IFCO published its ESG Report 2025, marking the successful completion of its five-year sustainability strategy, Thriving in the Circular Economy.

Akorn Technology Inc., an innovator in sustainable post-harvest solutions, has been named as a finalist for the prestigious 2025 FoodTech Challenge — a United Arab Emirates-based competition that brings together pioneering food and agriculture startups — for proposals to help small growers combat significant post-harvest losses and cold chain problems.

Currently in its final stages, the FoodTech Challenge focuses on identifying and scaling agri-food technologies capable of transforming arid, hot and increasingly challenging environments.

 Unique Cold Storage announced it has expanded its menu of services to include custom bagging capabilities. The netted bagging equipment complements the company’s offerings of third-party services.

“We have had requests from customers to add this service for avocados and limes,” said Wyatt Wickizer, vice president of operations for the company. 

Arcadia Farms, a cut flower producer based in Bogota, Colombia, for almost two decades, has launched its own sales and marketing operation, with logistics being handled in Miami and sales headquartered in Texas.

Texas-based fresh produce and floral industry veteran Rob Ybarra is co-owner of the reconfigured company along with grower Augusto Avila in Colombia and logistics expert Roly Martinez in Florida. All three partners share the title of co-owner with Avila being head of production, Martinez is chief operating officer and Ybarra is head of sales.

In honor of veterans, and as a token of appreciation for their service, Publix will offer veterans, active military and their families a 10 percent discount on their groceries on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11. This discount can be redeemed with the cashier at the register or the associate attendant at the self-checkout lanes.

To receive the discount, customers must present a: 

Western Growers’ membership of family farmers and growers have elected Rob Yraceburu, president of Wonderful Orchards at The Wonderful Co., to serve as chair of the Western Growers board of directors for a two-year term. Yraceburu’s long relationship with the organization, which represents two-thirds of America’s fresh produce, spans more than two decades going back to his many years as a senior banker at Wells Fargo focused on the agriculture industry and, more recently, more than a decade at The Wonderful Co. as a grower.