Natural Grocers has released its Top Trends for 2026. Now in its 10th year, the forecast outlines emerging practices and products expected to influence four core categories: health and wellness, body care and beauty, food and beverage and ecologically thoughtful living.

Albertsons announced a major milestone in its digital transformation journey — the launch of the Albertsons AI shopping assistant, an industry-leading web browser experience designed to make grocery shopping faster, smarter and more personalized. 

Lipman Family Farms is deepening its generational commitment to fighting hunger. Its latest $2 million investment will help to build a new facility for the Harry Chapin Food Bank of southwest Florida in Fort Myers.

The center — set to break ground this November and completion by the end of next year — will expand the food bank’s ability to sort, pack and distribute fresh, nutritious food to thousands of families facing hunger.

The Fresh Produce & Floral Council will close out the year with one of its most anticipated traditions: the FPFC Holiday Reception, set for Dec. 11 at the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort. Running from 4 to 7 p.m., the reception has long been considered a signature year-end gathering for the West Coast produce and floral industries, and this year’s event leaned even further into community, celebration and a focus on the industry’s future.

Sunny Valley International, a leading supplier of domestic and imported fruit on the East Coast, welcomed Kevin Lyons and Paul Pascal to its sales team on Dec. 1.

We're not off to the smooth start we were hopeful for post-Thanksgiving. Load times in Yuma remain long as growers work through muddy fields and backed-up harvest schedules. Crews are doing everything they can to catch up, but customers should still expect delays at the cooler and a slower turn on trucks through early next week. The good news: product quality is improving every day, and weights are trending upward as the fields dry out and temperatures stabilize.