Ecuador’s Banana Time show will address 2 critical topics: climate and sustainability

Celebrating its 20th year, the Ecuador-based Banana Time international convention continues to evolve. Business networking and trade talk clearly remain the focus for attendees who converge on Guayaquil. But two more topics – sustainability and climate – will take center stage on the agenda of this year’s event hosted by the Association of Ecuadorian Banana […]

It’s pumpkin season! This year’s crop from UK growers looks big and bountiful

This year’s crop of pumpkins has arrived in supermarkets such as Tesco, and they are looking bigger and plumper than in typical run-ups to Halloween. A rainier summer, especially in July and August, led to a lovely season for growers in the UK. Demand is expected to be strong again, according to the retailer. “The […]

Grape Attraction: 5 big consumer trends for the next year include nod to ‘green reality’

More than 90,000 visitors attended the recent 15th Fruit Attraction fair and conference in Madrid, which showcased agricultural industries of 135 countries. The convention included the 7th iteration of Grape Attraction, which explored the table grape sector in Europe and the world. Desmond Jas, head of sales and marketing at Olympic Fruit, based in the Netherlands, analyzed […]

Fresh Direct, Aldi and AC Goatham among big winners at this year’s FPC Awards

Foodservice provider Fresh Direct was named the Wholesale Fruit and Veg Supplier of the Year at the recent Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) Awards. More than 700 suppliers were competing for top honour at the prestigious awards. “It is fantastic to be recognised by our peers for the job we’re doing,” Andy Pembroke, Managing Director of […]

Table grape exports from South Africa could soar by double digits in coming year

South Africa forecasts lower table grape crop for 2017-18

South Africa’s table grape export volumes are expected to rise 12% for the coming industry 2023-24 season. The South African Table Grape Industry released this information in its first crop estimate for the new season. The industry expects a 12% increase in volumes inspected for export compared to the actual inspected volumes of the 2022-23 […]

Year-round ‘Pink Star’ raspberry set for takeoff under supplier Agrovision

Earth Market, the variety and licensing subsidiary, has given Agrovision, a global berry producer and year-round supplier, extensive European growing and marketing rights for Pink Star, its new premium raspberry. Pink Star is a new portfolio from renowned French breeding company Marionnet Label. With a superior genetic taste range and proven technological prowess, Marionnet Label is well […]

Wholesale market: Embracing technology doesn’t mean completely abandoning tradition

B2B omni-channel adoption slow, but online becoming a 'prerequisite' for supplier deals

You’ve probably heard the saying, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Well, this phrase sums up the digital transformation we’ve undergone at Willie Itule Produce in recent years. We’ve made significant strategic changes, and we got there by balancing technology and tradition. We’ve had “wins and learns” along the way, which […]