OXNARD, CA - Mission Produce, Inc. a world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados, announced a planned leadership transition: Steve Barnard, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, will assume the role of Executive Chairman of the Board, and John Pawlowski, currently President and Chief Operating Officer, will become Chief Executive Officer, effective at the close of the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders in April 2026. The announcement reflects Mission’s long-term succession planning and the strength of its operational bench in avocados and mangos across retail, wholesale, and foodservice channels.

For more than four decades, Mission has helped shape the modern avocado category—advancing vertical integration, expanding world-class operations and leading the industry as a pioneer in ripening expertise. Through years of investment and innovation, Mission has built a trusted global distribution network that serves customers across North America, China, Europe, and the UK with consistent quality and a reliable supply.

“As we plan for Mission’s next chapter, I’m proud of the team that has grown this business from a local operation into a global leader,” said Barnard in the recent release. “This transition is about continuity for our customers and grower partners—sustaining the operational discipline, product quality, and service reliability they count on from Mission. Since joining Mission, John has brought tremendous leadership and operational expertise, and I am confident that his strategic vision and decades of experience in the global food industry makes him the ideal leader to guide Mission through its next chapter of growth. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and I look forward to supporting John and the team in my new role as Executive Chairman of the Board.”

“I am honored to take on the role of CEO and grateful to Steve and the Board for their confidence,” said Pawlowski. “Mission is positioned to keep elevating the avocado and mango experience—partnering with retailers and foodservice operators to grow consumption, improve consistency, and accelerate growth. I am excited to lead our talented team as we continue to focus on operational excellence, strong grower relationships, and category-building programs that create value across the supply chain. The future is bright for Mission Produce, and I look forward to building on the incredible foundation Steve and the team have created.”

Pawlowski joined Mission Produce in April 2024 as President and Chief Operating Officer. He is a highly accomplished executive with more than 25 years in the global food and foodservice industry, specializing in business development, system optimization and executive team management. Prior to Mission, Pawlowski served as President and COO of Lipari Foods, a leading independent distributor, and served for more than 16 years at J.M. Smucker in a variety of leadership positions, culminating with a role as Vice President of International. Pawlowski holds a Master of Business Administration from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Miami University.

Since joining Mission, Pawlowski has focused on process improvement, logistics optimization, and productivity—work that supports Mission’s vertically integrated model, strengthens service for retail and foodservice partners, and aligns the organization around continuous improvement and collaboration.

As Executive Chairman, Barnard will chair the Board and provide strategic oversight, working closely with Pawlowski and Mission’s leadership team to advance the Company’s long-term vision for responsible growth and category stewardship.

CORNERSVILLE, TN - A new player is gearing up to enter the Southern convenience and roadside retail space, and it arrives with the star power of Dolly Parton. The entertainer is partnering with the operator behind the Tennessean Travel Stop to launch Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, a hospitality-driven model set to debut in summer 2026.

Rather than a traditional fuel stop, the concept leans into destination-style convenience retail, a segment that continues to focus between grocery and grab-and-go. Early previews point to expanded foodservice, curated Tennessee-centric products, and a “home-away-from-home” atmosphere designed to resonate with both truckers and family travelers.

“All the years spent visiting greasy spoon cafes, truck stops, and roadside pit stops have given me an understanding of what travelers desire on the road,” Parton is quoted in Seeking Alpha. “You want a place that feels like home and recharges you for the rest of your journey.”

The strategy places the model directly in the competitive set with today’s high-traffic destination operators—formats that have grown their influence on produce, impulse, and fresh-forward merchandising as more shoppers seek quality offerings outside the traditional grocery trip. An entertainment-branded environment also introduces opportunities for cross-promotion, themed retail, and differentiated seasonal programs.

If successful, expansion across key Southern and Midwest corridors could create ripple effects for fresh departments and convenience-driven food retail, as operators adjust to capture travelers expecting more than basic snacks and fountain drinks. For produce suppliers, the shift represents additional real estate for fresh, ready-to-eat, and on-the-move formats, especially as retailers continue to elevate perimeter-style offerings in nontraditional environments.

Keep a close eye on ANUK as this roadside retail evolution picks up speed.

HELSINKI & PARIS - RELEX Solutions announced it has acquired Ida, a French SaaS company specializing in AI-driven fresh replenishment and store ordering optimization for loose products such as fruit, vegetables, bakery, meat, seafood, and prepared foods. The acquisition enhances the RELEX AI-driven planning platform with additional store-level capabilities for fresh replenishment covering the full spectrum of grocery categories – from center store, fresh, and ultra-fresh.

Ida, headquartered in Paris with customers across France and Western Europe, provides its AI-native fresh optimization platform to leading grocers including Auchan, Coopérative U, Naturalia, and Biocoop. With rapid adoption among top European grocers, Ida brings valuable expertise in fresh replenishment and store execution that complements RELEX’s end-to-end supply chain and retail planning expertise.

Fresh categories are central to every grocer’s success yet remain among the most complex to manage, with high volatility, short shelf life, and fragmented data from loose variable-weight items sourced across diverse supplier networks. Ida’s platform delivers accurate daily forecasts and AI-driven trading recommendations, guiding store teams on how much to order and providing in-store production plans. This enables grocers to reduce waste, maintain availability, and improve labor efficiency at the store level.

Ida’s category-specific capabilities will integrate into the RELEX unified platform to give grocery retailers a single planning environment that connects store operations with supply chain execution from supplier to shelf across all product categories.

“Fresh products have always been the hardest category to get right, where waste, availability, and margin meet daily reality,” said Mikko Kärkkäinen, Group CEO and Co-Founder, RELEX Solutions, in the recent release. “By integrating Ida’s advanced fresh replenishment capabilities, we’re helping grocers act faster and smarter across every category. We warmly welcome the Ida team to RELEX.”

The acquisition strengthens the RELEX platform with new AI-based capabilities designed for fresh and ultra-fresh optimization:

• Enhanced AI forecasting and ordering for perishable and loose items
• Automated recommendations for store associates and managers
• AI-assisted production planning for meat, seafood, bakery, deli and prepared foods
• Improved DC and supplier forecasting for upstream visibility
• Centralized dashboards for HQ performance monitoring

Together, these capabilities will form RELEX Fresh Store Ordering and strengthen RELEX In-store Production Planning, providing grocers with a unified environment for category-level optimization and execution, bridging the gap between store operations and retail planning.

“Joining RELEX is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine how the world manages fresh food,” said Mateo Beacco, CEO and Co-Founder of Ida. “Together, we are creating the global standard for fresh optimization, reducing waste at scale, boosting availability, and empowering every store team with AI that delivers measurable impact from day one.”

RELEX will host a webinar on February 11, 2026, ‘Fresh Results for Profitable Store Operations;’ register here.

To learn more about the acquisition, please visit this page.

YAKIMA, WA - National Pear Month is still in full swing—which means there is still time to take hold of those rising category opportunities! With a robust pear portfolio and a few strategies for maximizing demand, Superfresh Growers® is accelerating growth for its retail partners all month long.

“Every month is a great month to promote and enjoy pears, but December is especially great because it's in the sweet spot for the big three core varieties' availability,” shares Clay Burke, Superfresh Growers’ Director of Pear Sales. “We're still in the heart of Bartlett season, just getting into stride on Bosc and d’Anjou, and promotions are ripe for the picking! December is a fun month full of holiday gatherings, and pears are a great option for charcuterie boards, snacks, and dish additions. Pears also make a trendy and health-conscious hostess gift, whether in a fresh basket or baked into a treat. They taste great, offer significant health benefits, and each variety's unique flavor profile adds something special to a wide range of recipes.”

As December pushes consumers into the store more often to search for family gatherings and holiday means, the perfect opportunity arises for in-store demos and tastings. It's also prime time for retailers to embrace the seasonal theme with red and green pear displays.

“I don't know what says Christmas more than a big, beautiful red and green d’Anjou display! Pears are a classic pairing with wine and cheese, and they also add a touch of elegance to your favorite salad,” Clay notes. “As we near the end of December and everyone starts preparing for the big New Year's resolution to turn to healthy eating, it's time to queue up the smoothie train with one of the best healthy fiber options on the market—pears!”

Superfresh Growers has been growing pears for multiple generations in one of the best pear-growing regions in the world, making it its mission to put the best fruit in consumers' hands year-round.

“Packing and shipping varieties at peak ripeness is paramount for repeat purchases and growing consumption of one of the tastiest and healthiest fruits in the produce section. We don't just sell pears, we work hand-in-hand with our growers all year long to provide the very best fruit for increasingly health-conscious families,” Clay adds. “With a continued focus on getting quality pears into the hands of our customers as quickly and efficiently as possible, our group has spent the last year installing one of the most advanced pear pre-sizing lines in the world.”

With added flexibility, operational efficiency, and packing expediency, the company’s new pear line allows it to pivot alongside ever-changing consumer demands in packaging and size preferences, all while lowering operating costs for its growers.

“It's truly a state-of-the-art packing line that will help take our group and our focus within the pear category into the next generation of consumer trends,” Clay concludes. “We're excited for the category and what pears can bring to retailers and the families they serve around the world.”

Happy National Pear Month! For more category insights, you know where to click!

ANAHEIM, CA - As 2025 wraps up, the produce industry is bracing for the year’s final harvest: An avalanche of annual trends and predictions.

From explorations of flavors and textures to reports on consumer psychology, wellness, and dietary behaviors, there’s a lot of information and less clarity on what to do with it. Add in the high-level conversations executive teams are having about “disruption” with what we should be anticipating in the next 5–10 years, and soon everything trend and prediction is a priority.

So what should you do about it?

Think clearly. Trend fatigue is a thing.

Every year, we are loaded with trend reports, forecasts, and predictions. It can be inspiring but also exhausting. Each has potential, but you can’t activate them all. Trends are not about chasing cool. They are opportunities to express your brand clearly through cultural moments.

Clear thinking beats fast adoption. If you’re chasing a trend, it means you’re already behind it. So, ask yourself: how can this actually serve your business?

Your point of view matters.

Everyone sees the same reports; it’s easy to forget these aren’t instructions. They are data that deserves a closer look through your perspective. What will set you apart is how you think about these trends and apply them to your business. Your interpretation transforms impermanent data into long-term value.

Adopt fewer trends with more purpose.

By using a strategic filter, the noise fades, and the right ideas rise to the top. Slow down and run trends through a few simple questions:

• Does this trend align with our business priorities?

Determine if the trend supports your goals, growth strategy, and value proposition. For example, enthusiasm for GLP-1 eating has many retailers and brands asking if they should plan their assortment around smaller portions, more frequent meals and protein prioritization. Does this align with the products and services you offer, or is this another GLP-1 headline?

• Will this trend elevate your offerings?

Does the trend support or enhance the long-term direction of your brand or category? Answering this helps you evaluate if a trend is hyper-specific to a moment in time or something that can make you better.

Think of the trends around Sichuan flavors and Filipino ingredients. I love these trends because they inspire creativity, but executing authentic flavors requires an authentic strategy. Don’t adopt a unique region’s cuisine unless you can deliver it well.

• Does the operational effort match the potential return?

Assess the risks. What are the costs, trade-offs, and operational implications?

As an example, consider the trend defined by Innova as “layers of delight.” It combines rich, multisensory experiences with comfort and well-being. It brings to mind tiered produce cups and multicolor blends of prepared veggies. These require a higher-touch approach with preparation, different shelf-life requirements, packaging, and quality assurance. Can your operations support this?

• Are we the right people to tell this story?

Will this trend maximize your efforts or stretch them thin?

Function-forward and mood-supportive food is another appealing trend that needs operational and marketing support, like storytelling and consumer education. It’s great if it fits your brand. It’s risky if you force it. Consumers can see right through it.

• Is this a meaningful shift?

Has consumer behavior truly changed, or is this a seasonal blip?

Meaningful consumer shifts show up in consistent, repeat behavior and repeat purchases. Look at the rising interest in gut-health and fiber-rich diets. Are these shoppers actually buying more whole fruits and veggies? Before going all-in, it’s important to see where the money is going.

Choose well and rest easy.

Choose trends that strengthen the consumer experience and grow your business. With the right filter, you can embrace the ones that matter and let everything else go. Slow the pace, trust your judgement, and give yourself permission to be strategic about a new year of forecasts and predictions.

Trends will keep coming. You need clarity to find the right fit.