The Produce Industry Podcast w/ Patrick Kelly

What does it take to build a global brand from the ground up—and do it while staying true to People, Planet, and Profit? In this episode, we sit down with a trailblazing leader who helped transform SanLucar Company into a world-renowned fruit brand and earning 100+ international awards for creativity and impact. As a former Global Brand Director & Leadership Team Member, she led teams across t...

Europe’s orchards and fields are buzzing with big harvest news. Crossing the continent we take a look at the EU’s fresh vegetable and fruits which commodities and countries were the top producers. Vegetable harvests rose while it was a contrasting story for EU fruit production. Against this backdrop, Germany is breaking the trend: its apple growers expect a  record 2025 harvest...

What do Afghan purple roots, Roman aphrodisiacs, Dutch horticulturalists, and wartime propaganda have in common? The answer: the carrot. From its wild ancestor  Daucus carota  scattered across Europe 10,000 years ago, to its starring role as Britain’s unlikely weapon in the Second World War, the carrot’s journey has been anything but straightforward. Once confused with parsnips, praised...

Patrick Kelly welcomes Frank Kenney of Cleo to discuss how global economics, tariffs, and trade policies are impacting both the alcohol and produce industries. From supply chains to pricing, this episode offers a sharp look at how two seemingly different sectors face similar global challenges.

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss share some of their top picks of the week. They’re joined byaward-winning organic retail consultant, educator, and advocate, and the owner of Organic Options Mark Mulcahy . Mark brings the latest on what’s tasting great right now — like dry-farmed early-grown tomatoes and even dry-farmed variety melons grown...

From 3D printers turning food waste into useful products to drones flying over fields and orchards, agri-tech is reshaping the way we grow, move, and sustain fresh produce. In this episode of the  Global Fresh Series , host Juanita Gaglio explores how technology is transforming agriculture on the ground and in the sky. Hear how drones in China covered 173 million hectares in 2024, slashi...

Where does soil come from? How has it shaped the rise (and fall) of human civilizations? And why is it now at the center of some of the most urgent debates about food, farming, and the environment? Join John and special guest Louis De Jaeger - landscape architect, author, and agro-ecology advocate - as they dig into the history of soil. Together, they trace the story of soil from the birth of the...

In this inspiring episode of The Produce Industry Podcast , host Patrick Kelly sits down with Jorge Rodriguez of BLUE Missions to explore the powerful intersection of produce, purpose, and clean water. Learn how BLUE Missions is working to end the global water and sanitation crisis by connecting communities in Latin America with sustainable infrastructure—and how the produce industry is playing a...

In this special collaboration with History Daily , we present a double feature exploring two pivotal moments in history. First, you’ll hear the story of Lewis and Clark’s return after successfully completing the first U.S. overland journey to the Pacific Ocean. Then, you’ll learn how French biologist Louis Pasteur developed a method of heating liquids to destroy harmful bacteria - a process that w...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, we’re going ape for grapes! Ross “The Produce Boss” Nelson and Dan “The Produce Man” Avakian welcome Jim Beagle from Grapery . Jim shares his journey from working the fields at age five with his dad to becoming CEO of Grapery—still walking the rows every day with his crew. You’ll hear how rich dialogue with consumers keeps Grapery in tune with shopper exp...

In this episode of the Global Fresh Series , host Juanita Gaglio takes a crisp bite into the world of apples — one of the most iconic and widely consumed fruits on the planet. From global production statistics to surprising consumption trends, Juanita explores where apples stand in the produce industry and why they continue to dominate grocery aisles year after year. You'll hear about top-producin...

On July 8th, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the administration is determined to reclaim farmland owned by what it calls "foreign adversaries" and to establish a "100% American workforce" in agriculture. But how much U.S. farmland is actually owned by foreign governments? When did this trend begin? Has there ever truly been a 100% American agricultural workforce? And when...

In this special episode of The Produce Industry Podcast , host Patrick Kelly takes you straight to the heart of the NEPC Trade Show 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts — one of the most dynamic gatherings in the fresh produce world! Join Patrick as he hits the show floor to bring you exclusive conversations with some of the most influential voices in the industry — from growers and shippers to retail le...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss are joined by Farmer Lee Jones from The Chef's Garden in Huron, Ohio. Farmer Lee digs deep into regenerative agriculture —feeding the soil, respecting its biology, and restoring nutrients to our food. He explains how vegetables grown a century ago carried up to 80% more nutrients than they do today, but now w...

Join us for a powerful live-stream event as Global Women Fresh takes the central stage at Fruit Logistica with Rooted in Leadership — a dynamic conversation highlighting the voices, vision, and impact of women driving change across the global produce industry. Join us with special guest Maria Jose Sanchez of IFEMA.From innovation to sustainability, this session celebrates female leadership, foster...

Join us as we sit down with  Stephanie Bazan, Senior VP of Commercial Strategy and Execution at Avocados From Mexico , the world’s leading supplier of fresh avocados with a remarkable 40% share in the global export market. We dive into the exponential growth of Mexican avocados, the strategies behind their global success, and what the future holds for this powerhouse commodity. First Class Sp...

What became of the Lewellings - the visionary brothers who transformed the American West one orchard at a time? In the final episode of our six-part series, John and Patrick return to the verdant hills of Napa and the fertile valleys of Oregon to chart the triumphs and tragedies that defined the twilight of the Lewelling legacy. As phylloxera silently strangles California’s vineyards, John Lewelli...

In this episode of The Produce Industry Podcast, Patrick Kelly chats with Michael Chavez live from the NEPC Trade Show in Boston. They discuss key topics in the produce industry, including business relationships, current trends, and the value of face-to-face connections at trade shows.

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Anthony Totta from FreshXperts joins us. FreshXperts is a powerhouse team of produce industry consultants, advisors, and mentors. Anthony walks us through the group’s broad spectrum of expertise—everything from retail-level merchandising, product handling, and worker training, all the way back through the supply chain. That includes warehousing, ERP soft...

Food price volatility touches everyone—from farmers and retailers to families at the dinner table. In this episode, we sit down with Professor David L. Ortega, a leading voice in agricultural and food sector economics. With a track record that includes testimony before the U.S. Senate and House Agriculture Committees, and insights featured in top outlets like  The New York Times , NPR, and&nb...

What happens when your orchards begin to rot, your industry collapses, and California starts beating you at your own game? If you're Seth Lewelling, you plant harder - and you get political with your cherries. In this episode, John and Patrick trace the dramatic unraveling of Oregon’s once-thriving fruit economy and the quiet resilience of Seth Lewelling, whose visionary grafting experiments - inc...

Host Patrick Kelly welcomes Brian Framson, President and CEO of Citrus America, for a clear, concise talk on the essentials of exceptional citrus juice. They distill the journey—from selecting high-quality fruit, optimizing juice extraction, and preserving freshness through careful processing—into a simple, insightful exploration of what makes great citrus juice.

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media— Ross the Produce Boss and Dan the Produce Man are joined by Dick Peixoto , founder and proprietor of Lakeside Organic Gardens . You’ve seen the Lakeside Organic Gardens label on organic veggies all across America, from grocery stores to foodservice distributors. Hear how Dick went from being the son of a...

Pack your virtual bags and join us on today’s Global Fresh Series episode as we head to Italy for an inside look at  Macfrut —one of the world’s premier B2B trade fairs for the fruit and vegetable sector. Our special guest shares how this internationally renowned event brings together exhibitors, buyers, and innovators from across the globe. Discover how Macfrut is not only a dynamic marketpl...

California, 1853. Henderson Lewelling sets off to sell apples and ends up sparking a revolution. In this fourth episode of our multi-part series, John and Patrick trace the astonishing rise of the Lewelling family in California’s fruit frontier. They follow Henderson’s ambitious leap from Oregon to Alameda, where he builds the legendary Fruit Vale estate, and his brother John’s transformation of a...