Produce industry headlines: March 23, 2026

Good afternoon! It’s Monday, March 23, 2026. Here’s what’s going on in fresh produce today.

Read about how club store leaders explain their recent gains, Walmart’s digital price label plans, food startup struggles, the problem with rising diesel prices, California’s drop in ag exports to China, and more.

As always, have something to share? Send us your feedback at news@bluebookservices.com.

Top Stories

Going to the club: How groceries are boosting club retailers’ sales

In recent earnings calls, club retail leaders explain how their value focus helps them compete.

Walmart digital price labels are coming to every store shelf in US by end of 2026

The retailer says the digital price tags help associates do their jobs better but legislators vow to fight them being used for “surge pricing.”

After funding collapse, what’s next for food startups?

Once praised as the future of the food industry, firms in plant-based meat and indoor farming categories have struggled despite raising millions of dollars in funding.

$5 Diesel is Crushing Truckers. It Will Soon Be Felt Across the Economy.

Economists say higher diesel prices over a sustained period will likely ripple throughout the broader supply chain and could lead companies to increase prices of consumer goods.

What’s the Best Food Value in the Produce Aisle?

The retail columnist says many assume the easy-to-eat top seller banana is the value leader but there’s another, and it even has more potassium than a banana.

Uber cofounder launches Atoms — a new robotics and food tech company

Travis Kalanick publicizes a previously undercover parent company for his ventures, including CloudKitchens, Otter, and Picnic.

California agricultural exports to China drop 64% in 2025

Retaliatory tariffs were applied to many ag products, particularly tree nuts, reducing market access and affecting export volumes.