MIAMI, FL - Tropical fruit grower and importer Tierra Suelta announced a strong start to mamey sapote season with promotable volumes of high-quality product. The beloved Latin specialty fruit, which has long been cherished by shoppers of Caribbean descent, is quickly growing in popularity across America.

Mamey’s fuzzy brown exterior opens to reveal a vibrant salmon-colored flesh that tastes like a blend of sweet potato and pumpkin. It is a staple in smoothies and desserts, but can easily be sliced open and eaten with a spoon. Boasting a sweet flavor, rich nutritional profile, and creamy, custard-like texture, mamey is enjoyed by consumers of all ages.

“It’s one of the rare tropical fruits that everyone, from babies up to the older generations, eats with gusto,” said Steve Stutz, Tierra Suelta principal and sales lead, in the recent release. “With tropical fruit sales increasing in mainstream markets, and the category projected to expand for the foreseeable future, mamey is the perfect item to add to a retailer’s tropicals section.”

According to a June 2024 report from DataM Intelligence, the tropical fruit market reached USD $4.5 billion in 2022, and with a forecasted annual growth rate of 5.2%, is expected to reach $6.7 billion by 2030.

As mamey season begins to pick up steam until peak harvest in June and July, Tierra Suelta continues to increase production to meet the demands of major retailers. Since the beginning, the company has invested heavily in infrastructure and logistics to ensure adequate supply to meet their customers’ needs, and they offer customized packaging, merchandising support, shopper information, and private label programs to further ensure customer success at retail.

“For three generations, we have chosen to stake our reputation on the flavor and quality of our fruit, and our service,” said Adrian Abreu, CEO. “Introducing exceptionally delicious mamey to a whole new demographic of customers is just one of the ways we’re honoring our heritage and our legacy.”

Tierra Suelta’s Abreu family first began growing, importing, packing, and shipping premium tropical fruits in Cuba before starting operations in South Florida in 1999. Since then, the company has continued to expand with operations in Ecuador and other locations. In addition to mamey, Tierra Suelta’s lineup of key tropicals includes dragon fruit, star fruit, Thai guava, tropical avocados, malangas and more.

Tierra Suelta is a woman- and minority-owned, vertically-integrated farming business that grows and ships tropical fruits, roots and specialty produce from its headquarters in Miami and state-of-the-art facility in Ecuador.

KEENES, IL - Southern Exposure will be here before we know it, and the “From Fields to Families” theme is already resonating with the industry as many prepare for an exciting and inspiring trip to Orlando, Florida. Among those soon to hit the show floor is Frey Farms, which will display its full portfolio of watermelons, pumpkins, squash, and fresh veg for attendees.

“We decided to lean into SEPC based on the overall culture and the focus on quality content and networking,” Hilary Long, Chief Marketing Officer, tells me as the Southern Exposure show quickly nears on the calendar. “There's truly nothing like it! As for unique opportunities, when people look forward to a work conference and are eager to participate, more business and long-term relationship building gets done.”

Over the past 25 years, Frey Farms has expanded its farming operations throughout the Southeast and Midwest, from South Florida to Southern Illinois. Last fall, the grower planted hundreds of acres of pumpkins in Indiana on soil that had previously been used for other commodities, resulting in a fantastic outcome.

“Growing in multiple regions supports many important aspects of our business while giving our retail partners peace of mind and efficiency,” Hilary explains. “We also love product innovation to bring more of the CPG world to produce. Sarah Frey, John Frey, and I truly enjoy developing new varieties and packaging to keep our customers and consumers excited!”

With 2026 now fully underway, Frey Farms plans to maintain its focus on expanding its vegetable program and the distribution of several new items that have proven successful in seed trials or regional retail testing.

For more updates in the lead-up to this year’s Southern Exposure, keep reading the latest from AndNowUKnow.

ORLANDO, FL - The potato category has been in a state of evolution in recent years, moving from a simple staple in the basket to a destination of flavor. In the lead-up to SEPC Southern Exposure, February 26–March 1, EarthFresh’s Chief Sales and Procurement Officer, Andrew George, joined me to talk innovation, relationships, and the power behind an event like this.

“We’re excited to showcase several innovations at SEPC this year, led by the relaunch of EarthFresh’s rebranded Butter Potato Program,” Andrew began. “This premium variety-driven program features the best-tasting yellow-flesh varieties across russets, reds, and yellows, and has already reached over 2 million consumers with strong momentum and repeat purchases.”

On top of this exciting rebrand, EarthFresh is launching a new Air Fryer Kit line, built around what today’s shoppers want most: convenience, great taste, and easy meal solutions. The kit is built to drive incremental category growth and a loyal customer following across the region.

“Our team will also be discussing our foodservice Butter Potato Program, featuring our yellow-flesh russet—a variety aligned with a growing trend toward premium frying performance and flavor, driven by evolving consumer preferences and European influence,” Andrew shared.

Across the board, EarthFresh’s key message is simple: EarthFresh has a solution for every customer objective.

“Whether a customer is looking to drive tonnage; add premium value to a deflationary category; build stronger ad planning and promotion strategies; create differentiation through innovation; or improve freshness and service performance, we can support them,” Andrew describes.

Through EarthFresh’s full portfolio of products and programs—backed by its North American network of eight packing facilities—the company delivers fresh product, consistent quality, and outstanding service. Having a place like Southern Exposure to showcase this vision is fundamental to building excitement around these new products and more.

“The Southeast Produce Council has played a meaningful role in supporting our growth and strengthening key relationships across the industry. SEPC has been one of our favorite events for networking, collaboration, and building long-term partnerships, and it remains a valuable platform for connecting with customers and industry leaders in the Southeast,” Andrew explains.

EarthFresh will have a team of leaders from both sales and procurement, along with team members focused on retail programs, foodservice solutions, and innovation, to ensure it can support a wide range of customer needs and discussions.

Stop by SEPC Southern Exposure booth #621 and learn more about the EarthFresh program, new and established.

FOWLER, CA - From Thursday, February 26, to Sunday, March 1, produce industry members will gather at the Southeast Produce Council’s 2026 Southern Exposure. Those in search of citrus solutions will most definitely want to stop by the Bee Sweet Citrus booth.

“This year, we’re highlighting our specialty citrus line, with a particular emphasis on our Royal Red oranges, Cara Cara navels, Minneola Tangelos, and Meyer lemons. Our new Heirloom Navel packaging is also a standout feature we are eager to share with customers,” Monique Mueller, Director of Communications, told me.

Despite the cold weather growers have experienced in the Central Valley recently, all of Bee Sweet’s varieties are eating well, Monique assured me. Movement has been good, and Bee Sweet is looking forward to entering the spring season with good momentum.

This positive outlook on the current citrus season positions the company well to make new connections during the show.

“We love exhibiting at Southern Exposure because it brings all our East Coast customers under one roof,” Monique pointed out. “The show is large enough to attract a large number of attendees but intimate enough to give our team the opportunity to truly connect with customers and industry colleagues. We look forward to this event every year!”

Monique noted that, at the end of the day, Bee Sweet wants to remind its customers that they come first.

“That means they can expect excellent customer service throughout the year, the ease of conveniently picking numerous citrus varieties under one roof, and high-quality products that are sure to complement their shoppers,” she concluded.

The Bee Sweet Citrus booth will be buzzing with activity at the event, so make sure to include it in your show floor plans!

LEAMINGTON, ON - Highline Mushrooms, a leading North American grower and category innovator in fresh mushrooms, is expanding its partnership with Instacart to strengthen digital shelf presence and support retail partners with measurable mushroom category growth.

Building on successful testing, Highline is scaling Instacart Sponsored Products and display advertising to reach shoppers during key moments in the online grocery journey—search, discovery, and checkout—helping convert shopper intent into cart adds.

“This is exactly what our rebrand was built for,” said Kelsey Coon, Sales and Marketing Manager at Highline Mushrooms, in the recent release. “We’re bringing more energy to the category, strengthening visibility online, and making it easier for shoppers to choose mushrooms—no matter how they shop.”

As online grocery continues to evolve, retail media is becoming a powerful driver of shopper decisions at the digital shelf. Instacart has highlighted that campaigns can deliver 15%+ incremental sales lift on average, reinforcing the ability to drive growth beyond traditional merchandising alone. (Source: Instacart Ads)

Highline’s Instacart expansion complements its broader omni-channel presence across Pinterest, Meta, and Google, supported by a proven network of trusted influencer and creator partners who help make mushrooms feel approachable through real-life meal inspiration and everyday usage content.

This expanded presence strengthens Highline’s mission to grow mushroom consumption by making mushrooms easier to find, easier to choose, and easier to use—supporting retailers with increased visibility, improved conversion, and incremental category dollars.

For more information, visit www.highlinemushrooms.com.

SEATTLE, WA - Amazon.com, Inc. announced financial results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2025. In its latest earnings release, the company pointed to expanded same-day grocery delivery and strong store performance as indicators of continued momentum across its grocery and food-related operations. The following highlights the updated information impacting grocery, with the full release located here.

Fourth Quarter 2025

• North America segment sales increased 10% year-over-year to $127.1 billion.
• Fourth quarter 2025 operating income includes three special charges—$1.1 billion for the resolution of tax disputes associated with our stores business in Italy, and the settlement of a lawsuit, $730 million in estimated severance costs, and $610 million in asset impairments primarily related to physical stores.

Full Year 2025

• North America segment sales increased 10% year-over-year to $426.3 billion.
• North America segment operating income was $29.6 billion, compared with operating income of $25.0 billion in 2024.

CEO Commentary

“AWS growing 24% (our fastest growth in 13 quarters), Advertising growing 22%, Stores growing briskly across North America and International, our chips business growing triple digit percentages year-over-year—this growth is happening because we’re continuing to innovate at a rapid rate, and identify and knock down customer problems,” said Andy Jassy, President and CEO, Amazon.

Operational & Grocery-Relevant Highlights

• Delivered at fastest speeds ever for Prime members globally in 2025.
• Continued increasing speed for rural customers in the U.S., with the average number of monthly customers receiving same-day delivery in rural areas nearly doubling year-over-year.
• Delivered nearly 70% more items same day in the U.S. than the year before, with Same-Day Delivery used by nearly 100 million customers.
• Expanded Amazon Now ultra-fast delivery, which offers delivery on thousands of items in 30 minutes or less.
• Expanded Same-Day grocery delivery to 2,300+ cities and towns across the U.S., making fresh groceries more accessible and transforming how customers shop for food, with perishables making up 9 of the top 10 most-ordered items in areas where the service is available.

Financial Guidance (Stores / Grocery-adjacent)

Operating income is expected to be between $16.5 billion and $21.5 billion, compared with $18.4 billion in first quarter 2025. This guidance includes approximately $1 billion of higher year-over-year Amazon Leo costs as we scale in 2026, as well as investment in quick commerce and even sharper prices in our international stores business.