The Produce Industry Podcast w/ Patrick Kelly

It’s  Cinco de Mayo  and we’re bringing the heat on this week’s episode of  The Produce Industry Podcast ! Host Patrick Kelly recaps an incredible week in produce, including a shoutout to the  ROFDA Conference  and a sneak peek at our upcoming  two-part recap series  from the event. We’re also diving into the latest industry headlines: Whole Foods Market  de...

This week on  Fresh From the Field Fridays  on The Produce Industry Network, your favorite host  Dan “The Produce Man” Avakian  is joined by  special co-host Patrick Kelly , giving Ross the week off! The duo hits the streets of Tucson to explore local grocery stores, dive into the fresh fruits and vegetables on display, and talk about what’s in the fields and what’s on the...

Let’s face it—our industry keeps evolving, and so do we. That’s why we’re launching “The Raw Pour” with Carmell Clark (Fortune 500 executive coach) and “Café Virtual” with Jen Monterroso 🌎☕️ These bi-weekly conversations are more than just coffee chats—they’re unfiltered, real, and designed to inspire. You’ll walk away with fresh perspectives and practical tools to grow your career and your netw...

Get ready to dive into the world of grapes! In this juicy episode, we chat with Ignacio Caballero about  “Have a Grape Day,”  the bold new consumer campaign from the Global Grape Group — a united front of grape growers from Chile, Peru, and Mexico. Ignacio shares his passion for this powerhouse fruit and how global collaboration is set to supercharge grape consumption across the U.S. Fro...

How did a drunk church-goer influence the Navy’s go-to-beverage? What does a Persian fruit beverage and sherbet powder have to do with each other? How did an American favorite drink fall from grace? And why does tomato juice taste so much better on a plane? In this month's livestream, John and Patrick each reveal their top three produce-based drinks from history. From orange juice’s vital role in...

This week on  The Produce Industry Podcast , host  Patrick Kelly  is joined  LIVE in studio  at  AgLife Studios  by two powerhouse guests making big waves in produce—and even bigger impacts in the world 🌎🍊. Albert Perez  of  Continental Fresh , whose company is leading the charge in giving back to  clean water infrastructure  in the Dominica...

How to inspire consumers to up their fresh produce consumption? Listen to this flavorful episode, with the incomparable  Chef Lala —celebrity chef, certified nutritionist, and advocate for healthy Latin cuisine. From the sizzling sounds of her kitchen to the heartfelt stories behind her recipes, Chef Lala shares how food can be both delicious and deeply meaningful. We talk about her culinary...

Robert Fortune’s journey was far from over. After infiltrating China in disguise, Fortune now sets his sights on the Wuyi Mountains—steeped in legend, veiled in mist, and home to the most coveted tea in the world: black tea. Guided by his newly appointed servant, the enigmatic Sing-Hoo, Fortune pushes deeper into China’s forbidden interior, navigating treacherous paths and even more treacherous po...

Join us for a  flavor-packed  episode of  The Produce Industry Podcast  as host  Patrick Kelly  welcomes  Gabe Bernal  live in studio in  Tampa, FL ! Gabe brings his signature energy and insight to the mic as the two dive into the vibrant world of  tropical fruits , how  tariff impacts  are reshaping parts of the produce supply chain, and...

AgLifeMedia.com and The Produce Industry Network present Fresh From The Field Fridays with Dan The Produce Man and Ross The Produce Boss ! This week, we’re joined by The Farm Kid himself—Shay Myers —as we take off into the fields with the Alluring Allium . So wipe those tears and sharpen your blades… it’s 30 minutes of onion talk you won’t want to miss. Tune in and turn on!

In this special episode of the Global Fresh Series, we dive into the biggest takeaways from last week’s CPMA Centennial celebration of years, at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Convention and Trade Show. From innovative trends and sustainability initiatives to powerful industry insights and networking moments, we’re bringing you the freshest updates straight from the show floor....

In this special episode of  The Produce Industry Podcast , host  Patrick Kelly  celebrates  10 incredible years  at the  Viva Fresh Expo , hosted by the  Texas International Produce Association (TIPA)! Patrick is joined by two powerhouse guests: Dante Galeazzi , CEO of TIPA, who shares insights on the show’s growth, innovation, and community impact over the past...

Be sure to catch this week’s Fresh From The Field Fridays on The Produce Industry Network and AgLifeMedia.com! From asparagus to beans—and specialties in between—Ross and Dan share the mic with Bruno Luis of Southern Specialties. As Bruno says: “That’s what we’re aiming for—everyone to have a good experience, whether they open a Southern Specialties bag or they’re enjoying it on a plate at a resta...

In this powerful episode, host  Juanita Gaglio  sits down with two trailblazing leaders in the fresh produce space:  Julie Escobar  and  Carmell Clark  of  Global Women Fresh . These two powerhouse women share their insights on  transformational leadership , navigating and excelling in a  male-dominated industry , and creating meaningful pathways for th...

When Portuguese traders arrived on India’s western shores in the early 1500s, they brought more than religion, colonial ambition, and a lust for spice - they also carried with them a tiny, crimson fruit that would set Asia ablaze. In part two of their deep dive into the scorching history of chili peppers, John and Patrick trace the pepper’s path across India, China, and Korea, where it would come...

In this special  on-the-ground episode , host  Patrick Kelly  takes you to  Lakeland, Florida , where the citrus community gathered at  Florida Southern College  to honor the legends of the industry at the  Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Inductee Ceremony . 🎉 Join us on the  red carpet  as we celebrate the stories, dedication, and lifelong contributions o...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AG Life Media Incorporated… Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss dig into their spring garden plans—talking herbs, chives, and a few other tasty surprises. They’ll also cover what’s fresh and in season right now, like sweet English peas and crunchy snap peas, straight from California fields. Ross gives us the...

A fruit cornucopia with the global bell pepper supply mixed in with the formation of a new grape consortium and more! The Global Grape Group—a new powerhouse of grape exporters from Chile, Peru, and Mexico—launched with electrifying energy at Femme 25, unveiling their U.S. campaign,  Have a Grape Day!  Industry leaders Ignacio Caballero and Sergio Rene Lugo Bonillas share insights on boo...

For millennia, chili peppers have been at the heart of the Americas - long before Columbus set sail, before the Aztecs built their empire, and before the Incas wove them into myth. Originating in what is now Peru and Bolivia, these fiery pods were among the first crops cultivated by humans, shaping the diets, medicine, and rituals of entire civilizations. From the wild “tolerated weeds” of early f...

Join  host Patrick Kelly , broadcasting from  Fort Pierce, Florida , at the  annual Florida Citrus Showcase Tailgate Event ! This special episode brings the energy of Florida’s citrus community together as we celebrate the industry, serve up  fresh-squeezed juice from Noble Citrus and Season Farm Fresh on the Citrus America juicer , and explore ways to strengthen Florida citrus...

This week on Fresh From The Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network/AgLife Media—Ross The Produce Boss tells Dan The Produce Man why he swears by mason jars for storing berries. Plus, a current crop update straight from Ross’ Produce Boss desk! And Dan dives into Spring Onions and Spring Garlic —a real chef’s delight! How do they differ from their mature counterparts? What are the best way...

In this Global Fresh Series episode, we’re squeezing out the latest on the  global lemon supply —how growers and markets are navigating through adverse weather conditions, higher prices and consumer demand. 🍋 But that’s not all! We’re also heading to  two European supermarkets , where groundbreaking  consumer promotions  have not only increased fresh produce consumption but al...

On August 23, 1919, a celebratory dinner at the Lakeside Club in Canton, Ohio, was held in honor of Col. Charles C. Weybrecht’s return from France at the end of the First World War. But what began as a joyous occasion soon turned tragic, as guests fell ill - and over the following days, several would die. In this month’s History of Fresh Produce livestream, we delve into the infamous event known a...

In this episode of  The Produce Industry Podcast , we welcome  Quentin and Adam Roe  to the  Aglife Media Studios in Tampa, FL ! As  3rd and 4th generation farmers , the Roe family has been deeply rooted in the industry for decades, and today, we’re talking about  passing the torch  to the next generation. But that’s not all— Noble Fresh  is making waves&nbs...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays with Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss—local favorites straight out of California! We’re talking fresh California asparagus and what’s left of the growers in the state, plus Monterey County and desert-grown artichokes. We’ll also break down the latest on berries from Florida and California—how to pick the best ones and how this wild weather is...