The Packer Podcast

With labor costs reaching up to 50% of production and a massive gap in infrastructure, the CEO of South Mill Champs explains how robotics and AI are transforming North American mushroom farming from a manual craft into a 24/7 high-tech operation.

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The International Fresh Produce Association's vice president of sustainability shares how this new strategic path will standardize metrics and streamline efforts across the global supply chain.

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John Cymbal, co-founder and chief marketing officer for Molly’s Grape & Citrus Co., explains how ditching the commodity mindset for a CPG strategy is helping the brand win over consumers.

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Circana's vice president of the fresh foods group says the fresh produce industry is poised for a record-breaking dollar growth in 2026, but cautions the industry must move away from a commodity mindset toward data-driven consumer insights.

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The executive director of the Equitable Food Initiative shares how the organization works to promote trust and collaboration among different stakeholders to enact real, tangible progress toward its goals.

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Join us for this special episode of The Packer Podcast, sharing some of the most interesting and entertaining answers from our "fresh take" segment.

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Hashim Amin, head of grocery and retail for North America at Uber, shares how the company leverages its platform to offer convenience and on-demand services and how its unique marketplace experience competes against Amazon.

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Heather Sterrett, director of events and expos with Farm Journal, gives a snapshot of some of the exciting plans in store for attendees of the January event.

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Steve Mantle, founder and CEO of innov8.ag, offers insights to help growers overcome agriculture's complexities, boost tech adoption and use real-time, actionable data for improved operations and future readiness.

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Food research expert Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, shares why Millennials and Gen Z are driving fruit consumption while vegetable sales decline.

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Tara Murray, vice president of marketing for Fresh Innovations and Yo Quiero Brands, shares how brands can respond to consumer trends in flavor and snacking and the opportunities in the industry for innovation and disruption.

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The Canadian Produce Marketing Association president shares how vital trade agreements are to the success of the entire fresh produce industry, changing Canadian shopper mindsets and more.

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Kevin Hamilton, Vice President, Global Marketing and Communications at the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, shares how he aims to highlight blueberries’ true differentiators and merge health messaging with emotion to fuel consumers’ future purchases.

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Nico Cabral, director of marketing for labor management software company FieldClock, discusses how simple efficiency tweaks through the use of technology can have a big impact on a farm's bottom line.

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Randy Asadoor, CEO of Keystone Packing, and Sabrina Thakkar, director of the California Association of Food Banks's Farm to Family program, share the unique partnership between their organizations and the ever-growing need for fresh produce at food banks.

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LeAnne Ruzzamenti, director of marketing and communications with the Equitable Food Initiative, highlights this year's award, and shares the critical role farmworkers play in the fresh produce industry and why it's important to recognize them.

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John Ross, IGA CEO, shares his company's strategy to transition to 2D barcodes and the benefits the barcodes hold for the fresh produce industry.

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Matthew Aronson, chief revenue officer at Verdant Technologies, shares how his company deploys 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene) in a new and innovative way to offer better produce to retailers and cut down on the use of ice in shipping.

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Lucelena Angarita, director of food supply chain visibility at GS1 US shares why it's never too early to start preparing your fresh produce business for the Food Traceability Final Rule, which goes into effect on Jan. 20, 2026.

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