In this episode of The Fresh CrEd, recorded live at the 2025 IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey, we spotlight Digital Nest — a nonprofit workforce hub that’s been creating opportunities for underserved youth for more than a decade.

With centers across Watsonville, Salinas, Gilroy, Modesto, and Stockton, Digital Nest equips young people ages 14–24 with technical and creative skills that open doors to careers in tech, marketing, and beyond.

Their work doesn’t stop at the classroom — they’re also experimenting with how Gen Z connects to food through projects like the “I’d Bite That” social media campaign.

From mentorship to career pipelines, Digital Nest shows what’s possible when access, creativity, and community come together.

👉 Learn more at digitalnest.org

🎧 Listen now to learn how the next generation of leaders is being built in the heart of ag country.

Series support: Wiggins Farms | IFCO | Little Bear Produce | Misionero | SunFed | Born Farms | International Fresh Produce Association

In this episode of The Fresh CrEd, recorded live at the 2025 IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey, we sit down with Paul Hardy, CEO of Monterey Mushrooms.

Paul shares a career shaped by international supply chains, data storytelling, and a philosophy of leadership built on systems and trust. From moving across the globe to leading one of America’s largest mushroom producers, he discusses how global experience translates to local leadership, why facts and context matter more than firefighting, and how educating consumers about mushrooms can reduce waste and grow the category.

Whether you’re in the produce business, a leader in any field, or simply curious about the food on your table, Paul’s insights on teamwork, planning, and communication offer value far beyond mushrooms.

🎧 Presented by IFCO.

Series support: Wiggins Farms | IFCO | Little Bear Produce | Misionero | SunFed | Born Farms | IFPA.

n this episode of The Fresh CrEd, recorded live at the 2025 IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey, we sit down with Paul Hardy, CEO of Monterey Mushrooms.

Paul shares a career shaped by international supply chains, data storytelling, and a philosophy of leadership built on systems and trust. From moving across the globe to leading one of America’s largest mushroom producers, he discusses how global experience translates to local leadership, why facts and context matter more than firefighting, and how educating consumers about mushrooms can reduce waste and grow the category.

Whether you’re in the produce business, a leader in any field, or simply curious about the food on your table, Paul’s insights on teamwork, planning, and communication offer value far beyond mushrooms.

🎧 Presented by IFCO.

Series support: Wiggins Farms | IFCO | Little Bear Produce | Misionero | SunFed | Born Farms | IFPA.

In this episode of The Fresh CrEd, recorded live at the 2025 IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey, we sit down with Peter Beaullieu, Director of Sourcing for Topco’s West Coast produce division.

From his first job behind a Central Market cheese counter to leading sourcing for one of the nation’s largest cooperatives, Peter’s journey is rooted in flavor, data, and servant leadership. He shares how co-ops give regional retailers the tools to compete, why data only matters when it tells a story, and what it takes to balance quality with value in a shifting consumer market.

We also explore consumer trends, specialty and local produce, and the narrowing gap between “luxury” items and everyday fresh. Whether you’re a produce professional or simply passionate about good food, this conversation offers insights into leadership, team growth, and the future of fresh.

🎧 Presented by Wiggins Farms.

Series support: Wiggins Farms | IFCO | Little Bear Produce | Misionero | SunFed | Born Farms | IFPA.

In this episode of The Fresh CrEd, recorded live at the 2025 IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey, we sit down with Jeanne Reilly, Director of School Nutrition @ RSU 14 Windham / Raymond School District.

Jeanne shares how schools can transform cafeterias into spaces that build lifelong healthy eating habits, and why getting fruits and vegetables onto every tray matters for kids, families, and communities alike.

We explore:

How early exposure to produce shapes lifelong health outcomes

The challenges and opportunities in today’s K–12 nutrition programs

Why partnerships between schools, growers, and parents are critical for success

Whether you’re in produce, education, or a parent invested in your child’s nutrition, this conversation offers insights you can put into action today.

🎧 Powered by Little Bear Produce.

Series support: Wiggins Farms | IFCO | Little Bear Produce | Misionero | Sunfed | Born Farms | IFPA.

IFPA President Cathy Burns lays out a simple mandate: if we want better health outcomes, policy must say “fruits and vegetables”—plainly. We cover the Make America Healthy Again effort, why 90% of Americans miss the daily produce mark, and the moves that convert talk into action across K–12, colleges & universities, and foodservice.

Presented by Wiggins Farms.

Series support: Wiggins Farms | IFCO | Little Bear Produce | Misionero | SunFed | Born Farms | International Fresh Produce Association

Takeaways:

• Name fruits & vegetables explicitly in federal guidance

• Fund programs that actually raise daily intake

• Bring leaders on-site—seeing fresh in action converts

Join us inside the IFPA Retail Conference in Frisco, Texas, for three fast-paced conversations with the people shaping the future of fresh produce:

Yan Branco, VP of Produce Merchandising at Sobeys

Shares how cross-border collaboration—and removing competitive barriers—fuels innovation and keeps produce front and center as “food as medicine” and the “cleanest-burning fuel.”

Joe Merenda, President / COO at Misionero

Unpacks how regional supply chains are evolving, the power of intimate, decision-maker-driven events, and why right-sized agility lets them launch custom salad kits that drive consumption.

Joe Watson, VP of Retail, Foodservice, and Wholesale at IFPA

Reflects on the purpose behind this tight-knit gathering, how interactive breakout sessions amplified ideas between supply-side and retail leaders, and what’s next for the conference in Phoenix.

Special thanks to our sponsors—Misionero, Born Farms, IFCO, SunFed and the International Fresh Produce Association—for making this episode possible.

🔔 Subscribe to The Fresh CrEd for more insider conversations on branding, supply-chain strategy and the innovations moving produce forward.

In this special live episode from Viva Fresh 2025, Craig and Ed sit down with TIPA President Dante Galeazzi and Fulltilt Marketing Vice President Jen Velasquez to unpack the tenth edition of the show in Houston.

Recorded on the expo floor, they cover:

• The year-long planning that brought together 2,800 attendees, 191 booths and over 400 retail & food-service buyers

• How “coast-to-coast, border-to-border” participation underscores the Tex-Mex corridor’s role as North America’s produce connector

• Creative pre-show networking ideas—from lazy-river floats with cocktails to poolside pitch sessions

• Blending culinary innovation with industry advocacy: scratch-made produce dishes, keynote highlights and everything in between

• The unsung work of TIPA’s volunteer leaders and Full Tilt Marketing to nail every operational detail

• Early reflections on the keynote delivered by the former migrant farmworker-turned-astronaut

Plus candid stories from the floor, a few laughs, and a sneak peek at Viva Fresh 2026 in San Antonio.

🎧 Sponsored by: EXP Group, LLC, Athos, Texas International Produce Association (TIPA), SunFed, IFCO, Monterey Mushrooms, AnaVale Produce Corp, AgroGonzáMex, Agrival by First Produce, and Art Mx.

In this special edition of The Fresh CrEd from Viva Fresh 2025, we sit down with Jon Holder, VP of Produce and Floral at Superior Grocers, for a grounded and heartfelt conversation about his decades-long journey through the grocery world—from sacking groceries at 16 to leading procurement for a major California retailer.

John reflects on:

• The evolution of produce retail across generations

• Growing demand for tropicals and Hispanic-focused offerings

• Tariff uncertainty and pricing pressures

• Why respect and relationships still matter most in the produce industry

Plus: hunting stories, career pivots, and a powerful reminder that perseverance through personal loss can shape not only your leadership—but your legacy.

🎧 Listen now and get a front-row seat to one of retail’s most quietly influential careers.

🔈 Sponsored by: SunFed, IFCO, Monterey Mushrooms, EXP Group LLC, AnaVale Produce, ArtMX Produce, Agro GonzaMex, Athos, Agrival, and the Texas International Produce Association

#FreshCrEd #ProduceIndustry #RetailLeadership #JohnHolder #SuperiorGrocers #VivaFresh2025 #FoodIndustry #CareerJourney #PodcastLaunch

In this inspiring close to our Viva Fresh 2025 series, we sit down with Jesse Jones, professor and advisor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and graduate student Sabastian Melendez to talk about building bridges between higher education and the produce industry through the Edge Program.

We explore:

• Jesse’s journey from the fields to the front of the classroom

• The value of exposing students to real-world produce careers

• Why South Texas is ripe for agricultural investment

• How competitions and hackathons could unlock next-gen solutions

• The industry’s biggest challenges—from outdated systems to tech adoption

• Sabastian’s take on bringing marketing and innovation to a “simple but high-quality” industry

It’s a conversation about roots, relevance, and rethinking how we attract the next wave of talent into agriculture.

🎧 Sponsored by:

SunFed, IFCO, Monterey Mushrooms, AnaVale Produce Corp, AgroGonzáMex, Agrival by First Produce, Art Mx, Athos, and the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA).

Huge thanks to these partners for making our Viva Fresh 2025 series possible.