Produce industry headlines: October 23, 2026

Good afternoon! It’s Friday, October 23, 2026. Here’s what’s happening in produce and grocery today.

Links today include doubts that Kroger and Albertsons had real intentions to merge, grocers respond to growing fresh-cut demand, a GLP-1 user milestone, an IFPA photo gallery, U.S. imports from Mexico fall, and a Weekend Interview.

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

Top Stories

The Friday Checkout: Did Kroger really want to merge with Albertsons?

Both former CEOs’ testimonies this week at trial raises doubts that they were ever on the same page about how to win approval for their plan to combine.

Fresh-cut boom fuels produce department innovation

As consumer demand grows for fresh-cut and other value-added fresh fruits and vegetables grocery produce departments are changing how they’re designed.

A first: majority of GLP-1 users want weight loss

A study shows that for the first time, more than half (54%) of GLP-1 users in the U.S. take the medication primarily for weight management, surpassing use for diabetes and other health conditions, which will continue to change grocery shopping behavior.

Weekend Interview: Isaac Magaña, Plant Sciences Genetics

Love blackberries? A new B2B platform is changing how this fruit is grown, marketed, and sold in this special two-part Weekend Interview.

IFPA Global expo floor filled with excitement, innovation

Review this photo gallery from the IFPA Global Produce Show expo Oct. 15-16.

U.S. produce imports from Mexico fall $470 million through August 2026

Through August 2026, import values were $470 million below the corresponding 2025 period and $335 million below the 2020–2024 average.