COLLINSVILLE, IL - As the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Convention and Trade Show unfolds, industry members are networking with valuable partners like Sev-Rend. The company’s comprehensive portfolio of flexible packaging solutions helps its partners achieve success in this critical arena.

Top of mind for Sev-Rend is how to help its Canadian partners offset challenges posed by tariffs. The company’s National Sales Director, Jeremy Andrews, will be in attendance at the show to discuss how current fluctuations in materials costs are affecting the market—and what Sev-Rend can do to help.

One of the ways in which it succeeds at this is through extensive market knowledge of both Canada and the United States. This has helped Sev-Rend leverage support both domestically in the States and in Canada.

Sev-Rend also has a strong history of quality service and products, as well as strong retail partnerships across America.

Keep clicking on ANUK as we continue to provide more fresh-focused industry updates.

UNITED STATES - Writing a story about storytelling may seem redundant, but after years in an industry defined by vision, individuality, and human connection, I can tell you—it’s anything but. In fresh produce, stories are the air we breathe.

But we often underestimate the power of our own narratives. We assume the product will speak for itself—the quality of the fruit, the reliability of the supply, the legacy of the land. But stories live deeper than that. They’re found in early mornings and long seasons, in generational risk, in decisions made year after year with no guarantees. The challenge is not creating a story—it’s uncovering it, owning it, and telling it. This is a lesson I was reminded of in my conversation with Mary Heslep, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, for Ten Acre Marketing, whose perspective reinforces a simple but often overlooked truth: the brands that endure are the ones that know who they are—and find the right story within that to tell.

“Storytelling is everywhere in brand-building conversations right now, as companies work to deepen consumer connections, build trust within the trade, and define more authentic identities. It’s the hottest topic at most conferences I’ve attended in recent months and the topic du jour in conversations with clients and peers. But storytelling seems to be hard to define and even harder to execute,” Mary begins. “We understand that consumers want to know where their food comes from. This revelation is the root of the storytelling urgency most brands are feeling. Their stories each have a purpose, value, and narrative, but this is where storytelling—as it relates to brand building—becomes murky.”

As Mary continues, she reminds me that in produce, the story of the family farm can be seen as a dime a dozen.

“It doesn’t mean it’s a story without value. I’m suggesting that most family business stories are missing the twists and turns that make them unique and different from every other story. That’s where the magic of storytelling lives. Now expand that to the products each company grows, imports or exports, packs, processes, and ships. There is a story in each step along these supply chains,” Mary describes. “Each company has many stories to tell and should consider where each will resonate most. Customers are equally, if not more so, invested in the unique brand stories of their suppliers. They know that it’s one thing to fill an order consistently, but it’s the relationships built on the foundation of brand trust that will keep a buyer picking up the phone in both good and tough times.”

This brand trust is rooted in storytelling.

“Once you have multiple stories to tell, the many avenues to activate storytelling can be overwhelming. Starting with the consumer touchpoints creates a reactive story rather than a proactive narrative. We assume a story told through social media or on a package, or even in-store, is a great way to reach the consumer; but when that story is similar to all others in the category, it becomes white noise and can easily be confused as your competitors' story. Brands want to be able to control their own narrative, and the rub is that if you don’t, someone else will. Don’t lose control of the stories that belong to you,” Mary reflects.

She then breaks it down for me in an even more compelling way: creating brand pillars and defining your organization’s mission and vision provide the framework that makes storytelling possible.

“It’s not enough to put your corporate mission on the wall of your lobby. Some continue to ring true through generations, while others are due to be revisited. As companies evolve, so should their mission, vision, and the values they stand for. These are the pillars of your brand story and the chapters of your storytelling narrative,” Mary insists. “As generations turn, new leaders are revisiting decisions that will impact the business' future. Each one of these decisions is part of your story. Acquisitions, mergers, and inventors create sharp turns in the narrative, but the small and impactful decisions can be just as juicy. New buildings and hard-asset acquisitions, diversification of product lines, expansion as new technology becomes available, and the dismantling of 'that’s how we’ve always done it' create map dots on the business canon worth telling. Each of these transitions will resonate with a different audience, and in some cases, it is happening because of the needs of that very audience.”

The trick is to assume that many may know your story, but the majority do not.

“Don't assume that because you’re celebrating your century milestone, that everyone already knows your story. New decision-makers come into and out of this industry every day,” Mary explains. “Start with your mission, vision, and values as they are the soul of your company. Build your story around these values as pillars, and tell it in a way that is authentic to who you are. Emotion binds your brand to your audience, and storytelling makes the brand sticky.”

Check back in for parts two and three of this series, as Mary speaks to the creative process, its missteps, and its solutions.

HANFORD, CA - Nichols Farms, the nation’s leading organic pistachio grower based in the San Joaquin Valley, announced Sprouts Farmers Market will carry its complete line of flavored pistachios beginning in April.

Nichols Farms’ organic line includes unique dry-roasted flavors such as Good Housekeeping award winners, Rosemary Garlic and Hot Honey, as well as Habanero Lime and Maple Butter, in addition to the brand’s conventional flavor offerings including fan favorite Cocoa Cookie, Garlic & Garden Herbs, Jalapeño Lime, and the classic Roasted with Sea Salt. Nichols Farms pistachios are roasted in small batches without added oils, ensuring a clean and crunchy snacking experience that preserves the natural richness of the California-grown nuts.

Rooted in sustainable, high-quality, health-focused products, the partnership between two industry-leading organizations has steadily grown over the past decade. Nichols Farms’ pistachios were first introduced in 2016 through Sprouts’ self-service bulk ingredient section, establishing a strong foundation for the relationship. Today, the assortment includes Nichols Farms’ full lineup of flavored kernel products, spanning both conventional and organic varieties.

“Sprouts Farmers Market is excited to partner with Nichols Farms,” says Senior Bulk Category Manager, Bill Falconer, in a press release. “Nichols has the capability to drive organic growth in the industry and to provide Sprouts consumers with innovation and differentiation within the retail market. We are looking forward to future collaborations that provide Sprouts shoppers with better-for-you snacking opportunities.”

Sprouts is one of the largest and fastest-growing specialty retailers of fresh and organic food in the nation, operating 480 stores across 25 states. Their rigorous product selection process focuses on carefully curating naturally better-for-you products with a focus on purpose-driven brands delivering the highest quality fresh and natural foods.

The expansion comes at a moment when Nichols Farms is experiencing a threefold increase in demand for its organic pistachios since their launch, reflecting a broader consumer shift toward natural, sustainably sourced snacks, with consumer demand for organics doubling that of overall marketplace growth, according to Organic Trade Association reports.

“This partnership has been sensational because Sprouts and Nichols share the same values of wellness and environmental stewardship,” said Joe Wodyka, VP of Sales and Marketing at Nichols Farms. “Our expanded distribution is a testament to the trust we have built over the years and underscores our respective dedication to quality. By aligning with a grocer that prioritizes consciously sourced, nutritious produce, we are making it easier than ever for health-conscious consumers to access our products.”

FLORIDA, US - Driven by its shared commitment to making a positive, lasting difference, customers and associates team up each spring through Publix's Good Together environmental campaign to support sustainable projects in local communities.

Doing good, together

Since 2024, our customers and associates have raised over $4.9 million for environmental projects across our footprint. In Florida, donations fund important efforts through FORCE BLUE and the National Park Foundation to protect, conserve, and restore the state’s waterways, coastlines, and oceans. In our stores outside of Florida, donations support tree plantings in forests of need through the Arbor Day Foundation.

Our impacts in Florida

Our efforts in Florida are all about water. The Sunshine State has over 8,400 miles of coastline — the most in the contiguous United States. Funds have already helped both FORCE BLUE and the National Park Foundation remove over 13,000 pounds of harmful marine debris, including discarded or lost fishing gear, tires, litter, storm debris and even an abandoned vessel. If not removed, debris like this can damage essential habitats, such as coral reefs and seagrass beds, and harm the marine life that calls these waterways home.

In addition to marine debris removal, funding has also supported projects with FORCE BLUE to construct shoreline defense systems in Fort Walton Beach, remove invasive species and install an underwater coral nursery in the Florida Keys.

Our impacts outside of Florida

In Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, funds raised in each state have helped plant a total of over 1.7 million trees over the past two years in local forests of need through the Arbor Day Foundation. The effect of these trees will be felt for decades to come, as trees improve drainage and water filtration, provide essential habitats for wildlife, reduce the impact of extreme weather, absorb carbon emissions, and increase the survival of native plant species.

For more information about our Good Together campaigns, visit the Community page on our corporate social responsibility site.