Fresh All Green anticipates a highly successful Egyptian strawberry season, with the campaign running from mid-November through April. The company expects both good volumes and excellent fruit quality, characterized by high color and firmness, aligning with international client expectations. To support rising demand and uphold food safety standards, Fresh All Green is investing in additional cold storage capacity and advanced traceability software, upgrades designed to ensure product quality and enhance shipment monitoring.

Melissa's Produce has officially launched Red Heart K-Grapes from South Korea in the US market, as part of the company's luxury produce collection. The grapes are being sold for $55 to $60 per 1-pound, 5-ounce package and are available at select retailers and online. The grapes stand out for their deep crimson color, glossy finish, and distinctive heart shape, and the company is targeting the holiday season and premium gifting, highlighting the grapes' eye-catching appeal and novelty for both shoppers and retailers.

Two River Mushrooms is scaling up its organic mushroom operation to meet rising demand for specialty mushrooms, driven by trends including plant-based diets and growing demand for functional foods. Founder K.C. Sullivan, an environmental science teacher, started the business by growing mushrooms in his apartment and now produces up to 3,000 pounds per week on a purpose-built New Jersey farm, supplying over 100 restaurants and local markets. The farm recently introduced a functional mushroom broth that has won several awards and is sold nationwide.

GEM avocados are gaining popularity among farmers and chefs for qualities such as a thicker skin, creamy and nutty flavor, and golden speckles. The GEM avocado, developed by University of California researcher Grey E. Martin, is more compact and requires less pruning than other varieties, making it an economic choice for growers. Chefs like Gavin Schmidt of Sirene in Oakland, Calif., and The Morris in San Francisco are featuring GEM avocados in dishes such as halibut crudo.

Several major restaurant chains now offer impressive vegan options, making plant-based dining more accessible than ever. Taco Bell stands out as a top quickserve choice for vegans, thanks to its highly customizable menu, certified by the American Vegetarian Association, and staples like black beans and seasoned rice. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, Qdoba, Blaze Pizza, Yard House and Veggie Grill also feature hearty vegan meal options that go beyond side salads or fries. With customizable menus, clearly labeled plant-based choices and a willingness to accommodate dietary needs, these chains provide convenient, affordable and filling vegan meals for diners on the go.

Gilliard Farms in Georgia, co-owned by siblings Matthew and Althea Raiford, has been recognized as a Centennial Farm for its 150-year legacy. As a vibrant center of Gullah Geechee culture, the Raifords blend ancestral knowledge with modern sustainable practices, cultivating a variety of crops and maintaining a pesticide-free environment since 1874. "We're giving back to Mother Nature what she gave us," said Matthew Raiford, who attended the Culinary Institute of America and is a certified ecological horticulturalist, combining fine-dining skill with regenerative practice. "People call it regenerative farming now, but our ancestors were doing it long before anyone called it that."

Dole Fresh Vegetables is launching a holiday promotion in partnership with Instacart, offering shoppers $1 off for every $8 spent on the Dole Family-Size Ultimate Caesar Kit and 70 other Dole salad products. The company points to a growing trend of Americans including salads in their holiday meals, with surveys indicating that nearly one-third of families serve green salad for Thanksgiving and about one in 10 opt for Caesar salad. Want more about Thanksgiving trends? Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter.

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The future of agricultural labor will be shaped by technology that supports rather than replaces workers, says Peter O'Driscoll of the Equitable Food Initiative. The labor shortage, driven by an aging workforce and reliance on the H-2A visa program, highlights the need for a workforce skilled in technology, industry leaders say. Tim Bucher of Agtonomy and Tyler Niday of Bonsai Robotics emphasize the need for training in areas such as robotics and AI.

Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a sustainable sanitizer for produce by upcycling waste broth from probiotic production. The method, which combines the broth with mild heat, significantly reduces salmonella and other microbial levels on fresh radish sprouts.

Afresh has introduced Fresh Buying, an AI-powered platform aimed at optimizing fresh distribution center buying. Wakefern Food is among the first to implement the platform, which Afresh CEO Matt Schwartz says will allow buyers to focus on more strategic tasks and revenue-generating activities. "This kind of innovation is poised to transform the industry -- and Wakefern is committed to leading that transformation," says Darren Caudill, chief sales officer at Wakefern.