Our industry is undergoing a metamorphosis. Some might say this is always occurring, but as an advocate, witness to change, and storyteller, I have become keenly aware of the flux in which fresh produce finds itself today.
Our farms, once traditional in their operations, have now evolved into a regular business model of contract selling. This transformation, while a sign of progress to some and irreparable change to others, has also put a significant strain on the financial stability of our small- to mid-level growing operations. Yet these operations, with their resilience and determination, continue to stand strong in the face of these challenges.
The buying desks across retail are welcoming a new range of professionals, ones schooled in analytics and some with training in non-perishables, finding their footing in a perishable world that, at times, moves like a torrent.
Cybersecurity is now a must. The gatekeepers protecting businesses now have robust arsenals of security layers, proactively searching out and fortifying the walls around an operation’s vulnerabilities.
Communications are thinning for some as well, developing from regular phone calls and in-person meetings to texts and unending email chains—or marketplace platforms that remove all human interaction and feedback.
Consolidation, as our team writes more and more about, at the farm level and across the supply chain to the retail environment, has changed the nature of how many multi-generational companies do business.
This metamorphosis, in general, is a sign of progress, but to what end we will still need to determine.
Amid all these changes, the heart of our businesses remains steadfast. This year’s Besties Awards event was a poignant reminder of this. As I looked around the room, I saw the enduring power of human relationships, cutting through the complexities of contracts, buying processes, and consolidation. These relationships, built on trust and understanding, are the true foundation of our industry.
In this room, I watched generations mix, people put names to faces with hugs, handshakes, and laughter. And when the room cleared that evening, there was a residue of solidarity, warmth, and trust left behind that I hope is always characteristic of our business.
So, while our business sheds its antiquities and evolves with the green growth of new generations, insights, methods, and fortifications, my hope is that our heartbeat remains the same.
Resilient and strong, with the closeness of an embrace and the strength of a handshake.
