They crisp and crunch like no other; offer sweetness for all to enjoy; and bring beauty to everything they’re invited to. You know them, you love them: fruits and vegetables. Don’t you think it’s about time you made your holiday party offerings centered around them? We do too!

You may be able to list off an array of benefits for following a plant-based meal plan on the regular, but what about when you keep your plant-eating ways front and center during the holiday season?

Benefit #1: Flavor

With holiday demand in full swing at retail and showing gains for foodservice, Wada Farms Vice President Joe Esta said during Thanksgiving week that he and Tate Brooks, from Wada’s sales department, are looking forward to the New York Produce Show & Conference.

While total retail produce sales dropped a bit in 2021 following the huge pandemic-related gains of 2020, organic retail produce sales continue to outperform.

This was the big takeaway from a session at the recent Organic Grower Summit exploring organic produce sales over the last several years. Category Partners CEO Tom Barnes and Ben Hartman, senior category manager of perishables for the San Francisco Bay Area-based online retailer Good Eggs, were featured at the early December conference seminar in Monterey, CA.

Sysco Corp. entered into an agreement to acquire The Coastal Cos., a leading fresh produce distributor and value-added processer, from Continental Grain Co. Upon completion of the transaction, the acquisition will operate as part of FreshPoint, Sysco’s specialty produce business. The acquisition will create a strong FreshPoint presence in the Mid-Atlantic region, provide significant value-added manufacturing capabilities and further diversify Sysco’s produce specialty business.

Seeded Produce, LLC has made a big name for itself over a relatively short period of time in the very busy and very competitive market in Nogales.

As it starts its third season, Seeded Produce enjoys a superb reputation as a packer and shipper whose core items include soft squash, cucumbers, eggplant, watermelons, mini-watermelons, green Bell peppers, and English cucumbers.