EQUATORIAL PACIFIC - A developing El Niño has reached a record high on one measure of Pacific Ocean temperatures, according to a September 22 BBC report. Sea surface temperatures in a key region were 3.05°C above average on September 19, just above the previous daily record of 3.02°C set in 2015.

The distinction is in how the event is measured. The BBC reports that longer-term measures have not yet reached record levels. The Met Office also notes that scientists use several ocean and atmospheric indicators to assess El Niño as it develops. Its peak is expected later this year.

El Niño can change the odds of wetter conditions in some regions and drier conditions in others. For produce growers and buyers, those shifts make regional forecasts worth watching, but the temperature record does not establish that any particular crop or growing region will be affected. In its September outlook, NOAA said impacts associated with a strong El Niño become more likely, though they are not guaranteed.

AndNowUKnow will continue to follow regional forecasts and any documented effects on produce growing and movement.

CALEXICO, CA - At the International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Global Produce & Floral Show, Altar Produce is excited to highlight its established Mexican green onion program. Since 1998, the company has developed the growing expertise, certified facilities, and operational capacity needed to support consistent programs throughout the year, according to Eva Viveros, Domestic Sales / Marketing.

“We want attendees to see that green onions are not simply an additional commodity for Altar, they are a core, full-time program supported by strong production and packing infrastructure. Our scale allows us to serve programs of different sizes while maintaining the food-safety standards, quality, freshness, and dependability our customers expect,” Eva began.

At the heart of the green onion program is Altar’s broader commitment to making fresh produce more accessible, appealing, and convenient. By supplying flavorful green onions and asparagus year-round, the supplier helps retailers inspire healthier eating habits and give consumers an easy way to add color and nutrition to everyday meals.

“What sets Altar’s green onion program apart is the strength of the entire operation behind the product. We combine extensive category experience with large-scale production, certified facilities, year-round availability, and a team that understands the specific needs of retail, foodservice, and wholesale customers,” Eva said.

Altar Produce’s program is designed around consistency, from planting and harvesting to sorting, cooling, packing, and shipping. The company closely monitors quality throughout the process and sorts the product by size and specification to meet each customer’s program requirements.

“Most importantly, we have built our green onion program for long-term partnerships. We understand that our customers need more than a competitive price; they need dependable supply, clear communication, program flexibility, and a supplier capable of responding when conditions change,” Eva explained.

As she pointed out, the produce industry continues to navigate unpredictable weather, labor pressures, transportation challenges, changing demand, and greater expectations surrounding food safety, sustainability, and supply-chain transparency.

Altar’s green onion program—like its asparagus program—is structured to respond to these challenges through strong growing operations, certified facilities, careful crop planning, responsible production practices, and close communication between the field, operations, sales, and logistics teams.

“Our scale and year-round production provide customers with a more dependable supply foundation, while our flexibility allows us to adjust to evolving specifications and market needs,” Eva relayed. “We also understand how important visibility and responsiveness have become. Customers need timely information, realistic expectations, and a supplier that works alongside them to find solutions. That partnership-driven approach is central to how Altar operates.”

Members of Altar Produce’s sales, marketing, operations, and leadership teams will be on the IFPA show floor to connect with current and prospective partners. Attendees can speak directly with the team about its year-round green onion program, as well as asparagus, Brussels sprouts, dates, and broccoli programs.

“This year, our booth will also feature a variety of interactive activities designed to bring our programs and operations to life. Whether someone has worked with Altar for years or knows nothing about our operation, these experiences will provide an engaging and easy-to-understand look at how our products move from the field to the shelf,” Eva said on a final note. “Our team will be available to discuss supply capabilities, seasonality, product specifications, packaging options, promotional opportunities, and customized programs for retail, foodservice, and wholesale customers.”

IFPA 2026 will be here soon, taking place in Orlando, Florida, October 14–16. Visit Altar Produce at booth #2771 if you plan to attend!

DOWNERS GROVE, IL - Fresh Thyme Market, a Midwest-based grocer known for delivering its customers an innovative assortment of fresh, organic, and better-for-you groceries, vitamins, and body care products, has released its annual Top 10 Trends report. Developed in partnership with SPINS, a leading provider of consumer packed goods data, insights and commerce solutions, the report delivers a forward look at emerging consumer behaviors, evolving wellness priorities and grocery product innovations to help forecast what shoppers can expect to see in stores in 2027.

From exciting twists on common grocery staples to finding innovative ways of adding fiber, protein, and other critical nutrients to everyday life, the trends point to a shopper who is asking for more. These are positive developments for the grocer that prides itself on delivering a superior, customer-focused experience that sets it apart.

"Grocery shoppers are redefining wellness on their own terms," said Cecily Martinez, Fresh Thyme Market Registered Dietitian. "People want fresh, organic, and better-for-you foods that deliver meaningful benefits without adding more complexity to their lives. We're seeing growing interest in innovative products such as nutrient-dense foods, functional ingredients, and globally inspired recipes that bring enjoyment and purpose to everyday eating. The 2027 trends reflect a consumer who is informed, intentional, and looking for a basket of items that are innovative, curated, convenient, and support their long-term well-being goals."

Fresh Thyme is constantly monitoring what's new and evolving across food, nutrition, and wellness, while partnering with trusted local brands to help bring innovative grocery items to its shelves. Their forecasted trends reflect an assortment of innovative grocery items making their way into shoppers' carts, helping Fresh Thyme stay laser-focused on what the customer demands and deserves.

Fresh Thyme Market's Top 10 Trends:

1. Global Flavor Mashups: Global cuisine continues to inspire across the grocery store as brands blend ingredients, techniques, and flavor profiles from multiple culinary traditions. From miso mayo and gochujang BBQ sauces to chili-mango snacks and internationally inspired condiments, shoppers will continue to embrace bold flavors, innovative curated assortments, and new ways to explore the world through food. A world of flavor in every bite: Kettle Foods Spicy Kimchi Potato Chips, Boar's Head Mango Jalapeno Hummus, Bachan's Japanese Hot Honey BBQ Sauce
2. The Brain Food Era: Support for cognitive wellness is becoming a top priority as shoppers look for food and supplements that support focus, memory, and healthy brain aging. Omega-3-rich foods, antioxidants, and functional ingredients such as mushrooms and creatine will continue making their way into more everyday products as consumers look for simple and curated grocery items that help nourish the brain at every stage of life. Smart nutrition for a sharper future: Sunwarrior Active Creatine Monohydrate Powder, Trip Mindful Blend Sparkling Water, Second Nature Antioxidant+ Smart Mix
3. Bite-Sized Joys: Indulgence is about small moments worth savoring, more so than special occasions. Consumers are looking for more curated assortments of premium snack items, mini desserts, specialty beverages, and other little luxuries that bring comfort and enjoyment without feeling over the top. As the line between wellness and indulgence continues to blur, a balanced approach will make room for both nourishing choices and foods simply meant to be enjoyed. Little treats, lasting smiles: Tru Fru Frozen Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Le Chic Gourmet Original Macarons, Gelato Boy Caramel Crunch Cones
4. Fiber First: Fiber is becoming one of the most talked about nutrients in grocery innovation. While its connection to digestive health is well established, consumers will increasingly look to fiber as part of a broader approach to satiety, balanced nutrition, and overall wellness. Expect to see more curated assortments of breads, cereals, snacks, beverages, and everyday staples placing fiber front and center in Fresh Thyme aisles. The power of fiber at every meal: Olipop Prebiotic Soda, Brami Protein Pasta, Hero Seeded Bread.

See the full release here.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DoorDash introduced Brand Center, a platform built for the marketing, supply chain, category, e-commerce, and national account teams to get a clearer view of what’s driving growth across the digital and physical shelf. New capabilities built on top of advertising solutions give brands direct ways to improve how their products show up for consumers, from spotting in-store availability gaps to updating product content.

“Brand Center is part of DoorDash's broader investment in local commerce, providing brands with insights that help strengthen performance for their business and retail partners,” said Fuad Hannon, VP of New Verticals at DoorDash. “As the next evolution of Ads Manager, we built on the advertising portal brands already use and expanded the platform with a shared view of what is shaping growth beyond media investment. That means clearer visibility into everything from on-shelf product availability and shopper substitution behavior to catalog content and campaign performance.”

Inventory distortion from out-of-stocks and overstocks costs the global retail industry an estimated $1.7 trillion each year. With more than 200,000 retail and grocery stores* and nine million-plus Dashers**, DoorDash has a unique view into commerce as it happens — what shoppers are searching for and buying, and what Dashers see on shelves, including the moments when a purchase can't be completed because an item is out of stock.

Brand Center brings together purchase-based signals from consumer orders and audit-based signals from shelf scans into a single platform. Where inventory insights reveal a need for physical shelf action, brands have the opportunity to take action through Merchandising Tasks, which connect brands in eligible locations with targeted in-store support from Dashers: shelf audits, restocking, item counts, and promotional displays.

What's New in Brand Center:

• Inventory Insights: Combines consumer order data with insights from Dashers, including more than 1 million*** in-store shelf signals captured daily on average and analyzed using AI, to surface on-shelf availability and out-of-stock trends across retailers and stores. Brands can identify affected locations and estimated revenue missed.
• Consumer Substitution Insights: Shows what shoppers choose when an item is unavailable, including which brands and products capture that demand and the estimated revenue tied to those choices. When a shopper's intended product is unavailable, nearly 12% choose a competing brand or product, while more than 40% request a refund rather than select a substitute.****
• Assortment Insights: Gives brands visibility into how their products are listed and presented across retailers on DoorDash. Brands can identify assortment and content gaps, including missing listings and incomplete product details, to help ensure consumers can find and purchase the products they expect.
• Catalog Editor: Gives eligible brands direct control over product images, descriptions, and categories in Brand Center, helping them keep information accurate and complete across retailers on DoorDash.

Brand Center is part of DoorDash's broader retail push, including the same shelf-level visibility that helps brands spot availability gaps and complements DoorDash's growing marketplace of retail partners, including SKIMS, Gap, Kohl's, and others.

Brand Center is now available to all U.S. advertisers. Certain Brand Center features are currently available only to eligible advertisers. To learn more, visit Brand Center.

^{*Across DoorDash, Deliveroo, and Wolt Marketplaces. As of Q4 2025.}

^{**Metrics include DoorDash and Wolt, as well as Deliveroo beginning on October 2, 2025, its acquisition date. "Dashers" generally refers to the independent contractors that use our marketplaces. In certain geographies, Dashers may be known locally as riders, courier partners, or similar. Dashers may also refer to employees or independent contractors of third-party service providers or employees of our local entities.}

^{***Based on DoorDash internal data from January through June 2026.}

^{****Based on DoorDash internal data from January through June 2026 across U.S. CPG brands onboarded to DoorDash’s advertising platform. A competing brand or product is one outside the advertiser’s onboarded portfolio.}

SALINAS, CA - In fresh produce, every move made in the warehouse can have a financial impact. When operational and accounting systems fail to keep pace with one another, even small gaps in information can quickly affect inventory decisions, fulfillment, pricing, and profitability.

In its latest blog, Famous Software explores why warehouse activity and financial data should tell the same story—and how a connected ERP can help produce businesses keep teams aligned, reduce reconciliation work, and make decisions with greater confidence. Read on for the key insights.

Warehouse activity and financial data should tell the same story.

In a fresh produce operation, inventory is constantly moving. Product is received, transferred, repacked, allocated, shipped, and adjusted throughout the day. Those activities can affect inventory value, costs, revenue, and the financial information teams rely on to understand the business.

The challenge comes when warehouse and accounting systems operate separately.

If operational transactions move between systems through scheduled batch updates, manual entry, or other disconnected processes, different teams may be working from different versions of what's happening across the business. Inventory may have moved, costs may have changed, or an order may already be in process before that activity is reflected elsewhere.

That gap can affect everyday decisions around inventory, fulfillment, pricing, and profitability—and eventually create additional reconciliation work for finance.

Connecting operational and financial data can help close that gap.

Key Takeaways

• Disconnected warehouse and accounting systems can create gaps between what's happening operationally and the information teams use to make decisions.
• A connected ERP can keep inventory, cost, and financial information more closely aligned as transactions occur across the business.
• Better connectivity can reduce reconciliation while helping sales, operations, and finance respond with greater confidence throughout the day.

Why Do Accounting and Warehouse Systems Fall Out of Sync?

Accounting and warehouse systems often fall out of sync because they operate as separate platforms and exchange information periodically rather than as transactions occur.

In many businesses, warehouse management and accounting began as separate systems designed to solve separate problems.

The warehouse system tracks what is happening operationally. The accounting system records the financial impact.

That creates a timing gap.

A repack or shipment may already be reflected operationally while the corresponding financial information is still waiting for the next synchronization. If an interface fails, a transaction changes after it has been transferred, or someone has to enter data manually, the gap can become even larger.

The result isn't necessarily one major error. More often, it's a collection of small discrepancies that someone eventually has to investigate and reconcile.

For a high-volume produce business, those exceptions can add up quickly.

See the full blog here.