year ahead Archives - Page 3 of 4

The Year Ahead: Of produce and plant-based diets

January 17, 2022 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

Numerous studies have identified plant-based eating—from full-on veganism to a casual reduction in meat consumption through plant-based substitutes—as gaining traction in 2020 and 2021.

The Year Ahead: Food safety & traceability

January 14, 2022 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

According to the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), there were 26 percent fewer foodborne infections in 2020 compared with the average annual number from 2017 to 2019, marking the first decline in many years.

The Year Ahead: Consumer marketing goes beyond sampling

January 13, 2022 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

Product sampling was put on hold during the pandemic due to safety concerns, but will it come back? And at what level?

The Year Ahead: Sustainability at the forefront

January 12, 2022 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

Countering the trend for more packaging is the desire for more sustainable measures, especially as climate change becomes of greater concern to consumers.

The Year Ahead: Convenience Drives Innovation

January 11, 2022 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

Convenience continues to be a buzzword throughout the greater food industry and is expected to be a key driver in all manner of innovation in 2022, from new varieties and value-added products to packaging.

The Year Ahead: On the other side?

January 10, 2022 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

Last year at this time, many observers had hoped the pandemic would be over by now. Unfortunately, it’s still here, and when combined with all the other industry challenges—from inclement weather, fluctuating product availability, supply chain issues, labor uncertainty, and changing consumer behavior—2021 turned out to be one of the more difficult years in recent memory.

The Year Ahead: Transportation calming?

January 23, 2019 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

Kenny Lund, vice president of operations for Allen Lund Company in La Canada, near Los Angeles, …

The Year Ahead: Transportation costs keep rising

January 22, 2019 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

Trucking industry rates have gone up 10 to 20 percent over the last year or so, …

The Year Ahead: Addressing convenience

January 21, 2019 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

Retailers continue to expand their selections of convenience-driven offerings, from pre-cut and value-added produce packs to …

The Year Ahead: Shifting retail landscape

January 18, 2019 - Produce Blueprints, By Karen Raugust

In the retail grocery world, change it seems, is the only constant. “Consumer purchasing is really …