In this episode of The Produce Industry Podcast with Patrick Kelly, we break down the biggest takeaways from Fruit Logistica 2026 in Berlin — from data‑driven transformation and sustainability to global trade standards and the rise of storytelling in fresh produce. Patrick also shares his personal journey across Spain, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, Chile, and beyond on a mission to uncover the top citrus making its way around the world.

Plus, we feature exclusive on‑site interviews with Jaime Bustamante of the DRC on trade standards and financial protection, and Hannes Taubert of VOG – Home of Apples on strategy, branding, and global communication.

If you want to understand where the fresh produce industry is heading — and what’s driving the next decade of growth — this episode delivers the insights you need.

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, we’re talking earthquakes, snowy weather, and the real-world challenges facing the produce industry right now. On the fresh side, we dive into Gold Nugget mandarins, Cuties in bags, Enchanted cider, cello radishes, the sweetest batch blueberries, blood orange varieties, and pineberries. We also cover bringing healthier produce options to a kids’ dance competition, Super Bowl produce ideas including crudités and snackable fruit and veg, plant-based options, and a little Valentine’s Day inspiration too.

It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays with Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss, brought to you by the Produce Industry Network, powered by AgLife Media.

Check out aglifemedia.com today.

This week on The Global Fresh Series, we’re coming to you from Fruit Logistica in Berlin, where the global fresh produce industry gathers to shape the future of trade, innovation, and market access.

In this special episode, we share insights from the show floor and introduce a guest with years of hands-on experience doing business in the China fresh produce market. As China continues to play an outsized role in global pricing, demand, and premium fruit trends, understanding how to navigate this market has never been more critical.

Our conversation explores what it really takes to succeed in China—from market access and consumer expectations to branding, logistics, and relationship-driven business culture—while connecting those lessons to the broader global themes emerging at Fruit Logistica.

Whether you’re a grower, exporter, importer, or marketer, this episode offers timely perspective on how global trade shows like Fruit Logistica intersect with one of the world’s most influential fresh produce markets.

How did a gentleman botanist turn a vague imperial idea into a functioning colony on the far side of the world? Why did Joseph Banks’s quiet influence matter as much as any act of Parliament or naval broadside? And how did food, plants, and fragile supply lines decide whether Britain’s most audacious colonial experiment would live or die…?

Join John and Patrick as Parliament finally commits to Botany Bay, Arthur Phillip sails with the First Fleet, and a penal colony teeters on the edge of starvation. From floating prisons and travelling greenhouses to shipwrecks, rum empires, and botanical lifelines, this is the moment when Banks’s vision collides with reality - on scorched soil, among hostile factions, and under the brutal pressure of survival.

This is not just the founding of Australia.

It’s the story of how empire is fed - or fails - one seed at a time.

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In Sponsorship with J&K Fresh.

The customs broker who is your fruit and veggies’ personal bodyguard. Learn more here!

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A powerful cold spell is sweeping across the United States — from snow flurries in Florida to citrus growers on alert in California and Texas. In this episode, we break down how the freeze is affecting produce supply, harvest timing, transportation, and pricing, all while recapping recent travels from Tucson and the SWIPE Conference. Weather volatility is shaping the market in real time, and we explore what buyers, shippers, and retailers should expect in the coming weeks.

Then we shift gears as the show heads to Berlin, Germany, for Fruit Logistica — one of the world’s largest fresh‑produce trade events. We look at Berlin’s unique history in global food logistics, what to expect at the show, and the innovations likely to shape the year ahead. Special thanks to our international marketers DRC, VOG, and Global Women Fresh. Join us for a global look at produce as we get ready to head across the pond.

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This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays with Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss, Ross is fresh back from the SWIPE show and brings us a brand-new item called Zucchiolo. We also talk frozen grapes and why they’re such a great snack.

On the produce table: Gold Nugget mandarins, Valentine pomelo, and a full lineup of cauliflower – white, green, purple, orange, plus the wild looking Romanesco. What’s the difference between them all? We break it down.

We also get into waxy potatoes versus starchy potatoes, and why Idaho isn’t the only state growing great spuds. And we wrap it up with Proprietor burger leaf lettuce, a perfect fit for keto and low-carb lifestyles.

It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays, from The Produce Industry Network and powered by AgLife Media.

Check out AgLifeMedia.com today!

Fresh from fame and flush with ambition, Joseph Banks sets out to remake the world in his own image. But what happens when celebrity curdles into entitlement, when science collides with the Navy, and when one man’s colossal ego derails an imperial voyage before it even leaves port?

Join John and Patrick as Banks plans a second South Seas expedition, throws one of the great tantrums of the eighteenth century, and quietly begins his transformation from globe-trotting naturalist into the most powerful scientific fixer in Britain.

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In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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1. Share this episode with your friends
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