Fruit sales surge to become fastest-growing category
Strong berry and grape sales have helped fruit become the fastest growing category in UK grocery as Brits shift to healthier diets, according to new figures
Fyffes publishes fourth annual human rights report
The fresh produce giant’s 2024 report demonstrates continued progress in embedding responsible business practices throughout its supply chain
Spanish cherry exports climb 11 per cent to 43,604 tonnes
Fepex’s Cherry Committee reports positive season results with exports reaching a value of €188mn
Grójeckie apples gain momentum
Sady Grójeckie Association is leveraging strong consumer positioning through Nordic campaigns, environmental initiatives and product development
Maersk appoints Robert Erni as new chief financial officer
The logistics group has also announced a series of regional leadership appointments as part of a broader restructure
Chinese drone specialist TopXGun teams up with AGC to fuel Spanish expansion
AGC becomes the official Spanish distributor for TopXGun’s precision agriculture UAV technology
Eurofruits Levante becomes latest cooperative to join Anecoop
Its incorporation into the second-tier cooperative will add another 12,700 tonnes of vegetables a year to Anecoop’s offering
Costa Rica concludes UK phase of European campaign to promote pineapple and cassava
Campaign featured in-store tastings in Tesco and Morrisons and advertising at Waterloo tube station
Primland primed for growth of gold kiwi
With production on the rise in France, Portugal and Greece, kiwifruit marketer Primland is ready to respond to increasing consumer demand
Fresh Inset trials show pear shelf-life extended eight days
Argentine trials show William’s pears packed in MCPBag with Vidre+ ripened slower than those in standard packaging
Co-op to require all UK produce to be LEAF certified
Retailer is rolling out the compulsory certification across its British supply chain throughout 2026 after consultation with its grower group
Belgium’s Hoogstraten increasing visibility in UK
Belgian strawberry exports to the UK are on the up, according to Hoogstraten’s Jan Engelen, who also has high hopes for specialty tomatoes
Fepex slams EU trade deal with Morocco
It claims allowing produce from Western Sahara to benefit from tariff advantages will further harm EU producers
Rijk Zwaan opens new breeding greenhouse
De Lier facility expands company’s breeding capacity for tomatoes, sweet peppers and aubergines
Breeders respond to EU proposal on gene edited crops
Some of the world’s leading plant breeders share their thoughts on this week’s landmark EU agreement to allow gene-edited fruits and vegetables
G’s releases ESG report via video for first time
Leading salad grower G’s has released a cinematic sustainability report, bringing to life diverse stories, voices and sustainability achievements
Two thirds of Brits will eat potatoes at Christmas
Potatoes are the most popular Christmas food on plates with roasties topping the list of favourite festive foods in new survey
Fruit grower helps fund local social supermarket
Place UK has raised £3,000 for community charity The Feed in 2025, via bake sales, diverting profits from its staff shop and produce donations
Fyffes survey highlights pineapple preferences
Nielsen consumer research commissioned by Fyffes reveals pineapples now rank alongside traditional big-selling varieties
Stonepeak invests in reusable packaging provider Ifco
Investor joins existing shareholder Triton to support continued improvement in network capacity, service reliability, and digital capabilities
Cosmic Crisp launches multi-channel campaign for new season
A highlight of the campaign will be a series of special events combining tastings with unforgettable experiences in “enchanting” locations
Huelva raspberry acreage expands in 2024/25
New report shows region is the leading supplier of fresh raspberries in the European Union
IGD warns UK food industry faces "make-or-break" 2026
IGD’s latest Economic Viewpoint report warns that UK food and drink businesses must prepare for a volatile environment in 2026
TSBC scoops award for its year-round strawberry programme
Company named the winner in the Gamechanger category at the Sussex Business Awards
Avemoy expands Hortiscan systems to Netherlands
The Klagenfurt University spin-off is deploying its AI-powered drone monitoring systems to Dutch greenhouse operators
Fruit lost from Seatrade vessel begins to wash up on shore
Bananas, avocados and plantains reportedly in containers that fell off Baltic Klipper at weekend, as coastguard monitors clear-up
Italian grapes in focus as Fruitnet event returns
New and better varieties remain key priority for entire sector as market makes even tougher demands on suppliers
NFU spells out asks for UK-EU SPS deal
Farmers’ union ultimately wants a deal that enables smoother trade with the UK’s largest trading partner
Video: Why the apple business is ‘too confusing’
Serge Mouneyrac, a major supplier of fresh apples and pears based in Paris, says too much variety can complicate the market
Fertiliser and soil conditioners under consultation in organic standards review
The Soil Association has opened a consultation on whether to raise organic standards in Northern Ireland in line with changes to the EO Organic Regulation
New food school will train market traders and fruiterers
A new location at London’s Royal Docks for meat and fish wholesale markets Smithfield and Billingsgate has been announced along with plans for the on-site school
Fruitful Ventures repositions Olympic Fruit and Freshpride
Commercial manager Dick Donker takes on new trade and wholesale role, while Christian Schouten heads up overseas business
Rijk Zwaan ranks highly in Dutch R&D Top 50
The Dutch breeding company invests 30 per cent of its annual turnover in R&D, focusing on biotechnology, genomics and disease resistance
Kiwi Passion unveils new yellow kiwifruit
Consortium says addition of ‘robust’ variety makes it the only group that can produce kiwifruit at scale in both northern and southern Europe
Eurosemillas wins innovation award
The first edition of the Agri-Food Sector Awards praises the company’s pioneering work in produce and flowers
Video: How will AI shape the future of fresh produce?
AI is transforming how fruit and vegetables are bred, grown, distributed and marketed. But where will the technology have the greatest potential impact?