Wayne Hardy

Honeybear Brands, a grower, developer and marketer of premium apple varieties, will mark National Cancer Prevention Month with a partnership with the American Institute for Cancer Research and its premium apple variety, Pazazz. Honeybear Brands will promote AICR’s cancer health check, an online tool that gives instant feedback how a person matches with the institute’s evidence-based recommendations to lower the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, according to a news release.

Technology has had a place in the fresh produce industry for a long time, whether it’s the first UPC bar code scan in the 1970s to optical sorters in packinghouses. But what about the future? Carbon Robotics founder and CEO Paul Mikesell and Verdant Technologies Chief Revenue Officer Matthew Aronson spoke with The Packer about what technology will impact the fresh produce industry in 2025 and beyond.

Growers in California, Florida and Texas, the main U.S. winter citrus production areas, are well underway with their 2024-25 season and report some successes and some challenges. Valencia, Calif.-based Sunkist Growers Inc. “is off to a strong start,” said Cassie Howard, senior director of category management and marketing. The co-op offers a wide range of conventional and organic orange, lemon and specialty citrus varieties.