Red Sun Farms, Heritable Agriculture and Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti announced significant progress in their collaborative effort to develop leading indoor-grown strawberries at the Vineland Research Station facility. The partnership combines CIV’s expertise in strawberry genetics and germplasm, Heritable Agriculture’s AI-driven breeding models and Red Sun Farms’ indoor growing capabilities to advance how premium strawberries are bred and produced. By using AI simulations to predict crop performance, the partnership is streamlining breeding timelines and optimizing key traits for greenhouse

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. Guided by insights from the company’s Nutrition Education team — including registered dietitians, nutrition therapists and certified natural foods chefs — along with Natural Grocers’ marketing and analytics professionals, the 2026 predictions combine research, consumer behavior and hands-on expertise. The result is a practical

Schnuck Markets Inc., in partnership with Foodshed.io, is expanding its farm-direct-to-store program, increasing the number and variety of farms supplying its locations to boost freshness and flavor for customers. The pilot program launched in fall 2024 with one farm supplying multiple Schnucks stores across the St. Louis region. After its success, Schnucks expanded the initiative in 2025 to include more farmers and additional store locations. “This program is a natural next step in our mission to strengthen our local food economy and provide our customers with the freshest possible products,”

Stemilt’s 2025 apple harvest laid the foundation for a strong year for Cosmic Crisp apples, with vibrant color, ideal sizing and excellent quality. As the industry anticipates continued volume growth, Stemilt Marketing Director Brianna Shales said Cosmic Crisp is well positioned for promotions as it becomes a mainline apple variety. “This year’s crop is absolutely stunning,” Shales said. “From color to firmness, every apple reflects the care and dedication our growers put into making Cosmic Crisp a premium choice for shoppers nationwide. It’s one of those apples that tastes great straight off

Salix Fruits, a leading global importer and exporter of fresh fruit, has released its annual review highlighting its strongest-performing categories in 2025, key logistics developments and strategic priorities for 2026. The company said citrus—particularly lemons and easy peelers—along with apples and pears led performance across core markets in 2025. Growth was supported by an increase in program business with retailers and foodservice operators, a more efficient mix of Southern and Northern Hemisphere supply, standardized quality specifications with growers and packers and a disciplined

Bimi Baby Broccoli, a global sponsor of the World Food Photography Awards, will be featured at the Museum of Food and Drink’s upcoming exhibition Street Food City, opening to the public Dec. 6 at MOFAD’s DUMBO location at 55 Water St. The exhibition will be open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Tickets are available here. Street Food City highlights the entrepreneurs, recipes and cultural traditions that shape New York’s diverse street food scene. As part of the exhibition, MOFAD will present a curated selection of images from the World Food Photography Awards, showcasing street