WENATCHEE, WA - Linda Fruit announced its launch as a natural extension of the fruit expertise and capabilities developed through Crunch Pak’s more than two decades in the fresh-cut fruit business.

By leveraging an established distribution network, transportation expertise, and customer reach, Linda Fruit can support efficient movement of fresh fruit to customers while complementing the sourcing, grower relationships, and value-added capabilities developed through Crunch Pak.

Based in Wenatchee, Washington, with orchards throughout Washington and grower partners in Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania, Linda Fruit extends those capabilities into the fresh whole-fruit market. The business is focused on premium quality, consistent supply, and creating additional opportunities across the crop.

As the fruit industry continues to evolve, Linda Fruit sees an opportunity to build on existing capabilities and relationships in ways that can create additional value for growers, customers, and industry partners.

Linda Fruit’s model is designed to provide growers with a clear path to market and a timely return for their crop by contracting the fruit. This provides greater certainty while allowing Linda Fruit to focus on finding the right use and value opportunity for fruit across fresh and value-added channels.

The highest-quality apples are selected for the fresh market, while fruit with less color or cosmetic imperfections may find additional opportunities through Crunch Pak in fresh slices, purée, dried, powder, and other value-added products. This whole-crop approach is designed to put more of the fruit to productive use and make thoughtful use of the land, water, energy, time, and care that went into growing it.

“We know firsthand how much work goes into growing a good crop,” said Mike Auvil, General Manager of Linda Fruit, in the recent release. “Linda Fruit gives us an opportunity to build on capabilities and relationships that already exist within the Crunch Pak business. Our focus is on being a dependable partner and finding the right opportunities for fruit while creating value for growers, customers and industry partners.”

“We believe premium should mean something,” said Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Director of Sales and Marketing for Linda Fruit. “It starts with exceptional fruit, but it also means confidence in quality, consistency and supply, and having a partner who understands your business. We want to build strong, long-term relationships with our customers and growers and continue looking for ways to create value together.”

The whole-crop approach is designed to create value across more of what growers produce while making thoughtful use of the resources that went into growing it. For growers, that can mean additional market opportunities. For customers, it means access to consistent, high-quality fruit and dependable supply. Across the broader business, it creates flexibility to match fruit with the channel where it is best suited.

“Growing fruit is a long-term business. You must take care of the land, take care of the people, and build relationships that last,” Auvil said. “That same mindset is behind Linda Fruit. We see it as a thoughtful extension of what Crunch Pak has built over many years, creating additional opportunities while respecting and complementing the relationships that already exist across the industry.”

Linda Fruit is currently focused on apples, with plans to continue building its tree fruit business and expanding relationships with growers and customers over time.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - As younger consumers rediscover hands-on experiences in the kitchen, Fresh Solutions Network® (FSN) is highlighting Side Delights® potatoes as a natural fit for the return to comfort cooking, nostalgic recipes, and updated family favorites.

Nostalgia is increasingly influencing what consumers put on the table. According to the 2026 IKEA Cooking & Eating Report, 40% of consumers actively seek foods that remind them of childhood, compared with just 25% who want to try new foods more often.

At the same time, younger shoppers are showing enthusiasm for getting into the kitchen. FMI – The Food Industry Association reports that 51% of Gen Z consumers like or love meal preparation, compared with 46% of consumers overall. When asked how retailers could make meal preparation easier, Gen Z’s top request was better-value food options, cited by 49%.

For retailers, potatoes sit naturally at the intersection of these trends: familiar, versatile, and value-oriented, while providing a foundation for traditional favorites and globally inspired meals.

“Potatoes have always been one of America’s great comfort foods, but today’s younger cooks are finding new ways to make them their own,” said Kathleen Triou, President and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network, in the recent release. “Side Delights gives retailers an opportunity to connect the potato category with shoppers looking for affordable comfort, cooking inspiration and fresh takes on familiar favorites.”

The trend is appearing in movements such as “analog cooking,” “nowstalgia” and “grandmacore,” where younger consumers are embracing traditional recipes and cooking techniques while adding contemporary flavors, global influences, and better-for-you twists.

Side Delights recipes bring those influences to familiar favorites, including Spanish Potato Frittata and Slimmed-Down Scalloped Potatoes.

Interest in hands-on cooking is also renewing enthusiasm for traditional cookware such as cast-iron skillets and Dutch ovens. Side Delights bagged, convenience, and petite potatoes work across these preparation methods, from Easy Potato Breakfast Skillet to simply prepared Dutch oven baked and Dutch oven petite potatoes.

For retailers, the opportunity extends beyond the traditional potato side dish. Side Delights varieties, pack sizes, and convenience options can connect the potato category to some of today’s strongest consumer motivations—comfort, value, cooking inspiration, and nostalgia—while introducing a new generation of shoppers to fresh potatoes.

For recipes and more information, visit SideDelights.com.

LAGRANGE, GA - The National Watermelon Association (NWA) has launched Inside the Melon: The Watermelon Industry Podcast, a new monthly podcast featuring conversations with experts and leaders on the issues, innovations, and opportunities shaping the watermelon industry.

Hosted by NWA Executive Director George Szczepanski, Inside the Melon is designed to connect growers, shippers, and other industry stakeholders with timely information and perspectives from across the watermelon industry and beyond.

“One of the best parts of this job is getting to talk with people who are doing groundbreaking work and helping shape the future of our industry,” Szczepanski said in the recent release. “Inside the Melon gives us a chance to bring our industry into those conversations, dig deeper into the ideas and innovations driving change, and hear directly from the people leading that work.”

The inaugural episode, “The Future of Precision Weed Control in Watermelon Production,” features Dr. Nathan Boyd, associate professor and weed science specialist at the University of Florida. Boyd joins Szczepanski for a conversation about emerging technology in watermelon production and how new tools can help growers address real-world production challenges.

The second episode, due out later this month, will feature Bob Redding, NWA’s public policy representative and founder of The Redding Firm, for a conversation about public policy and the issues affecting agriculture and the watermelon industry. The discussion will cover recent developments in Washington, D.C., while also taking a broader look at why advocacy matters and what is at stake for growers and agricultural businesses.

The inaugural season of Inside the Melon will feature six monthly episodes with researchers, growers, industry leaders, and other experts. Conversations will range from production and technology to labor, policy, marketing, and the people shaping the future of the watermelon industry.

Listen now at watermelon.ag/nwa-launches-inside-the-melon-the-watermelon-industry-podcast/ or find Inside the Melon wherever you get your podcasts. The show is available on most major podcast platforms.