🌱 What’s powering celery innovation

🌱 Good afternoon, and welcome to today's fresh newsletter! 

In today's email:

• IFPA Outlines Global Impact and Future-Focused Strategy in 2024 Report

• HelloFresh Debuts Quick Meal Solutions

• Trivia: Which Fruit Never Ripens After Being Picked?

• Fresh Picks: Our Handpicked Produce Content from the Web

• USDA Names 11 New Potatoes USA Board Members

• Duda Farm Fresh Foods: A Century of Growth

• Tip of the Day: Showcase the Nutritional Superpowers of Your Produce

IFPA

IFPA Outlines Global Impact and Future-Focused Strategy in 2024 Report

The International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) 2024 Annual Impact Report highlights its efforts to advance the fresh produce and floral industry globally.

The report details accomplishments in advocacy, sustainability, labor, and talent development, with initiatives aimed at improving consumer health, industry growth, and environmental sustainability.

Key achievements include securing full funding for the U.S. WIC program to promote fruit and vegetable consumption and successfully contesting regulations such as the U.S. H-2A rule and a PLU sticker ban.

IFPA also championed sustainable packaging and climate-smart agriculture while addressing global labor challenges.

CEO Cathy Burns praised the collective efforts of members and partners in shaping policies and fostering innovation.

The report introduces a flexible 2025–2027 strategic plan focused on advocacy, personalized support, and global influence.

By strengthening collaborations and hosting cross-sector dialogues, IFPA aims to build a resilient industry that benefits consumers and protects natural resources.

👉 Read the full version

MEAL KITS

HelloFresh Debuts Quick Meal Solutions for the New Year

HelloFresh is starting 2025 with a range of convenient meal options designed for busy households aiming to maintain healthy eating habits.

The company now offers three speedy choices: Ready Made Meals ready in three minutes, Prep & Bake Meals requiring five minutes of prep, and 15-Min Meals for quick recipes.

The Ready Made Meals, featuring dishes like Beef Bolognese and Butter Chicken, offer chef-crafted, nutritious options for those with packed schedules.

Prep & Bake Meals, such as Onion Crunch Chicken, simplify cooking with pre-chopped ingredients and minimal cleanup. For faster home-cooked meals, 15-Min Meals, including Chicken Gyoza Salad, promise fresh, flavorful dishes in under 15 minutes.

These options aim to reduce time in the kitchen while providing high-quality, balanced meals.

HelloFresh’s expanded offerings provide an easy alternative to takeout or processed foods, allowing customers to focus on enjoying homemade meals with minimal effort.

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TRIVIA

A fruit that never ripens after being picked is the _____.

This fruit must be harvested at its peak ripeness because it does not continue to ripen once removed from the plant.

👨‍🌾 H-2A Visa Growth Slows Amid Rising Costs and Regulations, Highlighting U.S. Farm Labor Challenges | H-2A visa growth slows as rising costs and regulations exacerbate U.S. farm labor challenges, reflecting a declining domestic agricultural workforce and increasing reliance on immigrant labor. (FreshPlaza.com | Jan 03, 2025)

📷 Marketing Fresh Produce – Whose Job Is It? | Increasing fresh produce consumption requires a collective effort from the entire supply chain, industry associations, and educators to promote better taste, nutritional benefits, and consumer awareness, starting with younger generations. (GrowingProduce.com | Jan 03, 2025)

🍊 Spanish Fruit and Veg Exports Reach New Record in 2024 | Spanish fresh fruit and vegetable exports hit record highs in 2024, rising 6% in value and 8% in volume, while challenges like water shortages and competition from non-EU countries persist. (Fruitnet.com | Jan 03, 2025)

🚢 Maersk Asks Customers to Remove Cargo Before Potential Strike at US Ports | Maersk urges customers to clear containers at U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports by Jan. 15 as unresolved automation disputes risk a coast-wide strike starting Jan. 16, threatening supply chains and trade. (Reuters.com | Dec 31, 2024)

🔍 A look at the Year in Produce 2024 | The Packer’s 2024 year-in-review highlights key produce industry stories, including hurricane resilience, AI innovations, sustainability challenges, consumer psychology, and groundbreaking achievements like Sonya Constable's recognition as Produce Retailer of the Year. (ThePacker.com | Dec 30, 2024)

POTATOES USA

USDA Names 11 New Potatoes USA Board Members

The USDA has appointed 11 individuals to the Potatoes USA Board of Directors to guide efforts in supporting the U.S. potato industry.

These members will serve staggered terms through 2027 and 2028, ensuring ongoing leadership in marketing, research, and education initiatives.

The board includes nine producer representatives, one public member, and one producer with a two-year term, reflecting diverse regional perspectives and expertise.

Newly appointed members such as Thomas Baker (California), Andrew J. Price (Colorado), and Diane Szawlowski Mullins (Massachusetts) will address local challenges and opportunities.

Reappointed members, including Alison Sklarczyk (Michigan) and Pete Ewing (Minnesota), bring continuity to strategic planning.

The board’s responsibilities include setting goals, allocating resources, and evaluating programs to boost potato demand domestically and globally.

By blending fresh insights with experienced leadership, Potatoes USA aims to adapt marketing strategies, strengthen consumer education, and foster industry growth while addressing emerging challenges.

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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Duda Farm Fresh Foods: A Century of Growth

Duda Farm Fresh Foods is a produce company tracing its roots back to the 1920s, when founder Andrew Duda first planted and harvested celery on 40 acres of land.

Nearly 100 years have passed since that initial venture, and the company remains family-owned, now spanning six generations who continue to build upon the legacy begun by Andrew Duda.

Its commitment to making fresh produce widely available has led to growing operations across thousands of acres in Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Arizona, and California.

Today, it offers products under the Dandy® brand, including celery, citrus, lettuce, radishes, sweet corn, broccoli, and cauliflower, among others.

According to the company, about 33% of all celery consumed in the United States is grown by Duda Farm Fresh Foods’ network of growers.

Having such a large share of the celery market, the family-owned enterprise places a great deal of importance on non-GMO plant breeding and implementing new methods to conserve resources.

This is evidenced by their adoption of laser leveling in the fields to improve water distribution, as well as installing drip irrigation systems and water sensors to gauge exactly how much water is needed.

By optimizing field sizes and locations through GPS technology, the company seeks to use land as efficiently as possible while maintaining harvest quality.

From the cooling process for its freshly harvested celery to the shipping and distribution steps, the company aims to reduce its environmental impact at every stage.

It also mentions that integrated pest management is part of its routine practice, relying on beneficial insects whenever possible to minimize the need for chemical interventions.

The belief is that the land will remain viable for future generations by marrying old and new technologies, from scouts and licensed pest-control advisors to digital tracking.

In recent years, the company has looked closely at its packaging, working in collaboration with sustainability consultants.

Data collection processes analyze not only primary packaging (the part that consumers take home) but also secondary and tertiary packaging, which might be used in distribution and transport.

Another topic of current interest for Duda Farm Fresh Foods is mechanized harvesting, which the company is looking into to improve efficiency. Alongside that, solar panels now power roughly 40% of the California facility that handles fresh-cut celery.

By diversifying its efforts, addressing water usage, packaging, pest control, and energy efficiency, the company tries to ensure its produce remains available and meets modern sustainability benchmarks. 

Company representatives note that sustainable methods have been a necessity for nearly a century in order to maintain farmland and keep it productive for the long term.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods also pursues promotional campaigns to keep consumers interested and aware of its products.

One ongoing event is the annual “Dip It 2 Win It” sweepstakes, which returns each football season to highlight celery as a gameday snacking staple.

Even after nearly a century of operation, Duda Farm Fresh Foods aims to remain relevant and competitive, relying on a combination of family tradition and contemporary strategies.

Initiatives around sustainability, packaging innovation, and consumer engagement suggest that the same resourceful thinking that brought Andrew Duda’s first load of celery to market in 1926 continues in a modern form.

The company’s leaders appear to see responsible stewardship and mindful product development as essential to forging a future for the next generation of growers and produce consumers.

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TIP OF THE DAY

Showcase the Nutritional Superpowers of Your Produce

Bring your produce to life by branding each item as a "Health Hero" with unique nutritional superpowers.

For example, carrots could be "Visionary Vibes" with their eye-supporting vitamin A, while bananas might be "Energy Boosters" with their potassium-packed benefits.

Use colorful, superhero-inspired graphics on packaging, in-store signage, and digital marketing.

Include engaging, bite-sized educational content on how each "Health Hero" supports specific wellness goals, like boosting immunity, improving digestion, or enhancing energy levels.

Pair this with simple, healthy recipes featuring the produce to inspire customers to include it in their diets.

Run a social media campaign where customers share how they use their favorite "Health Hero" produce in their meals, using a branded hashtag like #ProducePowerUps.

Reward participants with discounts or branded merchandise.

By making nutrition fun and accessible, this campaign appeals to health-conscious shoppers and families alike.

It differentiates your brand by combining education, creativity, and visual appeal while encouraging healthier eating habits.