Tropical activity remains relatively calm in the Pacific basin; however, we are watching a low-pressure system that will move across northern Florida into the Gulf early next week. Very warm temperatures are expected across the Mississippi Valley into the Northeast as a heat dome builds across the region. Central and west-central Mexico are forecast to receive less rain, helping promote growth in the region. The heavy rain this season has helped with the drought in the area from the past few years. Northwestern Mexico (Sinaloa, Sonora, Chihuahua) remain in severe drought conditions currently

Makoto is experiencing record demand for its dressings and sauces and is expanding operations accordingly. The company is producing 36,000 bottles daily and is now growing into its fourth production facility to keep pace with its rapidly increasing national footprint. As part of its ongoing innovation, Makoto launched a new product: Boom Boom Sauce. A much-requested addition, this sauce balances a sweet, honey-like flavor with a bold kick of spice at the end. It’s just hot enough to deliver flavor — but still perfectly enjoyable by all. “Our fresh, gourmet dressings — like our classic Ginger

The key to moving the needle for the organic produce industry might just be building large, eye-popping displays. At least that was the main takeaway from a session on produce merchandising at the Organic Produce Summit in Monterey, CA, July 9-11. “Wow merchandising can change shopper and consumption patterns,” said Mark Mulcahy, owner and founder of Organic Options Consulting, and also the moderator of that specific OPS educational session. “Merchandising Magic: The Power of Wow on Operations, Profitability & Customer Engagement” featured Kat Britt, coordinator of produce and culinary

Natural Delights is ending its year on a high note after executing a powerful, year-long media campaign that generated widespread national attention and standout brand visibility. With more than 5,900 broadcast segments airing across all 50 states, including Alaska, Hawaii and the “Big 5” media markets, the brand generated over 4.5 billion media impressions and secured more than $41.3 million in advertising value for both Natural Delights and their retail partners. Natural Delights’ efforts not only elevated brand awareness, but helped retail partners achieve a 23 percent increase in sales

GLOBALG.A.P. North America announced the publication of its U.S. national interpretation guideline for Integrated Farm Assurance v6 GFS for fruit and vegetables, providing U.S. producers, auditors and certification bodies with country-specific clarity for the globally recognized food safety and sustainability standard. The new guideline highlights GLOBALG.A.P.’s alignment with leading industry metrics such as those from the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops. By referencing tools like the SISC calculator, producers can efficiently establish baseline sustainability metrics and track

Church Brothers Farms has launched its Stack Pack, a new packaging format for Ready Leaf and Green Leaf fillets that redefines cleanliness, efficiency and yield in whole leaf lettuce. Stack Pack features a unique stacking design that aligns lettuce leaves like coins and vacuum-seals them into compact columns, ensuring consistent sizing, reduced breakage and easier handling. Each leaf undergoes a singular leaf wash followed by a triple wash, delivering product that is 40 percent cleaner than other whole leaf bagged products. Stack Pack is available in a 2x five-pound carton for Ready Leaf, and