WASHINGTON, DC - The International Fresh Produce Association ANZ (IFPA ANZ) has launched its inaugural quarterly report, Fresh Matters, advancing its leadership of the fresh produce sector across Australia and New Zealand.

The IFPA Fresh Matters report represented a significant step forward in the association's thought leadership, IFPA managing director ANZ Belinda Wilson said. "It offers critical insights and actionable data derived from global IFPA research, resources, and consumer sentiment studies across multiple markets," she said in the recent press release.

"It reflects our commitment to applying global insights to support and advance the sector. It delivers meaningful value to the industry we serve."

The report was launched at the Plenary Sessions during the premier horticultural trade event, Hort Connections, in Brisbane, June 5.

The first edition outlines the Australian findings of IFPA Global research conducted across seven countries and shows Australian parents are actively involving children in food preparation and decision making.

WENATCHEE, WA - Just in time for back-to-school season, Crunch Pak is excited to announce a new collaboration with CMI Orchards and Stemilt Growers to launch licensed bagged apples featuring beloved characters like Bluey and PAW Patrol. Available in both organic and conventional varieties, these fun and flavorful apple bags will begin rolling out to major U.S. retailers this summer and continue into the fall.

The initiative is part of Crunch Pak’s Licensing Program, which aims to make healthy eating more exciting and accessible for children. By combining high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables with playful, recognizable characters, the program encourages kids to choose fresh, healthy options as a fun and nutritious snack.

“Crunch Pak’s Licensing Department is excited to expand its licensing capabilities into commodity items such as whole apples, blueberries, grapes, citrus, and more,” said Jay Zimmerman, Crunch Pak Licensing and Innovation Manager, in the recent press release. “We plan to work with our Licensors on multiplatform marketing campaigns that could include theme park promotions, movie promotions/sweepstakes, and in-store displays, to help promote fresh fruit and vegetable consumption for families”.

“Stemilt is excited to be part of this unique industry collaboration that strives to make snacking apples fun and appealing to kids,” said Brianna Shales, Marketing Director at Stemilt. “Pouch bags are a proven merchandising method for apples and help fit today’s parents' need for convenience and snack-size fruit. We see adding widely known kids' characters to pouch bags as a way to boost apple consumption of high-flavor varieties, and drive repeat purchases.”

Crunch Pak has a long-standing history of partnering with top licensing companies—including Paramount/Nickelodeon, BBC Studios, NBC Universal, Disney, and Minecraft—to bring imaginative, kid-friendly packaging to life. These collaborations are designed to support parents and caregivers in promoting better eating habits through products that are both nutritious and fun.

The licensed apple bags will be available nationwide in the produce section of participating retailers.

WENATCHEE, WA - With heartfelt remembrance, California Citrus Mutual has released the following obituary honoring the life and legacy of Joel Nelsen:

Joel Andrew Nelsen unexpectedly passed away the morning of Tuesday, July 1, at the age of 78.

Born in San Diego on September 27, 1946, to Walter and Lorraine Nelsen, Joel led a blessed life. He was known by all for his work ethic, starting as a produce clerk at Lucky Stores when he was 16. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1970, serving four tours of duty in Vietnam.

He returned home to graduate from Cal State University, Fullerton, and married the love of his life, Suezette Wingfield, on June 23, 1972. Together, Joel and Suezette had two daughters, Nicole Reynolds and Laura Nelsen. His only grandchild, Conner Joel Reynolds, arrived on September 4, 2012, and became the absolute apple of Joel’s eye.

After years as a produce manager for Lucky stores, he became CEO of the Fresh Produce Council for 10 years. In 1982, Joel, Suezette, and the girls moved to Visalia, where Joel would dedicate the next 37 years of his professional life to leading California Citrus Mutual.

Fighting never-ending battles on behalf of the citrus industry, Joel set industry standards and became known nationwide as a warrior for his constituency. Regular trips to Sacramento, Washington D.C., and internationally were all part of Joel’s service to the citrus industry. He woke up every morning ready to contribute.

Thanks to Joel and a very supportive board of directors, CCM became the voice of California citrus. Joel mentored many, and his accomplishments were significant, including passage of the largest tax relief package ever for California agriculture, and preventing the importation of lemons from Argentina to protect California citrus from pest and disease infestations.

His retirement in 2019 allowed him more time with Suezette and his daughters, enjoying adventures with Conner, playing golf, tasting wine and whiskey, enjoying the Cayucos beach, and walking his dog Katy. It was never lost on Joel how fortunate he was.

During COVID-19, Joel saw the need for starting Chit Chat on the Cul-de-Sac, a neighborhood friendship and social group. The greatest neighborhood in Visalia continues Chit Chat to this day with get-togethers and events.

In 2023, American Pistachio Growers asked him to guide their organization through a transition period. True to form, Joel stepped up. He left retirement and became the interim President and CEO for a year.

The world has lost a great one. His absence will be felt by everyone in his life. He was generous with his time, wisdom, and guidance. Joel will be missed, thought of often, quoted regularly, and especially cherished by his loved ones, too many friends to count, Visalia Country Club golf buddies, neighborhood groups, the citrus industry, and his colleagues in government.

Joel was preceded in death by his mother and father, and his nephew, Sean Nelsen.

He is survived by his wife Suezette, his daughters Nicole (Robert) and Laura Nelsen, along with his wonderful grandson Conner Joel. He is also survived by his brother Steven, nephew Chad (Jennifer), and nieces Jennifer (Sean), Jennifer (Tom), and Jill (Kenny), numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews, close family friend Darlene Loose, many others who became his family, and of course, Katy.

In lieu of flowers, Suezette has asked for you to donate to Katy’s rescue, Paw Squad 559 at 1840 Shaw Ave, 105\48 Clovis, CA 93611.

A Celebration of Life for friends and family will be held on July 24, 2025, at 11:00 am at the Visalia Country Club – 625 N Ranch St, Visalia, CA 93291.

LEE’S SUMMIT, MO - Mushrooms, the most popular vegetable topping ordered by Domino’s customers, have an exciting new opportunity to showcase their popularity on pizzas this summer. The Mushroom Council has partnered with Domino’s in celebrating mushrooms during their Best Deal Ever promotion, offering any pizza with any toppings for the value price of $9.99.

Starting July 7 and continuing through August 3, Domino’s Best Deal Ever promotion is being collaboratively promoted by both organizations with mushroom-centric influencer activities and paid and earned social media amplification. The collaboration is expected to reach more than 100 million impressions across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat in July.

As part of the promotion, the innovative chefs at Domino’s have developed a special “secret menu” pizza, an on-trend order hack that takes advantage of the value offered with the Best Deal Ever promotion. This new pizza build features Domino’s Crunchy Thin Crust with alfredo sauce, spinach, feta, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and Parmesan/Asiago cheese.

To promote this custom pie, Domino’s – with support from the Mushroom Council – is encouraging customers to order this secret menu pizza on Mushroom Monday or any day of the week during the Best Deal Ever promotional period.

“The Best Deal Ever promotion offers Domino’s customers the opportunity to explore new craveable ways mushrooms can star on a pizza,” said Amy Wood, president and CEO of the Mushroom Council, in the recent press release. “We are grateful for Domino’s longstanding partnership with North American mushroom growers and are excited to help add even more mushrooms to Domino’s pizzas this summer.”

“With mushrooms being our most popular veggie topping, we are proud to inspire Domino’s customers with new ways to enjoy them this summer,” said Carrie Ballew, Domino’s vice president – chief procurement officer. “The Best Deal Ever promotion allows us to do what we do best, which is offer customers delicious pizza at an unbeatable value. For everyday family meals or for large summer gatherings, now is a great time to take advantage of this deal and get creative in satisfying those mushroom pizza cravings.”

HOUSTON, TX - Born Farms was built on a simple belief: take care of where everything is born. Guided by this principle, we’re not just adapting to agriculture’s challenges—we’re solving them. From climate instability to soil degradation, Born is creating real, regenerative solutions that reshape how food is grown.

Our latest innovation is a tunnel-growing system that turns unpredictability into precision. Designed to revolutionize the bean category, it protects crops, enhances soil health, and ensures a consistent supply, rain or shine.

The Challenge: Climate Instability

Traditional farming is at the mercy of the weather. In response, we piloted a protected method for French and Green beans using macrotunnels—structures that create controlled microclimates, shield crops from pests and extremes, and drastically reduce water usage and chemical inputs.

The Impact: Reliable, Regenerative Production

These tunnels extend growing seasons, boost resilience, and produce vibrant, premium-quality beans—all while restoring the land. It's not just about higher yields—it’s about cultivating food with purpose.

Why It Matters

For chefs, retailers, and distributors, this means access to consistent, sustainable produce. For the planet, it’s a step toward healing ecosystems. And for Born, it’s proof that a transparent, regenerative food system is possible.

“Our vision is to redefine the future of food by building a regenerative, predictable, and transparent agricultural system that nourishes both people and planet, " says Christopher Safieh, Founder of Born, in the recent press release.

More Than a Method — A Movement

This isn’t just a technique. It’s a shift in mindset. It proves that sustainability and innovation can work hand in hand. Born is committed to a system that feeds people without compromising the earth that feeds us.

Interested in joining the movement?

We specialize in customized solutions designed to bring more consistency, availability, and predictability to your sourcing process. With strategically located loading facilities in Miami, FL, and McAllen, TX, we streamline logistics and ensure timely, efficient service to meet your needs.

WASHINGTON - Food Lion, one of the largest omnichannel grocery retailers in the Southeast with over 1,100 locations, has deployed Flybuy, the leading AI-powered location engine, to power its growing curbside pickup program, Food Lion To Go. This milestone completes the full-scale integration of Flybuy across all 1,650 Ahold Delhaize stores. As part of the Ahold Delhaize family, Food Lion joins sister banners—including Stop & Shop, The GIANT Company, Giant Food, and Hannaford—where Flybuy already powers curbside operations. This collaboration brings real-time location tracking and operational efficiency to stores, creating a faster, more seamless pickup experience for customers.

With Food Lion To Go, shoppers can conveniently place their grocery orders online or through the Food Lion app. Once an order is placed, Flybuy is aware of the customer journey as they make their way to the store for pickup, enabling store associates to prepare the order for a perfectly timed handoff upon arrival. By leveraging AI-powered insights, store teams receive accurate ETAs and arrival alerts, significantly improving the speed of service, which reduces wait times and ensures groceries are handed off fresh and fast.

Flybuy is fully integrated into Food Lion's tech stack, delivering key operational benefits:

• Real-time visibility into customer arrivals
• Reduced wait times at pickup spots
• Fresh, well-timed order handoffs
• Improved operational efficiency for store associates
• Optimized parking and staging area use
• Expanded availability of pickup timeslots

"Flybuy has been a game-changer for our curbside program," said Steven Harwood, Food Lion To Go Manager at Food Lion, in the recent press release. "By giving our teams real-time visibility into each customer's journey, we're able to prepare orders more accurately, reduce wait times, and deliver a faster, fresher, and more seamless pickup experience than ever before."

Flybuy has driven measurable improvements in Food Lion's curbside operations, reducing customer wait times by over 40% and increasing overall efficiency for store teams. This boost in speed and reliability has led to a notable rise in customer satisfaction, with guests rating their curbside pickup experience an impressive 4.8 out of 5 stars.

"We're excited to support Food Lion's continued commitment to convenience and customer satisfaction," said Marc Wallace, Co-Founder & CEO of Flybuy. "With the full rollout Flybuy across all Ahold Delhaize USA banners, we're proud to help streamline the pickup process for thousands of stores across the country. By leveraging our location engine, we're empowering these leading grocery brands to deliver a best-in-class customer experience — one that's faster, more convenient, and remarkably consistent, driving more digital orders and building long-term customer loyalty."

This rollout underscores Ahold Delhaize's ongoing investment in digital innovation and its mission to make grocery shopping as easy and convenient as possible, whether in-store or on the go.

FLORIDA & GULF COAST - According to USA TODAY, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring a trough of low pressure off the Atlantic coast of northern Florida that could bring heavy rain to the region and parts of the Gulf Coast this week. The system is producing disorganized showers and storms across Florida, the northwestern Bahamas, and nearby Atlantic waters as it heads west toward the northeastern Gulf by late Tuesday.

Forecasters noted that environmental conditions appear “favorable enough to support some gradual development,” but even if the system doesn’t strengthen, it could still deliver localized flash flooding across Florida and the north-central Gulf Coast from mid- to late week.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs through November, with peak activity typically occurring from mid-August through mid-October.

Check ANUK for further coverage as this weather system continues to develop.

SALINAS, CA - Naturipe Farms is proud to announce a banner year for domestically grown blueberries, driven by exceptional volume, premium quality, and record-setting demand—especially for its proprietary varieties, Envoy™ and Keepsake™. These mature, flavor-forward varieties are now being harvested at scale, marking the first year of substantial domestic volume and offering retailers and consumers some of the best blueberries to ever hit the market.

“Thanks to years of investment in breeding, we’re seeing a bumper crop of our jumbo blueberries, Mighty Blues™, and premium Sweet Selections™—and they’re selling out fast,” said Jim Roberts, President at Naturipe Farms, in the recent release. “Retailers and consumers alike are showing unprecedented enthusiasm for these flavor-packed berries.”

Naturipe’s organic blueberries are also experiencing record-breaking performance, with volume and demand both on fire this summer. Winter and spring brought near-perfect growing conditions in the Pacific Northwest, setting the stage for a strong, sustained domestic organic season.

This summer also presents a great opportunity for retailers and consumers to upsize pack offerings. With such high-quality fruit and strong supply, larger packs are moving quickly at retail, driven by demand for better taste, better value, and healthy summer snacking.

A strategic advantage for Naturipe is its position as the largest company breeding and growing blueberries in the United States. This gives Naturipe the ability to not only deliver superior-tasting fruit today but also to ensure the future of flavorful, sustainable blueberry production nationwide.

“Consumers now expect better-tasting fruit, longer shelf life, and strong sustainability stories as the standard, not the exception,” added Roberts. “Naturipe is proud to meet and exceed those expectations with our proprietary varieties, grower partnerships, and commitment to innovation.”

With summer in full swing, blueberries remain a health hero. Packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C, they’re the ultimate snack for brain health, heart health, and immunity support. Whether enjoyed fresh, in smoothies, or on summer picnic spreads, Naturipe’s blueberries are a delicious and nutritious choice.

Retailers interested in premium pack options, including Envoy™, Keepsake™, Mighties™, Sweet Selections™, and organic blueberries, are encouraged to contact the Naturipe sales team at [email protected].