Foodshed.io and Fox Packaging partner on packaging for smaller producers

Livingston, MT — October 28, 2026 — Foodshed.io, a technology-driven platform connecting local farms with major retailers, and Fox Packaging BB #:145435, a provider of flexible packaging solutions for the fresh produce industry, have collaborated to develop a packaging solution designed to help small and midsize farms bring their products to retail shelves more efficiently.

The collaboration addresses a longstanding challenge in the local food supply chain: bridging the gap between the operational realities of smaller farms and the packaging, merchandising and checkout requirements of large grocery retailers.

Foodshed.io works with a national network of trusted farms to create farmers market-style experiences within major retail environments. While consumer interest in locally grown produce continues to create opportunities for retailers, bringing products from multiple smaller growers into traditional grocery operations requires flexibility that conventional packaging solutions don’t always provide.

“Our mission at Foodshed.io is to make local fresh produce easy for major retailers while creating meaningful opportunities for the farmers who grow it,” said Dan Beckman, CEO of Foodshed.io. “Small farms operate differently than large-scale suppliers, and we needed a packaging solution that respected those differences without compromising the retail experience. Working with Fox Packaging, we’ve been able to create a solution that works for farmers, retailers and, ultimately, consumers.”

Packaging Designed for Flexibility, Efficiency and Retail Readiness
The solution was developed to accommodate the unique demands of a decentralized network of small and midsize farms, where production volumes, product varieties and operational capabilities can vary significantly.

Together, Foodshed.io and Fox Packaging focused on creating flexible packaging that could accommodate a wide range of fresh produce, support product preservation and be distributed to multiple farms with short lead times. Importantly, the solution needed to be practical for growers without automated packaging equipment while meeting the presentation and operational expectations of major retailers.

The packaging also addresses a critical component of local produce merchandising: product identification and checkout. By supporting flexible checkout processes and proper grower identification, the solution helps retailers manage locally sourced products while ensuring individual farms receive appropriate credit and payment.

“For local produce to succeed at scale, packaging has to do more than protect the product. It has to work across the entire supply chain,” said Victoria Lopez, marketing and business development manager at Fox Packaging.

“Our collaboration with Foodshed.io challenged us to think differently about flexibility, accessibility and efficiency. By developing a solution that accommodates smaller production volumes and diverse grower needs, we’re helping remove barriers that have historically made it difficult for local farms to participate in larger retail programs.”

The result is a packaging approach designed to simplify operations, support product quality, reduce shrink and create a more consistent retail experience without sacrificing the identity of the farms behind the products.

Bringing the Farmers Market Experience into Grocery Stores
For retailers, the collaboration represents an opportunity to make locally grown produce more accessible while strengthening connections with the communities they serve.

By bringing products from nearby farms into established grocery environments, retailers can offer shoppers a more diverse assortment of locally grown produce while creating opportunities for increased store traffic, differentiated merchandising and incremental revenue.

“There’s something powerful about bringing a true farmers market experience into a grocery store,” Beckman said. “It’s not just about selling local produce. It’s about connecting customers to the farms and communities around them. When we remove the operational barriers, we make it easier for retailers to create those connections while giving smaller growers access to opportunities they may not have had before.”

The collaboration emerged as Foodshed.io began piloting its local produce model with Kroger, one of the nation’s largest grocery retailers. The pilot highlighted the need for a scalable packaging solution that could bring smaller farmers, many of whom traditionally sell through farmers markets, into a major retail environment. Working with Fox Packaging, Foodshed.io developed an approach designed to meet Kroger’s packaging and checkout expectations while maintaining the flexibility smaller farms need to participate.

Building a More Connected Local Food Supply Chain
Looking ahead, Foodshed.io and Fox Packaging are exploring opportunities to expand their collaboration through greater integration of packaging solutions with Foodshed.io’s AIdriven farmer platform.

The planned integration aims to further simplify the process of connecting growers with retail opportunities, improving coordination, reducing complexity and creating additional efficiencies for both farms and retailers.

“As we continue to grow, we’re focused on making the entire process as seamless as possible,” Beckman said. “By connecting our technology platform with Fox Packaging’s capabilities, we see an opportunity to create a more efficient and flexible model that makes local sourcing easier to execute at scale.”

The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to innovation and practical solutions that help modernize the fresh produce supply chain while creating new opportunities for growers of all sizes.

About Foodshed.io
Foodshed.io makes locally grown fresh produce easier for major retailers to source and sell. Through a national network of trusted farms and a technology-driven platform, Foodshed.io connects small and midsize growers with retail opportunities, helping bring authentic farmers market experiences into grocery stores. By simplifying the complexities of local sourcing, Foodshed.io helps retailers expand their local assortments while creating new market opportunities for farmers.

About Fox Packaging
Fox Packaging is a Texas-based manufacturer of flexible packaging solutions with more than 60 years of experience serving the fresh produce industry. Fox Packaging works with growers, packers and retailers to develop packaging that supports product protection, operational efficiency and retail presentation. Its portfolio includes Fox Fresh Mesh, poly, wicketed, film-and-net and other custom flexible packaging formats, with select materials available with up to 30% post-consumer recycled content. Through Fox Solutions, the company also provides packaging equipment, automation, integration and service, giving customers a comprehensive resource for both the package and the equipment that runs it.

Media Contact: Naba Bakar, VP of Marketing
naba@goldensuninsights.com