Latest news stories from Fresh Produce Journal
News updates for the UK fresh produce business.
Four of Europe’s largest quay cranes arrive at UK ports
New cranes taller than the London Eye arrive at London Gateway and Southampton, with a further two expected in the coming months
Defra approves gene-edited non-browning bananas
Norwich-based agri-biotech company Tropic uses CRISPR-Cas9 technology to reduce polyphenol oxidase in bananas, bringing potential to reduce food waste
Tru-Cape strengthens Pink Lady leadership in European markets
Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing is cementing its position as South Africa’s foremost Pink Lady supplier to Europe, hitting new milestones in the UK
UK eyes Zimbabwe fresh produce opportunities
A government-funded trade mission is bringing UK fresh produce buyers face-to-face with Zimbabwean growers
£65mn of SFI soil data was not collected, FOI reveals
Despite three years of investment, results of SFI soil assessments were never collected, missing major opportunity to build clearer picture of British soil
Conversations
Fruitbox 117 · Hein Deprez, Greenyard
Greenyard’s founder discusses the company’s recent privatisation and explains why he sees an urgent need to redefine healthy eating
Fruitbox 116 · Mark Landini, Landini Associates
Sydney-based retail consultant explains how supermarkets can reconnect with customers through better design, storytelling, and a renewed focus on food
Fruitbox 115 · Daniel Sauvaitre & Philippe Binard, World Apple & Pear Association
Recorded live at Prognosfruit 2025, the latest episode of Fruitbox brings you instant reaction to this year’s European apple and pear production forecasts
Vip targets further growth after record Italian apple sales
Italian association sets out consolidation and development strategy for new season, following strong club apple and organic performance
Tesco’s Agri-tech Challenge spurs calls for investment
Farmers increasingly call for agri-tech innovation funding and subsidised trials, as Tesco announce Swiss company AgroSustain as a winner of its Agri-tech challenge
SFI divide leaving farmers desperate, MPs told
Farmers have been left “high, dry and desperate” by inadequate SFI scheme, Bradshaw tells Labour party conference, continuing calls for support in upcoming Budget
Asda unveils 10-year supply partnership with Len Wright Salads
Retailer backs British growers with decade-long £250mn partnership hoped to boost supply chain resilience and producer confidence
Walsh Mushrooms expands into English-grown organics
New production at Bury St Edmunds site responds to rising customer demand for organic mushrooms
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US fresh cherry exports forecast to fall 25 per cent
Freezing temperatures and frost damage set to reduce foreign trade by almost a quarter, says USDA report
‘Feel the fibre’ campaign to bridge family fibre gap
Veg Power and Food Foundation campaign hopes to eradicate need to hide beans on childrens’ plates, as bean and pulse sales rise in 2026
Peach and nectarine crop to rebound to 25mn tonnes
Report says total output will be higher this year, with Turkey on course for almost double last season’s frost damaged production
Global cherry crop forecast to hit record 5.4mn tonnes
Sharp recovery in Turkey, combined with record outputs in China and Chile, expected to drive global production to ‘all-time high’
South Africa targets earlier start to table grape export season
Industry body Sati has released its preliminary crop estimate for the 2026/27 South African table grape season, projecting 78.4mn cartons for export
British Growers team all set for Yorkshire marathon
On 18 October, a team from the British Growers Association will tackle the Yorkshire Marathon Relay in support of vital emergency services for rural communities
UK reliant on drought-risk areas, report warns
Much of the UK’s production of essential crops, including cereals and potatoes, is concentrated in areas facing moderate to very high drought risk, Rebalance Earth cautions
Graham Young and Hall Hunter among big winners at 2026 FPC Fresh Awards
FPC’s annual London awards ceremony celebrates excellence across innovation, teamwork and sustainability
Ocati targets UK growth with purple passion fruit campaign
Bumper harvest prompts Colombian supplier Ocati to launch a UK campaign championing purple passion fruit’s fibre content and flavour
Aldi announces record £900mn investment in UK
Retailer to open 40 new stores and upgrade its network of distribution centres