CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - A letter from Suhanra Conradie, Chief Executive Officer of Summer Citrus from South Africa (SCSA), shared new details about the 2025 season and the complex supply chain supporting it. Included in the update was a video highlighting the dedicated service providers working throughout the logistics network; footage filmed just before increased tariffs into the U.S. took effect.

Challenging markets like the U.S., Suhanra explained, and the sophisticated supply chains that support them, take years, and in many cases, decades, to build. “We began our journey into the U.S. more than two decades ago, and so much has happened in-between,” Conradie shared.

What started as a seasonal category from June to October has grown into a full-scale commitment, establishing SCSA as a preferred citrus supplier during the summer months. Several strategic pillars have guided this evolution, from managing supply and demand and shipping only the best quality fruit, to choosing the right partners, sharing transparent real-time information, and ensuring fresh citrus reaches U.S. retailers weekly.

“These were implemented to coincide with our goal of sustaining and growing our market responsibly with our respective partners,” Conradie noted.

As the pressure built toward the beginning of August, when the increased tariffs were set to take effect, SCSA reported a few weeks of additional loadings balanced by slower weeks, particularly for Easy Peelers. “In terms of available produce now in the U.S., Easy Peelers volume is low, Navels and Star Ruby are on par with what is expected for this period of time, and Midknights will start to arrive early October to help complement the market with a solid eating Orange product,” Conradie shared.

“During the 2024 season the available product was lower due to increased rainfall, but we started 2025 with a good expectation of a healthy crop. However, the situation with the tariffs changed the playing field completely. Any tariff has an impact on any market, and the South African citrus was not spared and was hit harder than most. The dynamics have totally changed as the growers and suppliers of the fruit must find an economical, workable way forward for both parties. But in between the growers and the buyers of the fruit, there is a committed group of supply chain service providers working to execute this program with excellence,” Conradie continued.

“Please stay up-to-date during the season and reach out to our grower-exporters or importers to secure your citrus during the summer months. Proudly shipping and selling the world's finest Summer Citrus!” she concluded.

Keep clicking back to ANUK as we bring you more citrus updates.

KINGSVILLE, ON - Mastronardi Produce® is bringing Flavor Coast to Coast for the 2025 International Fresh Produce Association's Global Produce & Floral Show (GPFS) in Anaheim, CA, this October. The Flavor Coast to Coast theme celebrates the company's flavor-first approach to produce and nation-wide network of greenhouses, while also supporting Mastronardi's position as a leader in the industry.

Leading up to the show, audiences can join the team through the exclusive LinkedIn mini-series Next Stop: Flavor, as they head on a road trip to GPFS booth #4157. Each episode takes viewers on a journey to explore new Mastronardi products, greenhouse growing, and the never-ending pursuit of flavor, with exclusive team interviews, personal stories, and lots of laughs along the way. Whether the destination is breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack, there’s a Mastronardi tomato, pepper, cucumber, berry, or lettuce for every occasion.

Visitors to GPFS booth #4157 can expect an exciting lineup of SUNSET® products. From new innovations in snacking, to premium organic products, to sustainable packaging, and several new brands, there's something for everyone.

This will be the first time GPFS attendees will get a look at the new Backyard Farms® Green Leaf Lettuce Paper Bag. The design uses 65% less plastic than a traditional PET tray, while keeping the lettuce crisp and delicious. Earlier this year, the design earned the Packaging Innovation Award at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Convention and Tradeshow.

Mastronardi will be showcasing two new innovations in berries. The new Summer Blast™ Blueberry Snacking Cup is a unique take on healthy snacking. Packaged in convenient grab-and-go resealable cups, these sweet-and-crisp blueberries are ideal for packing in lunches, for road trips, and more. Consumer demand for organics remains strong, and this year Mastronardi is launching the Organic WOW® Joyberry® Blueberries. These berries offer a standout flavor experience for consumers seeking something special.

GPFS visitors will also get their first glimpse at the updated Angel Sweet® brand with impactful new packaging. In addition to the exciting showcase lineup, the elegant new Mastronardi™ Tomato Branch™, perfect for adding a flourish to any charcuterie board or tablescape, will be at the booth. The recently launched Secilia® tomato will be ready to transport visitors to the Mediterranean with its sweet summer flavor, and the newest addition to the popular BOMBS® lineup - BOMBS Squad® will be on display.

“The Flavor Coast to Coast theme is more than a tagline—it’s a celebration of our journey, our people, and our commitment to delivering WOW flavor experiences. We’re excited to connect with attendees at GPFS and share the stories behind our products, innovations, and relentless pursuit of flavor,” said Geoff Kosar, VP Marketing, in the recent release.

There's so much to see, and taste, be sure to follow the journey on LinkedIn @Mastronardi-Produce and stop by booth #4157 at the GPFS October 16-18!

SALINAS, CA - Markon will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its iconic Chef Summit from October 1 to 4 in Monterey, California. This highly anticipated event brings together corporate chefs from Markon’s five member companies and their customer chefs from across the U.S. and Canada to support the fundraising efforts at The Taste of Markon. This unique dining experience benefits the company’s longtime community partner, the Drummond Culinary Academy at Rancho Cielo, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving at-risk youth in Monterey County.

This year’s milestone summit will include a week of field tours, roundtable discussions on industry trends, and direct interactions with suppliers and growers. Participants will collaborate to create innovative plant-focused dishes while mentoring young culinary students for the Taste of Markon, the cooperative’s fundraising event that will feature a strolling dinner with passed hors d’oeuvres, a charcuterie table, six fine dining courses, live music, selections from the region’s finest wineries, and a silent auction to benefit the culinary students through scholarships and kitchen equipment.

“We’re proud and excited to hold our 10th Annual Chef Summit, where chefs from across North America will present another Michelin-quality Taste of Markon. This education-focused week takes the chef group on the field-to-fork supply chain journey, giving them hands-on experience in how the fresh produce they buy reaches their restaurant kitchens, while our local culinary students gain invaluable experience working alongside seasoned chefs,” explained Andy Hamilton, Markon CEO, in the recent release. “This milestone year promises to be something truly special, bringing together the Salinas Valley community for a memorable meal created by the best in the business.”

Tickets are now available for purchase here.

For more information about Rancho Cielo and how they are building skills and transforming lives, please visit: Rancho Cielo’s Drummond Culinary Academy.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on five produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and for failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the businesses’ principal operators from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without USDA approval.

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

• Samra Produce & Farms Inc., operating out of Los Angeles, Calif., for failing to pay a $4,004 reparation award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Harbhajan Singh was listed as the sole officer, director, and stockholder of the business.
• Fresh Garlic & Produce Corp., operating out of Miami, Fla., for failing to pay a $14,076 reparation award in favor of a New Jersey seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Ricardo Hernandez Leon was listed as the sole officer, director, and stockholder of the business.
• Banana Bros. Produce LLC, operating out of Holly, Mich., for failing to pay a $23,033 reparation award in favor of a Michigan seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Chelsey Gelardi was listed as the sole member of the business.
• BLJR Distribution LLC, operating out of Conklin, N.Y., for failing to pay a $13,595 reparation award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Bradley Hurlburt, Leon Hurlburt, and Albert Palermo were listed as the business members.
• Fresh Market La Morenita LLC, operating out of Von Ormy, Texas, for failing to pay a $11,201 reparation award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Rocio Gonzalez was listed as the sole business member.

PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.

For more information, contact Penny Robinson-Landrigan, Chief, Dispute Resolution Branch, at (202) 720-2890, or [email protected].

WEST CONCORD, MA - Divert, Inc., a circular economy company on a mission to prevent food from being wasted, and The Raley’s Companies, a purpose-driven food company, announced a partnership to address food insecurity and advance a circular food system in California and Nevada through reducing wasted food in Raley’s stores and increasing donations.

Raley’s implemented Divert’s platform in all of its 118 retail store locations across California and Nevada. Achieving 100% store participation in one month has enabled Raley’s to improve upon their foundational landfill diversion program, while also improving food recovery efforts to get more fresh food to those in need. The 100% participation from stores was enabled by Divert’s IoT tracking and actionable data insights in combination with co-training on the platform and store walkthroughs with personnel in the Feeding America® network of local food banks.

The partnership also creates operational reliability and a comprehensive approach to compliance with California’s SB 1383 regulations, allowing the company to increase focus on donation and waste reduction efforts.

“Divert is proud to work with Raley's to advance our shared vision of a circular economy for unsold food," said Ben Kuethe Oaks, VP and GM, Retail, Divert, in the recent release. "Our work together is demonstrating the tremendous opportunity retailers have to go beyond landfill diversion alone and further reduce waste by uncovering donation opportunities that benefit the local community.”

This partnership between Divert and Raley’s is tackling food insecurity and advancing a circular food system across Northern California and Nevada. Divert’s insights enabled Raley’s to further expand its donation guidelines and best practices to a wider range of fresh food, which has resulted in increased donations of nutritious, fresh food to people in need. Meanwhile, any unsold food that can’t be donated is taken to Divert’s Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility in Turlock, CA and transformed into carbon-negative renewable energy to power the community and soil amendment to return valuable nutrients back to the earth to support future food growth.

"Raley's has long been committed to using resources responsibly and supporting our neighbors when they need it most," said Natalie Slatter, Raley’s VP of Operations. "Our relationship with Divert is nourishing our communities, our planet, and helping our customers live happier, healthier lives. We're thrilled to be making this announcement during Hunger Action Month® and look forward to the continued positive impact of Raley's donation programs."

With 47 million people facing hunger in the U.S., Hunger Action Month is a tremendous opportunity to raise awareness of the hunger crisis in America. According to Feeding America, over 2 billion pounds of donatable unsold food is rescued annually through grocery retailers with almost a billion more pounds to be rescued.

Divert currently works with more than 2,000 retail locations in California and has dedicated expansion plans in the state. The company recently opened its new Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility in Turlock, California, to support rapidly growing demand from its customer base.

To learn more about Divert, please click here.

CASTROVILLE, CA - If you have been reading ANUK’s coverage of Ocean Mist^® Farms, following the expansion of its Roastables Ready-to-Roast kits line since the second phase launch in March 2025, your chance to experience them in person is rapidly approaching.

Building on the success of Phase 1 of these popular offerings, Phase 2 of this launch introduced premium washed and trimmed cauliflower and broccoli florets in four new unique flavors—all of which will be prepared and served booth-side at IFPA’s Global Fresh Produce & Floral Show, booth #3261.

“With their craveable flavors, and quick cook time—just 15–20 minutes—these kits make it simple to create a nutritious, flavor-packed side dish or easily elevate into a main course with the addition of a favorite protein. Just heat, toss, roast, and enjoy!” Communications Manager Lori Bigras shared.

The latest flavors include:

• Zesty Herb with Broccoli florets
• Sweet Teriyaki with Broccoli florets
• Parmesan & Black Pepper with Cauliflower florets
• Spicy Buffalo with Cauliflower florets

The additional flavors build on new kits introduced as the growers’ latest innovation at the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show in Atlanta, Georgia, last year, joining chef-crafted flavors such as Sweet Sesame, Lemon Caesar, and Sun-Dried Tomato.

Just two months after their debut, Roastables earned the prestigious Joe Nucci Innovation Award—an honor celebrating the best product innovation in service of expanding fresh fruit and vegetable consumption.

“This award affirmed both the successful launch of Roastables and the line’s alignment with today’s consumer demand for nutritious, on-trend meal solutions,” Lori noted. “Beyond nutrition and convenience, the flavors are what truly set these value-added meal solutions apart. One of Ocean Mist’s primary goals was to craft distinctive dishes that bring the indulgent taste of fine dining into the home kitchen—while still being quick and easy to prepare.”

To achieve that, Ocean Mist partnered with a San Francisco, California-based culinary team to create the unique, chef-inspired flavor profiles featured across both phases of the Roastables line—now seven items strong!

And there is much more to both reflect on and look forward to when visiting the legacy California grower.

“Ocean Mist Farms commemorated its 100^th anniversary last year, kicking off a new era of innovation while continuing our legacy of delivering a full line of premium fresh vegetables—along with our pièce de résistance: Gold Standard artichokes,” Lori reflected.

Looking ahead, she shared that Ocean Mist Farms is developing additional first-of-their-kind innovations designed to resonate with consumers.

“Building on our legacy of excellence and commitment to innovation, Ocean Mist Farms will continue to shape the future of fresh meal solutions—redefining what convenient, nutritious, and fresh truly mean,” Lori concluded.

You can personally meet with Lori and the Ocean Mist Farms team to find out more by visiting booth #3261 in Anaheim, California, in just a few weeks—October 16–18.