COSTA RICA - During Fresh Del Monte Produce’s recent Q2 2025 Earnings Call, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh explained that the company is actively managing major shipping disruptions at Costa Rica’s Port of Caldera, where unusually strong ocean swells have created a chokepoint for vessel access by tropical fruit exporters.

“Produce is a highly perishable product. With delays at the port due to high swells, severe port congestion, schedule disruptions, and in some cases labor strikes, the shelf-life of the produce is diminished,” Raul Saca, Fresh Del Monte’s Senior Vice President of Global Logistics, told me. “Additionally, delivery to our customers gets interrupted, creating additional challenges.”

According to Fresh Del Monte, these shipping disruptions are causing severe congestion as well as delays for vessels for up to five days, which is driving up costs across the produce supply chain.

“We are cooperating with other shipping lines to minimize the effect of the delays and adjusting wherever possible. This includes things like swapping slots with other shipping lines. If both lines are going to the same destination, we load the cargo in Caldera for our customers and theirs, and they load our cargo and theirs in Quetzal. This type of slot exchange and cooperation allows for one less vessel in each port, easing congestion once the ports become operational,” Raul explained.

With minimal structural protection at the port, the impact is industry-wide. Fresh Del Monte teams are responding with urgency—adjusting schedules, reallocating shipments, and working to maintain service continuity for its customers.

“To mitigate the consequences, we are looking at alternative ports; however, there is no short-term solution,” Raul continued. “Caldera is very important for Fresh Del Monte because of the pineapples. The Port Authority has issued a tender for a port concession that includes the expansion and modernization of the port. This expansion will involve building new berths protected from swells and increasing the port's capacity. That will solve the problems, but in my estimation, it will take 2–3 years at least.”

Raul added that Fresh Del Monte also looked at shipping the cargo through the East Coast from Costa Rica and Guatemala to Freeport, Texas, and trucking the cargo from there to the West Coast. He said this is a very costly solution, but the company is evaluating it.

“In the meantime, we are managing week by week by cooperating with other shipping lines and skipping ports to catch up on the schedules when the vessels get delayed,” Raul concluded.

The AndNowUKnow team will continue to monitor these shipping disruptions and report back as we learn more.

UNITED STATES - An active weather pattern is set to continue from the central Plains to the East Coast over the coming days. According to AccuWeather, scattered thunderstorms will bring periods of gusty winds, small hail, and brief downpours in parts of the Dakotas, Great Lakes, and Southeast, while tropical moisture moving into Texas may lead to pockets of heavy rain.

Forecasters note that while overall storm coverage tends to ease later in the summer, current conditions may still support episodes of unsettled weather in different regions at different times. Saturday’s forecast highlights the potential for storms stretching from the Dakotas through the Great Lakes.

Sunday could bring another round of showers and possible severe weather from the northern Plains into the Midwest and parts of the Northeast. Communities are encouraged to monitor local forecasts and plan accordingly.

Check ANUK for continued updates as this system shifts through the weekend.

OVIEDO, FL - The Southeast Produce Council’s (SEPC) Southern Innovations event is less than a month away, which means suppliers have already mapped out their upcoming showcases and the standout products expected to wow attendees. Taking to this year’s show with multiple items in tow, Duda Farm Fresh Foods aims to help its partners maximize success across three central categories.

“Convenience is a prominent theme for both foodservice customers and consumers. The fresh-cut advantages include cutting labor, saving time, and reducing waste to make everyone’s life a little easier,” shared Nichole Towell, Senior Director of Marketing, Duda Farm Fresh Foods.

With convenience and quality leading the way, Duda Farm Fresh Foods is placing three categories in the spotlight during this year’s show:

• Fresh-Cut Celery: Recognized for its prowess in the celery sector, the brand recently launched unique 2-inch celery dippers™, which are pre-washed and ready-to-eat for convenience and are the perfect bite-sized scoops for all dips and spreads
• Sweet Corn: Duda’s tray-pack sweet corn is carefully grown and harvested from farms in Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Indiana, offering consumers this sweet veg pre-shucked for optimal convenience
• Radishes: Duda’s radishes are available in three ready-to-eat options, including whole radishes, coins, and Ministicks®, giving shoppers the perfect options to satisfy all of their radish needs

“We are about to enter one of the busiest and most food-filled seasons with sports watch parties, the holidays, and a wide range of hosting opportunities. This means easy finger foods to use with dips—cue our products,” Nichole adds. “Charcuterie boards—both large and individual—have been increasing in popularity as well, which can be made whole with some fresh-cut celery and/or radishes to replace or accompany chips and crackers.”

Visit the Duda Farm Fresh Foods team at booth #324 during the Southern Innovations event to learn more about each of these advantageous offerings!