs that address the key challenges can create resilient supply chains and communities through increased crop yields, reduced harvest losses, stable supply to markets, and increased conservation impacts through regenerative practices," she stated. She added that consumers are more aware of the importance of women in agriculture. 

Companies that invest in programs supporting women can build consumer loyalty and open new consumer channels. She also pointed to the next generation of growers.

"Another factor is intergenerational farming—when daughters and young women see farming as a profession in which they can own assets, make decisions, use technology, and earn income, agriculture might become more attractive as a career outlook, increasing workforce resilience," Christy said.

What Stood Out This Year

With 2026 being the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer, Christy noted that this year's awards will highlight initiatives that strengthen the role of women in agriculture. The range of entries left an impression.
"The diversity of approaches the female leaders took to innovation, sustainability, and community impact was impressive," she said.

Projects ranged from using agricultural drones for precision farming to training women to take over more automated operations to creating women-owned demonstration farms. As Christy put it, "there are so many ways to support women in agriculture that drive positive impact," and each community may need something different.

Looking Ahead

Asked what would make the biggest difference going forward, Christy pointed to funding and to the partners who put it to work.

"Government and industry funding to support women in agriculture is a win/win. There is a clear economic case to make from a supply chain perspective," she explained. "The data on the ROI is there. The right program partners are the key to unlocking the full value of funding programs for women. A project partner who knows the local community and culture, understands the needs, and can move quickly through bureaucracy to get funding applied on the ground is a recipe for success."

The winners of the Agraya Changemaker Awards will be unveiled at the 2026 Agraya Summit in Bologna, Italy, October 27-29.

IRELAND - Bananas remain one of the most affordable food products in supermarkets, but behind that affordability lies a supply chain facing unprecedented pressure. Ahead of Fruit Attraction 2026, Fyffes is calling for greater collaboration across the banana sector to develop a long-term sustainable model that ensures growers, producers, importers and retailers can continue investing in the future of the category.

Across producing countries, banana growers are facing rising costs for labor, fertilizers, crop protection, packaging, energy and transportation. At the same time, climate-related disruption, plant disease pressure and increasingly complex supply chains are making it more challenging and more expensive to maintain reliable production and consistent fruit quality. These pressures are occurring across the industry while banana retail prices have failed to keep pace with the true cost of producing and delivering the fruit.

"The banana industry is under very significant pressure," said Frank Burkhardt, Chief Commercial Officer at Fyffes, in the recent release. "Costs have increased across virtually every part of the supply chain, from farm inputs and labor to logistics and transportation. Yet bananas continue to be sold at prices that often do not reflect the reality of what it costs to grow and deliver them responsibly. For many years, the industry has absorbed those increases. That is no longer sustainable."

Bananas support hundreds of thousands of jobs across Latin America and other producing regions and remain one of the world's most popular and nutritious fruits. However, Fyffes believes the long-term future of the category depends on creating an economically sustainable supply chain, alongside continued environmental and social progress.

The company is warning that the industry cannot continue to absorb rising costs indefinitely while simultaneously investing in climate resilience, responsible farming practices, worker welfare, community development and supply chain improvements.

"Sustainability has environmental, social and economic dimensions," Burkhardt said. "The industry is rightly being asked to invest more in climate adaptation, responsible farming and the wellbeing of workers and communities. But those investments depend on economically viable farms and supply chains. If growers and producers cannot achieve sustainable returns, the long-term future of the category is put at risk."

Fyffes believes that addressing the challenge requires closer cooperation across the value chain and a willingness to engage in a constructive discussion about pricing.

"This is a shared responsibility," Burkhardt added. "Growers, producers, importers and retailers need to work together to develop a long-term sustainable plan for the category. That discussion must include banana pricing. If we want growers to continue investing in their farms, workers and communities, and if we want consumers to continue enjoying reliable access to high-quality bananas, the value chain needs to recognize the real cost of producing and delivering the fruit."

Despite these pressures, Fyffes continues to invest in supply resilience and category development. The company operates a diversified sourcing strategy spanning ten origins worldwide, supported by an integrated logistics network and long-standing strategic partnerships that help reduce exposure to localized disruption and support continuity of supply.

Fyffes also continues to invest in innovation and sustainability initiatives, including its recently announced ambition to source 30% of its produce from regenerative agriculture systems by 2035. The company believes these investments are essential to building a more resilient tropical fruit sector but notes that continued progress depends on ensuring the economic sustainability of the supply chain.

At Fruit Attraction, Fyffes will engage with customers and industry partners on the challenges facing the banana and pineapple sectors and the actions needed to ensure their long-term future.

"Bananas have been available and affordable for so long that it is easy to underestimate the investment, expertise and complexity required to bring them from farms to supermarket shelves," Burkhardt said.

Visitors to the Fyffes stand (Booth 10 D 18) will also be able to learn more about the company's sourcing capabilities, sustainability initiatives, category development programs and upcoming Fyffes and Trudi's consumer brand activations.

WATSONVILLE, CA - California Giant Berry Farms announced a multi-region expansion of its strawberry and blackberry programs. With new harvesting windows beginning across key growing regions in California and Mexico, the company is delivering on
its commitment to consistent, reliable year-round supply supported by strategic investments in growing regions, grower partnerships, and production capacity.

The multi-district expansion strengthens supply and scales production across core growing regions:

• Central Mexico: Increased acreage across both conventional and organic strawberry programs.
• Florida: Expanded conventional strawberry acreage to meet winter and early spring demand.
• Oxnard, CA: New conventional strawberry production, bolstering late-fall and spring volume.
• Baja, Mexico: New organic strawberry production to expand winter and early spring organic availability.
• San Diego, CA: New organic blackberry acreage to expand fall, winter, and early spring organic availability.

By scaling production across these primary growing regions, California Giant enhances its 52-week supply capabilities, giving retail and foodservice partners the confidence to build long-term, high-volume berry programs. The expansion increases flexibility across production regions, helping California Giant maintain a more consistent supply position and provide customers with greater confidence throughout the year.

"Our growth strategy centers on building surety of supply through thoughtful region selection, geographic expansion, and strong grower relationships," said Tom Smith, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at California Giant Berry Farms, in the recent release. "This expansion is not a short-term reaction to market conditions, but a disciplined investment in the people, growing regions, and infrastructure needed to be the most dependable year-round berry partner in the industry."

By balancing supply curves across multiple growing regions, California Giant is able to support high-capacity customer commitments while promoting long-term grower success and economic sustainability. These investments strengthen a more resilient supply network and reflect California Giant's ongoing commitment to customer service, operational excellence, transparent communication, and long-term partnership.

Industry partners attending the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show are invited to connect with the California Giant team to discuss 52-week supply programs across strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

For trade inquiries or more information regarding year-round berry availability, visit www.calgiant.com.

ATLANTA, GA - Anchor Packaging, a Georgia-Pacific company and leading manufacturer of foodservice packaging solutions, has received a Convenience Store News Best New Product Award for Foodservice Packaging for its groundbreaking Invertibles™ Single-Piece Containers, an inventive and innovative new packaging solution that simplifies handling and reduces required inventory to deliver savings for foodservice businesses.

The award recognizes products that bring meaningful innovation to the convenience retail industry. Invertibles™ earned recognition for challenging the conventional design of foodservice packaging with a versatile single piece that serves as both the base and the lid, helping operators streamline operations while reducing complexity and cost, stated in a press release.

"Innovation starts with understanding our customers' biggest challenges and finding simpler, smarter ways to solve them," said Pranay Harsh, vice president and general manager – Anchor Packaging. " Invertibles™ represents a completely new approach to foodservice packaging. By transforming two components into one versatile solution, we're helping operators simplify inventory management, reduce waste, improve efficiency, and better serve their customers. We're honored that Convenience Store News recognized the innovation behind this product."

Unlike traditional two-piece packaging systems, Invertibles™ enables operators to use one piece as a dine-in serving tray or combine two pieces to create a secure food-to-go container. This innovative approach helps customers reduce SKU counts, eliminate waste caused by mismatched base and lid inventories, reduces required storage space, and increase packaging flexibility across dine-in and grab-and-go applications.

Additional benefits of Invertibles™ include:

• Simplified operations through a single-piece design
• Reduced waste caused by base and lid inventory mismatches
• Lower inventory complexity through fewer SKUs
• Reduced storage space requirements
• Secure stacking with integrated stacking rails
• Greater packaging flexibility for both dine-in and carryout applications

Rather than simply improving an existing package, Invertibles™ rethinks the packaging system itself, creating a new category of single-piece foodservice containers that delivers both operational and economic benefits.

"As operators continue to look for ways to improve efficiency and profitability, we believe innovation matters most when it solves real-world challenges," said Brook Brown, vice president – Innovation, Anchor Packaging. " Invertibles™ demonstrates how higher-performing packaging can unlock meaningful value across the entire operation."

Georgia-Pacific Foodservice Solutions will showcase products from its Anchor Packaging brand, including Invertibles™, that help operators protect food quality, improve operational efficiency and create meal experiences that drive repeat purchases at the 2026 NACS Show, October 7-9 in Las Vegas, at Booth C55059 in the Central Hall.

KINGSVILLE, ON - SUNSET®, a Mastronardi Produce® brand, is launching the SUNSET® Certified Tommalier™ campaign this October to celebrate National Tomato Month. The campaign takes a playful approach to educate consumers about tomato flavor the way sommeliers educate about wine.

A Tommalier™ is a tomato sommelier: a tomato expert who can taste and distinguish between tomatoes, understands flavor nuances, and selects the best tomato to complement any dish. The premise is that tomatoes vary in flavor as much as wine does, each with its own sweetness, acidity, and crunch. SUNSET® Certified Tommaliers™ will receive a commemorative certificate for their enthusiasm, which is either very silly or long overdue, depending on how much you care about tomatoes.

The social first campaign will invite key influencers to work through a guided tomato flight, investigate flavor pairings, and share their expertise with others online and offline. The flight features the SUNSET® BOMBS® family, including Flavor Bombs®, Honey Bombs™, Lolli Bombs™, and Sugar Bombs®, alongside the new SUNSET® Tomato Branch™.

Supported by PR initiatives, creator partnerships, in-person activations, and retailer promotions, the campaign will run throughout October, launching with an Instagram miniseries talking all things tomato and hosted by Milla Mastronardi. Consumers are encouraged to follow along at home and try the SUNSET® tomato flight with friends and family. Enjoyable for all ages, the Tommalier™ experience serves as a fun celebration of tomato flavor. Certification is open to anyone who follows along on social media throughout the month.

“We've built the SUNSET® tomato lineup by delivering flavor and freshness consistently,” said Paul Mastronardi, President and CEO at Mastronardi Produce®, in the recent release. "What we haven't done is give consumers the language to talk about it. That's what a Tommalier learns, and we think it changes how shoppers look at and select tomatoes."

Mastronardi™ started building its fall program around the National Tomato Month occasion last year with a national campaign for the 30th anniversary of Campari® brand tomatoes.