Gitnux/Report 2026

Fresh Produce Industry Statistics

The global fresh produce market is projected at $3.75 trillion in 2026, explore the figures behind growth, companies, and automation, pricing, and compliance.
293Statistics
88Sources
12Sections
48mRead
November 11, 2026Updated
Fresh Produce Industry Statistics
Christopher MorganWritten by Christopher Morgan·Edited by Emilia Santos·Fact-checked by Yumi Nakamura
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The fresh produce industry at a glance

The global fresh produce market is projected at $3.75 trillion in 2026, with growth supported by expanding retail and foodservice demand, but challenged by climate, labor and price volatility.

$3.75T[70]
Global market size, 2026
5.52%[70]
Forecast CAGR, 2026–2034
248.3M cwt[71]
U.S. tomato production, 2025
6.5%[25]
U.S. fresh produce inflation, 2026
Market size
The global fresh produce market was valued at $3.575 trillion in 2025 and is projected to reach $3.752 trillion in 2026. The estimate covers fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fresh seafood and fresh meat across retail, foodservice and food manufacturing.[70]
Forecast & CAGR
The global market is forecast to reach $5.769 trillion by 2034, implying a 5.52% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2034. Forecast growth reflects expanding demand across retail, foodservice and food manufacturing channels.[70]
Market share & regions
The United States remained heavily dependent on a small number of trading partners for fresh vegetables in 2025, while U.S. fresh-vegetable imports declined 3% year over year. USDA identifies onions, tomatoes and lettuce as among the largest fresh vegetables by production and per-capita availability.[14]
Segmentation
The market is segmented by product into fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fresh seafood and fresh meat; by source into organic and conventional; and by end user into retail, foodservice and food manufacturing. Within fresh vegetables, major categories include leafy greens, root vegetables, legumes, cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes and cucumbers.[70]
Pricing
U.S. fresh fruits and vegetables were 6.5% more expensive in April 2026 than in April 2025. Within the category, fresh vegetables rose 11.5% year over year and tomatoes rose 39.7%, while fresh fruits increased 2.1%.[25]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Selected U.S. fresh-market vegetable production increased in 2025, marking a partial recovery from declines in 2023 and 2024; however, availability remained uneven, with broccoli availability down 16% from 2024. Climate stress, water constraints, labor availability and input costs remain material operating challenges for growers and distributors.[14][72]
Consumer behavior & competition
USDA consumption surveys found that the average U.S. consumer consumed 0.9 cups of fruit and 1.4 cups of vegetables per day, below recommended intake levels. Competition spans supermarkets, grocery stores, foodservice, direct-to-consumer channels and fresh-cut products, with affordability and convenience shaping purchasing decisions.[14]
M&A
Blue Book Services recorded 18 produce mergers, acquisitions and business sales in the first nine months of 2026, the lowest total for that period in four years. Notable 2026 transactions included Mission Produce’s announced acquisition of Calavo Growers and Fresh Del Monte Produce’s approximately $285 million acquisition of selected Del Monte Foods assets.[73][74]
Regulation
FDA’s Food Traceability Rule establishes additional recordkeeping requirements for foods on the Food Traceability List, including certain fresh produce, although federal legislation directed FDA not to enforce the rule before July 20, 2028. In August 2026, FDA also finalized guidance for ready-to-eat fresh-cut produce operations under the preventive-controls rule.[75]
Latest news
In 2026, FDA issued final guidance for ready-to-eat fresh-cut produce processors, emphasizing contamination controls because these products generally lack a kill step. Industry consolidation also continued, with Mission Produce announcing an agreement to acquire Calavo Growers and Fresh Del Monte announcing a $285 million asset acquisition.[75][74]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Fresh Produce Industry

The leading companies in the fresh produce industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

Driscoll's stands out for fresh berries because it produces and markets fresh berries through its grower network, while Camposol focuses on fresh fruit processing since it grows, processes and markets high-value fresh fruit for global markets.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in fresh berries

    Driscoll's

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.6 · Fresh berries

    Why we picked it: Its focus stays on fresh berries, including proprietary varieties produced through a grower network.

    See in ranking ↓Visit driscolls.com ↗

  2. Leader in fresh fruit processing

    Camposol

    PE

    Ranked #2 · 8.9 · Fresh fruit processing

    Why we picked it: It grows, processes, and markets high-value fresh fruit, including berries, avocados, grapes, and mangoes.

    See in ranking ↓Visit camposol.com ↗

  3. Leader in fresh-cut salads

    Taylor Farms

    US

    Ranked #3 · 8.9 · Fresh-cut salads

    Why we picked it: Its offerings concentrate on fresh salads and healthy fresh foods built around value-added vegetables.

    See in ranking ↓Visit taylorfarms.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the fresh produce industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Driscoll's

Fresh berries · US

9.6
2

Camposol

Fresh fruit processing · PE

8.9
3

Taylor Farms

Fresh-cut salads · US

8.9
4

Hortifrut

Fresh berries · CL

8.9
5

Dole plc

Fresh fruit processing · IE

8.9
6

Greenyard

Fresh, frozen and prepared fruit and vegetables · BE

8.8
7

Chiquita

Bananas, pineapples and packaged salads · US

8.8
8

Unifrutti

Apples, grapes, citrus and other fresh fruit

8.7
9

Westfalia Fruit

Avocados and other fresh fruit · ZA

8.6
10

Fresh Del Monte Produce

Fresh fruit, vegetables and fresh-cut produce · US

8.5

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the fresh produce industry. In Fresh Produce Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fresh-produce-industry-statistics/#top-companies

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Automation and digital adoption are measurable: 70% of participating specialty-crop growers invested in automation in 2022, and 99.3% of fresh-produce records achieved end-to-end traceability in the blockchain-enabled dataset.

Automation in the fresh produce industry

  • 15% of surveyed specialty-crop automation startups had completed Series B funding or later in 2022.[1]
  • More than 35% of surveyed specialty-crop automation startups had over 10 robots in service in 2022.[1]
  • 70% of participating specialty-crop growers invested in automation in 2022, globally.[1]
  • More than 30% of surveyed specialty-crop automation startups had over 20 paying customers in 2022.[1]
  • 50% of participating specialty-crop growers had employees dedicating most of their working time to integrating automation investments in 2022.[1]
  • More than 200 crop-robotics companies were identified across production systems and product segments in 2022.[1]

Digital Transformation in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 51.2% had very low digital intensity in 2023, down from 55.1% in 2021.[2]
  • Across the EU agri-food industrial ecosystem, 20% of companies had a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[2]
  • In the United States, 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024.[3]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 15.4% had high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 13.0% in 2021.[2]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 3.4% had very high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 2.1% in 2021.[2]

Technology Adoption in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In Chile, 12% of agricultural production units reported using a technological tool such as mobile applications, drones, or sensors in 2021.[4]
  • In Germany, 85.5% of surveyed farms used at least one digital technology in 2024–2025.[4]
  • Across EU farms with utilised agricultural area, about 18% used some form of precision-farming technology or practice in 2023.[4]
  • In Canada, 84% of field-crop operations used GPS equipment in 2021.[4]
  • In Czechia, 30% of crop-production farmers used at least one precision-agriculture technology in 2023.[4]
  • Across EU farms, 43% had internet access, 11% used farm-management information systems, and 7% used robotics in 2023.[4]

Cloud Computing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU businesses, 45% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023.[5]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 26% used cloud computing in 2023.[2]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 37% used cloud computing in 2024, up from 26% in 2023.[2]
  • Among EU large businesses, 78% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023, compared with 44% of SMEs.[5]

Big Data in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 307 startups focused on artificial intelligence and big data were formed between 2015 and 2023.[2]
  • In Germany, 5.0% of surveyed farms used artificial-intelligence or big-data technologies in 2024–2025.[4]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 13% used big-data technologies in 2024, compared with 17% in 2023.[2]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 17% used big-data technologies in 2023.[2]

Blockchain in the fresh produce industry

  • 99.3% of fresh-produce records achieved end-to-end traceability in the blockchain-enabled study dataset.[6]
  • 99.8% of fresh-produce records had blockchain-verified origin information in the study dataset.[6]
  • 99.5% of fresh-produce records had blockchain-verified intermediate-step information in the study dataset.[6]

IoT in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU farms with livestock, about 11% used animal-welfare or health-monitoring systems in 2023.[4]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 24% used Internet of Things technologies in 2024, up from 10% in 2023.[2]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data quality and governance remain friction points: 49% of manufacturing respondents rated operational data as low AI readiness in 2024, and 42% reported having a process to verify operational data accuracy in 2025.

Data analytics in the fresh produce industry

  • 20% of Canadian food businesses reported using blockchain or digital systems to assist food safety in a 2020–2021 survey.[7]
  • 77% of Canadian food businesses reported having a traceability program in a 2020–2021 survey that included fresh-produce businesses.[7]
  • 38% of large Canadian food businesses reported using blockchain or digital systems to assist food safety in a 2020–2021 survey.[7]

Data Quality in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 49% of manufacturing respondents rated their operational data as having low AI readiness in 2024, meaning it was insufficiently labeled, contextualized, governed or accessible.[8]
  • 41% of manufacturers said they distrusted the data used for supply-chain operations in 2025, reflecting persistent data-quality concerns in production and procurement.[9]
  • 42% of manufacturers reported having a process to verify operational data accuracy or quality in 2025, indicating that most lacked a formal validation process.[8]
  • 30% of manufacturing respondents identified poor-quality data as one of their top three challenges when working with AI-related data in 2024.[8]
  • 44% of manufacturers reported that AI projects had failed because of poor data quality in 2025, according to a survey of manufacturing organizations.[9]

Data Governance in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 61% of manufacturers reported having a corporate-wide governance plan, strategy or formal guidelines for how data is collected, organized, accessed and used in 2024.[8]
  • 40% of food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their biggest barrier to moving faster in 2026.[10]
  • 15% of manufacturers said their data strategy was entirely aligned with their overall business strategy in 2024, while 31% said it was very closely aligned.[8]
  • 6% of food and beverage leaders reported fully integrated digital systems in 2025, despite 82% saying technology adoption was a strategic priority.[10]
  • 61% of supply-management organizations reported having a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, while 90% agreed that data governance was necessary.[11]
  • 69% of food and beverage companies still relied on spreadsheets and email for core operations in 2025, limiting standardized access and control of business data.[10]

KPIs in the fresh produce industry

  • 38% was the average gross margin for U.S. supermarket produce departments in 2023.[12]
  • 5.46% was the average produce shrink rate in U.S. supermarkets in 2023.[12]
  • $3,983,333 was the average annual produce sales per U.S. supermarket in 2023.[12]
  • 2.5% was the year-over-year growth in average U.S. supermarket produce sales in 2023.[12]
  • 4,084 square feet was the average U.S. supermarket produce department size in 2023.[12]
  • $975 was the average produce sales per square foot in U.S. supermarkets in 2023.[12]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Organic penetration continues to expand in U.S. retail: organic produce represented 8% of total U.S. retail produce volume in 2025 and U.S. organic fresh-produce sales rose to $10.6 billion.

Growth in the fresh produce industry

  • Organic produce represented 8% of total U.S. retail produce volume in 2025.[13]
  • U.S. organic fresh-produce sales rose 5.9% to $10.6 billion in 2025.[13]
  • Retail sales of organic fresh fruits and vegetables were estimated at $21.5 billion in the United States in 2021.[14]
  • Produce accounted for 33% of U.S. organic food sales in 2024.[14]
  • U.S. organic produce volume increased 6.4% in 2025.[13]
  • U.S. organic fresh-produce volume increased 6.1% in 2024.[15]

Differentiation in the fresh produce industry

  • 23% of surveyed consumers bought bananas in 2025 that they had not bought two years earlier.[16]
  • 27% of surveyed consumers bought avocados in 2025 that they had not bought two years earlier.[16]
  • 21% of surveyed consumers bought asparagus in 2025 that they had not bought two years earlier.[16]
  • 59% of surveyed consumers were open to trying new produce items in 2025.[16]
  • 28% of surveyed consumers bought apples in 2025 that they had not bought two years earlier.[16]
  • 19% of surveyed consumers bought blueberries in 2025 that they had not bought two years earlier.[16]

Mergers and acquisitions in the fresh produce industry

  • Arable Capital’s acquisition of Dole’s Fresh Vegetables division had a $140 million purchase price in 2025.[17]
  • GrubMarket completed its acquisition of Delta Fresh Produce in April 2025.[18]
  • AgroFresh acquired Pace International, including its domestic and overseas operations, in March 2024.[17]
  • $308 million was the announced value of Fresh Express’s proposed acquisition of Dole’s Fresh Vegetables division in 2024.[19]
  • The Arable Capital–Dole transaction included a potential $10 million earn-out in 2025.[17]
  • The proposed Fresh Express–Dole transaction would have reduced the number of packaged-salad competitors from three to two in 2024.[19]

Strategic partnerships in the fresh produce industry

  • Delta Fresh supplied major retailers, restaurant chains and distributors across the United States after its 2025 acquisition by GrubMarket.[20]
  • The Produce for All Leadership Summit involved stakeholders from the fresh-produce and public-health sectors in 2024.[21]
  • The Foundation for Fresh Produce and Partnership for a Healthier America co-hosted the first Produce for All Leadership Summit in June 2024.[21]
  • Delta Fresh’s acquisition by GrubMarket expanded access to Mexican production across more than 2,300 acres in 2025.[20]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Labor needs stay central: U.S. employer demand for H-2A workers increased 36% from fiscal 2020 to fiscal 2024, with 391,600 worker positions requested in fiscal 2024.

Hiring in the fresh produce industry

  • 36% was the increase in U.S. employer demand for H-2A workers from fiscal 2020 to fiscal 2024.[22]
  • 1.18 million agricultural wage-and-salary jobs were recorded in the United States in 2024, including crop and crop-support employment.[14]
  • 17% was the increase in U.S. crop-support-services employment from 2010 to 2024.[14]
  • 99% of H-2A demand had been certified by the U.S. Department of Labor as of July 1, 2025.[22]
  • 391,600 H-2A worker positions were requested by U.S. agricultural employers in fiscal 2024, including labor-intensive fruit and vegetable operations.[22]

Employee retention in the fresh produce industry

  • 39% of U.S. farm laborers, graders and sorters were over age 44 in 2022.[14]
  • 39.6 years was the average age of U.S. farm laborers, graders and sorters in 2022.[14]
  • 51% was the decline in average annual U.S. hired-farmworker employment from 1950 to 2000.[14]
  • 20% of U.S. farm laborers, graders and sorters were under age 25 in 2022.[14]

Remote Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. agriculture and food employers, 35% offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024, according to AgCareers’ industry hiring report.[23]
  • Across U.S. agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, about 12% of workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[24]
  • Across U.S. accommodation and food services, 4.8% of workers worked remotely in 2021, up from 1.9% in 2019 and 5.3% in 2020.[25]
  • Across U.S. crop and animal production, 14.4% of workers worked remotely in 2021, compared with 14.7% in 2019 and 15.4% in 2020.[25]

Hybrid Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 84% of Australian agribusiness organisations planned no change to existing flexible or hybrid work arrangements in 2026.[26]
  • 13% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals preferred full-time on-site work in 2024.[27]
  • Among science-of-food professionals surveyed in 2024, 36% reported having no work-at-home days per week.[28]
  • 35% of U.S. agriculture and food employers offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024.[23]
  • Among science-of-food professionals surveyed globally in 2024, respondents averaged 2.1 work-at-home days per week.[28]

Upskilling in the fresh produce industry

  • 44% of U.S. farm laborers, graders and sorters lacked a high-school diploma in 2022.[14]
  • 50% of participating specialty-crop growers had employees dedicating most of their time to integrating automation investments in 2022.[1]
  • 31% of U.S. agricultural workers overall lacked a high-school diploma in 2022.[14]
  • 22% of U.S. farm laborers, graders and sorters had at least some college education in 2022.[14]

Employee Engagement in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 59.3% on leadership in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[29]
  • At Europe Snacks, a multinational food manufacturer, employee engagement reached 79% across its international workforce and 88% in its UK business after a structured listening program.[29]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 60.9% on enablement in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[29]
  • Manufacture, distribution and storage organizations recorded an average employee-engagement score of 72.9% in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[29]
  • In the agriculture industry, employees averaged 7.68 out of 10 for engagement and an eNPS of +5 in CultureMonkey’s 2026 benchmark.[30]

DEI in the fresh produce industry

  • 26% of U.S. farm laborers, graders and sorters were female in 2022.[14]
  • 56% of U.S. farm laborers, graders and sorters were U.S. citizens in 2022.[14]
  • 32% of U.S. crop farmworkers in manual-labor occupations were U.S.-born, according to National Agricultural Workers Survey estimates spanning fiscal years 2020–2022.[14]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Fresh-quality dissatisfaction drives switching: 35% of U.S. consumers switched grocery stores in 2026 because of dissatisfaction with fresh-food quality.

Customer experience in the fresh produce industry

  • 65% of U.S. online grocery shoppers wanted personalization reflecting household needs in 2025.[31]
  • 46% of U.S. produce shoppers wanted more information about produce health benefits in 2025.[32]
  • 35% of U.S. consumers switched grocery stores because of dissatisfaction with fresh-food quality in 2026.[3]
  • 42% of U.S. produce shoppers sought tips for incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into snacks in 2025.[32]
  • 58% of U.S. multi-store produce shoppers said freshness influences their store choice in 2025.[33]

Customer retention in the fresh produce industry

  • 84% was the potential revenue increase from one additional monthly visit by uncommitted grocery customers in 2025.[34]
  • 26% of U.S. consumers regularly purchased the same fresh-produce brands repeatedly in 2026.[35]
  • 50% of new U.S. grocery customers did not return after their first month in 2025.[34]
  • 52% of frequent U.S. grocery shoppers stayed with trusted brands even when those brands cost more in 2026.[36]
  • 36% of U.S. consumers cited better quality as a reason for repeatedly buying the same produce brands in 2026.[35]

Customer acquisition in the fresh produce industry

  • 19% of U.S. consumers bought blueberries they had not bought two years earlier in 2025.[16]
  • 53% of U.S. consumers bought fresh produce through nontraditional channels such as farmers markets or farm-direct sellers in 2020.[37]
  • 28% of U.S. consumers bought apples they had not bought two years earlier in 2025.[16]
  • 47% of Gen Z consumers bought farm-direct fresh produce through nontraditional channels in 2020.[37]
  • 27% of U.S. consumers bought avocados they had not bought two years earlier in 2025.[16]

Customer loyalty in the fresh produce industry

  • 35% of frequent U.S. grocery shoppers said produce branding influences their purchasing decisions in 2026.[35]
  • 37% of U.S. parents said produce branding influences their fresh-produce purchasing decisions in 2026.[35]
  • 35% of Gen Z U.S. consumers said produce branding influences their purchasing decisions in 2026.[35]
  • 20% of U.S. consumers chose their primary grocery store because of its fresh-produce selection in 2026.[35]
  • 34% of urban U.S. consumers said produce branding influences their purchasing decisions in 2026.[35]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Value-added formats remain a draw: almost 40% of U.S. shoppers intentionally bought fresh-cut or value-added produce in 2025.

Marketing in the fresh produce industry

  • Almost 40% of U.S. shoppers intentionally bought fresh-cut or value-added produce in 2025.[12]
  • $14.6 billion in U.S. value-added fresh-produce sales were generated in 2024.[32]
  • 37% of U.S. produce consumers prioritized price when buying fresh produce in 2025.[33]
  • 34% of U.S. produce consumers actively sought nutritious options in 2025.[33]
  • More than 50% of U.S. consumers considered sustainability when buying fresh produce in 2025.[12]

Digital marketing in the fresh produce industry

  • 45% of U.S. online grocery shoppers expected loyalty programs to be accessible through mobile apps in 2025.[31]
  • 53% of U.S. consumers used meal ideas found on social media at least weekly in 2025.[32]
  • 52% of U.S. online grocery shoppers preferred buying directly through a grocer’s owned digital channels in 2025.[31]
  • 36% of U.S. produce shoppers discovered new fruits and vegetables through social media in 2025.[32]
  • 31% of U.S. shoppers planned to order more fresh produce online the following year in 2025.[33]

Branding in the fresh produce industry

  • 26% of U.S. consumers said produce brand or grower names were important when purchasing fresh produce in 2026.[35]
  • 40% of consumers willing to pay more for branded produce trusted it to be fresher in 2021.[35]
  • 91% of surveyed Florida consumers recognized the Fresh From Florida logo in 2026.[35]
  • 48% of consumers willing to pay more for branded produce trusted it to be higher quality in 2021.[35]
  • 22% of U.S. women associated produce branding with trust and food safety in 2026.[35]

Social media in the fresh produce industry

  • 53% of U.S. consumers used social-media meal ideas at least weekly in 2025.[32]
  • 47% of Gen Z consumers bought farm-direct fresh produce through online or other nontraditional channels in 2020.[37]
  • 42% of online fresh-produce shoppers found inspiration through family and friends in 2020.[37]
  • 35% of online fresh-produce shoppers found inspiration through recipe websites in 2020.[37]
  • 16% of online fresh-produce shoppers found inspiration through TikTok in 2020.[37]

Influencer Marketing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Food and drink influencer content generated 392 billion impressions globally in 2023.[38]
  • 11.5 million influencer posts covered food and drink globally in 2023, according to Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[38]
  • Food and drink influencer content involved 78,800 profiles globally in 2023, based on Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[38]
  • Food and drink influencer content generated 42.7 billion engagements globally in 2023.[38]
  • Food and drink influencer posts achieved a 1.19% average engagement rate globally in 2023.[38]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Labor costs show up repeatedly in enterprise budgets: 42.9% of average U.S. fresh-tomato enterprise costs were attributable to labor and harvesting.

Process optimization in the fresh produce industry

  • 27.7% of average U.S. pepper enterprise costs were attributable to labor and harvesting in USDA enterprise budgets.[14]
  • 36.2% of average U.S. peach enterprise costs were attributable to labor and harvesting in USDA enterprise budgets.[14]
  • 19.2% of average U.S. potato enterprise costs were attributable to labor and harvesting in USDA enterprise budgets.[14]
  • 28.8% of U.S. vegetable and melon production expenses were labor costs in 2017, creating incentives to substitute capital for labor where possible.[14]
  • 42.9% of average U.S. fresh-tomato enterprise costs were attributable to labor and harvesting in USDA enterprise budgets.[14]

Operational efficiency in the fresh produce industry

  • 19% of food is wasted globally at retail, food-service and household levels, according to UNEP statistics cited by FAO.[39]
  • 15.3% of average U.S. fresh-tomato enterprise costs were labor costs in USDA enterprise budgets.[14]
  • 36.6% was the average combined labor-and-harvest share of U.S. produce enterprise costs across the crops examined.[14]
  • 6.8% of average U.S. potato enterprise costs were labor costs in USDA enterprise budgets.[14]
  • 7.3% of average U.S. pepper enterprise costs were labor costs in USDA enterprise budgets.[14]

Quality management in the fresh produce industry

  • 70% of produce retailers reported that price and product quality ultimately determine purchases, despite sustainability influencing buying decisions.[40]
  • $11 billion of the estimated U.S. fresh-cut market was attributed to retail, according to the NIMSS-cited estimate.[41]
  • 11% of the U.S. fresh-cut produce market consisted of fresh-cut fruit, according to a market estimate cited by NIMSS.[41]
  • 61% of the U.S. fresh-cut produce market consisted of bagged salads, according to a market estimate cited by NIMSS.[41]
  • $27 billion was the estimated annual U.S. fresh-cut fruit and vegetable market cited by NIMSS.[41]

Supply chain in the fresh produce industry

  • 70% of global fresh-produce operators were considering closing their operations within two to three years in the 2024 Global Coalition survey.[42]
  • 90% of global fresh-produce survey respondents identified increased input costs among the leading threats to business sustainability.[42]
  • 28% of U.S. fruit and vegetable imports by value came from Mexico, making it the leading foreign source cited in USDA analysis.[14]
  • $62.4 billion was the value of U.S. farm-level fruit and vegetable production reported in the 2022 Census of Agriculture.[43]
  • 19% of food is wasted globally at retail, food-service and household stages after supply-chain distribution.[39]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 85% of Canadian food and beverage companies processed or manufactured products internally in 2020, while 13% both produced internally and outsourced production.[44]
  • 49% of U.S. growers surveyed outsourced at least some farm work to third-party service providers in 2022, with spraying services the most commonly outsourced activity.[45]
  • About 12% of firms in the 11-country World Bank Firm-level Adoption of Technology sample outsourced at least one food-processing function, compared with about 18% in apparel.[46]
  • 2% of Canadian food and beverage companies outsourced production entirely to third-party manufacturers in 2020.[44]
  • 66% of Queensland food-processing businesses engaged in contract manufacturing to some extent in 2010, including contracting work in or out.[47]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Profitability is constrained by input-cost pressure: 61% of global fresh-produce operators were either breaking even or operating at a loss in 2024 because cost increases outpaced pricing power.

Pricing strategy in the fresh produce industry

  • 39% of global fresh-produce operators reported making a profit in 2024, while price competition constrained their ability to recover higher costs.[42]
  • 76% of global fresh-produce operators were either breaking even or profitable in 2024.[42]
  • 61% of global fresh-produce operators were either breaking even or operating at a loss in 2024 because cost increases outpaced pricing power.[42]
  • 19% of global fresh-produce operators were operating at a loss in 2023, compared with 25% in 2024.[42]
  • 25% of global fresh-produce operators reported selling at a loss in 2024.[42]

Cost reduction in the fresh produce industry

  • 31% was the reported year-over-year increase in fuel costs for global fresh-produce operators in 2024.[42]
  • 56% was the reported year-over-year increase in construction-material costs for global fresh-produce operators in 2024.[42]
  • 38.5% of U.S. fruit and tree-nut production expenses were labor costs in 2017, the highest share among the produce categories cited by USDA.[14]
  • 33% was the reported year-over-year increase in fertilizer costs for global fresh-produce operators in 2024.[42]
  • 28% was the reported year-over-year increase in shipping-service costs for global fresh-produce operators in 2024.[42]

Profitability in the fresh produce industry

  • 76% of global fresh-produce operators were either breaking even or profitable in 2024, down from 81% in 2023.[42]
  • 81% of global fresh-produce operators were either breaking even or profitable in 2023.[42]
  • 90% of surveyed global fresh-produce operators cited increased input costs as a major threat to medium-term business sustainability.[42]
  • 61% of global fresh-produce operators were either breaking even or losing money in 2024.[42]
  • 39% of global fresh-produce operators reported making a profit in 2024.[42]

Financial planning in the fresh produce industry

  • 39% of global fresh-produce operators were profitable in 2024, the lowest profit share reported in the Coalition’s decade-long comparison.[42]
  • 25% of global fresh-produce operators were operating at a loss in 2024, limiting internally financed investment capacity.[42]
  • 81% of global fresh-produce operators were at break-even or profit in 2023, compared with 76% in 2024.[42]
  • 36% of global fresh-produce operators were breaking even in 2024, leaving limited room for capital expenditure and innovation.[42]
  • 70% of global fresh-produce operators were considering closing their businesses within two to three years, indicating substantial financial-planning pressure.[42]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Packaging extends shelf life across major crops: mango shelf life rose to 40 days with flexible packaging from 20 days without it.

Product development in the fresh produce industry

  • Five new chip-potato varieties were developed by one Michigan State University breeder during the previous 15 years.[48]
  • 100 potato varieties were selected from approximately 225 annual candidates for further trials by the U.S. National Chip Program.[48]
  • 53% of U.S. consumers had bought fresh produce through nontraditional channels such as farm-direct sales, markets or online ordering in 2022.[40]
  • 83% of U.S. consumers like seeing new fresh-produce varieties, according to a 2022 survey.[40]
  • 68% of U.S. consumers favor personalized fresh-produce promotions, according to a 2022 survey.[40]

Product lifecycle in the fresh produce industry

  • 40 days was the reported shelf life for mangoes with flexible packaging, compared with 20 days without it.[49]
  • 36 days was the reported shelf life for bananas with flexible packaging, compared with 15 days without it.[49]
  • 20 days was the reported shelf life for broccoli florets with flexible packaging, compared with 6 days without it.[49]
  • 28 days was the reported shelf life for cherries with flexible packaging, compared with 14 days without it.[49]
  • 70 days was the reported shelf life for table grapes with flexible packaging, compared with 7 days without it.[49]

After-sales in the fresh produce industry

  • 0.35 was the service factor in a consumer-satisfaction model for fresh-fruit and vegetable retail distribution.[50]
  • -0.19 was the complaints factor in a consumer-satisfaction model for fresh-fruit and vegetable retail distribution.[50]
  • 0.46 was the commitment factor in a consumer-satisfaction model for fresh-fruit and vegetable retail distribution.[50]
  • 0.18 was the trust factor in a consumer-satisfaction model for fresh-fruit and vegetable retail distribution.[50]
  • 0.26 was the price-and-quality factor in a consumer-satisfaction model for fresh-fruit and vegetable retail distribution.[50]

Value proposition in the fresh produce industry

  • 56% of U.S. consumers wanted produce departments to carry more locally grown fruits and vegetables in 2022.[32]
  • 27% of U.S. shoppers expected to purchase more value-added produce in 2022.[32]
  • 48% of U.S. shoppers frequently purchased convenient fruit solutions such as pre-cut or ready-to-serve products in 2022.[32]
  • 54% of U.S. consumers wanted produce departments to carry more fruits and vegetables grown in the United States in 2022.[32]
  • 45% of U.S. shoppers frequently purchased convenient vegetable solutions such as pre-cut or ready-to-serve products in 2022.[32]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability in the fresh produce industry

  • 46% of fresh fruit and vegetable industry stakeholders ranked energy use among the top sustainability issues in 2019.[51]
  • 24% of fresh fruit and vegetable industry stakeholders ranked biodiversity among the top sustainability issues in 2019.[51]
  • 34% of fresh fruit and vegetable industry stakeholders ranked soil health among the top sustainability issues in 2019.[51]
  • 15% of fresh fruit and vegetable industry stakeholders ranked worker health and safety among the top sustainability issues in 2019.[51]
  • 61% of fresh fruit and vegetable industry stakeholders ranked food loss and waste among the top sustainability issues in 2019.[51]

ESG in the fresh produce industry

  • 38% of Fresh Del Monte Produce’s energy came from renewable sources in 2024.[52]
  • 7,870 megaliters of water were consumed by Fresh Del Monte Produce in 2024.[52]
  • 1,656 hectares were managed for habitat protection and restoration by Unifrutti Group in 2024.[53]
  • 1,008,700 metric tons of Scope 3 greenhouse-gas emissions were reported by Fresh Del Monte Produce in 2024.[52]
  • 84,224 metric tons of Scope 2 greenhouse-gas emissions were reported by Fresh Del Monte Produce in 2024.[52]

Ethics in the fresh produce industry

  • 234% was the year-over-year increase in fresh produce suppliers earning at least two ECIP engagement stars in 2025.[54]
  • 41 fresh produce suppliers had earned two or more ECIP engagement stars in the prior reporting period before 2025.[54]
  • 62% of forced-labor risk in the U.S. food supply was linked to domestic production or processing in the study’s estimate.[55]
  • 7,779 medium-risk-hours-equivalent of forced-labor risk was the weighted mean reported per tonne for apple-juice concentrate among the analyzed products.[55]
  • 51% of forced-labor risk in U.S. land-based agricultural production was attributable to the United States in the study’s country-of-origin analysis.[55]

CSR in the fresh produce industry

  • Zero customer-data breaches were reported by Unifrutti Group from 2022 through 2024.[53]
  • 2,843,327 trees were planted or donated by Fresh Del Monte Produce from 2016 through 2024.[56]
  • 245,000 pounds of food were composted in Melissa’s Produce on-site operations in 2024.[57]
  • 800,000 pounds of fresh food were donated by Melissa’s Produce to fight food insecurity in 2024.[57]
  • 5.41 square kilometers of habitat were restored by Fresh Del Monte Produce through tree donations and reforestation activities by 2024.[56]

Circular economy in the fresh produce industry

  • 1.3 million metric tons of solid waste were avoided through IFCO’s reusable packaging system in 2024.[31]
  • More than 2,100 tons of absolute food loss were reduced by Unifrutti Group year over year in 2024.[53]
  • 77% of Unifrutti Group’s hazardous waste was recycled in 2024.[53]
  • 2.4 billion shipments of fresh and other grocery products used IFCO reusable packaging containers in 2024.[31]
  • 66,015 tons of product waste were avoided through IFCO’s reusable packaging system in 2024.[31]

Carbon footprint in the fresh produce industry

  • 8% of G’s Fresh total emissions came from fertilizer in its 2024/25 emissions profile.[58]
  • 0.17 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of fruit was the reported emissions intensity at Halls Forest Hill Farm in its latest reporting period.[59]
  • 10% of G’s Fresh total emissions came from packaging in its 2024/25 emissions profile.[58]
  • 11% of G’s Fresh total emissions came from fuel in its 2024/25 emissions profile.[58]
  • 63% below the regional benchmark was Halls Forest Hill Farm’s reported fruit emissions intensity in its latest reporting period.[59]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Cross-border trade remains a structural dependency: Mexico accounted for 28% of U.S. fruit and vegetable imports by value.

Globalization in the fresh produce industry

  • Horticultural products accounted for 45% of U.S. agricultural imports by value in 2025, including fruits and vegetables.[14]
  • The three largest agricultural exporters to the United States—Mexico, Canada and the European Union—accounted for almost 60% of U.S. agricultural sales during 2021–2025.[14]
  • $12.92 billion worth of U.S. fruits and vegetables were exported in 2025, totaling 7.27 million metric tons.[66]
  • $64.95 billion in fresh vegetable products were exported worldwide in 2024, up 5% from 2023.[12]
  • Canada accounted for $5.21 billion of U.S. fruit and vegetable exports in 2025.[66]

Cultural adaptation in the fresh produce industry

  • 18% of U.S. consumers cited country of origin as a factor when buying fresh fruits and vegetables in 2024.[67]
  • 65% of surveyed consumers were very or extremely curious about global or cultural flavors in 2024.[31]
  • 15% of surveyed consumers cited restaurants as a source of discovery for new global or ethnic produce in 2024.[31]
  • 78% of U.S. consumers cited freshness as a purchase factor for fruits and vegetables in 2024.[67]
  • 30% of surveyed consumers cited social media as a source of discovery for new global or ethnic produce in 2024.[31]

Supplier management in the fresh produce industry

  • Delta Fresh’s Mexican production and grower network enabled year-round supply to customers in 2025.[18]
  • Four major fresh-produce commodities imported into the United States reached 10.6 billion pounds in 2024, compared with 1.8 billion pounds in 2000.[68]
  • Thousands of additional acres of Mexican production were accessible to Delta Fresh through longstanding grower relationships in 2025.[18]
  • Delta Fresh operated 1,400 acres of indoor production in Mexico in 2025.[18]
  • Delta Fresh operated more than 900 acres of open-field production in Mexico in 2025.[18]

Stakeholder management in the fresh produce industry

  • 85% of American households purchased packaged salad in the market affected by the proposed Fresh Express–Dole transaction in 2024.[19]
  • Packaged salad represented $3.2 billion in annual spending by U.S. grocers and consumers in 2024.[19]
  • The proposed Fresh Express acquisition of Dole’s Fresh Vegetables division was valued at $308 million before being abandoned in 2024.[19]
  • The first Produce for All Leadership Summit was held on June 10, 2024, to address stakeholder-led food-system transformation.[21]
  • The Mississippi Delta was identified as a focus area for stakeholder-led food-systems transformation at the 2024 Produce for All Leadership Summit.[21]

Distribution channels in the fresh produce industry

  • 26% of grocery spending came from shoppers using only in-store channels in North America in 2025.[3]
  • $14.6 billion in U.S. value-added produce sales were generated in 2024, reflecting growth in convenient produce formats.[31]
  • Bova Fresh served more than 250 retail and foodservice customers nationwide in 2025.[69]
  • Bova Fresh had 17 employees while serving retail and foodservice customers nationwide in 2025.[69]
  • 31% of grocery spending came from omnichannel shoppers’ retailer budgets in North America in 2025.[3]

Key questions about the Fresh Produce Industry

What is the global fresh produce market size in 2026?
The global fresh produce market is projected at $3.75 trillion in 2026, up from $3.575 trillion in 2025.
How fast is the market expected to grow after 2026?
The forecast CAGR from 2026 to 2034 is 5.52%, taking the market to $5.769 trillion by 2034.
Which companies lead the fresh produce industry?
Driscoll's stands out for fresh berries because it produces and markets fresh berries through its grower network, while Camposol focuses on fresh fruit processing since it grows, processes and markets high-value fresh fruit for global markets.
What technology shifts show up in fresh produce operations?
Automation and digital tools are spreading: 70% of participating specialty-crop growers invested in automation in 2022, and 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024.
How do compliance and traceability requirements affect the market structure?
FDA’s Food Traceability Rule adds recordkeeping for foods on the Food Traceability List, but federal legislation directed FDA not to enforce it before July 20, 2028.
What pricing pressure matters most for U.S. fresh produce in 2026?
U.S. fresh produce inflation is 6.5% in 2026, and April 2026 fresh vegetables were up 11.5% year over year while tomatoes rose 39.7%.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Fresh Produce Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fresh-produce-industry-statistics
MLA
Christopher Morgan. "Fresh Produce Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/fresh-produce-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Christopher Morgan. 2026. "Fresh Produce Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fresh-produce-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

88 sources cited across this report

  1. coloradoproduce.org
  2. monitor-industrial-ecosystems.ec.europa.eu
  3. mckinsey.com
  4. oecd.org
  5. ec.europa.eu
  6. sciencedirect.com
  7. epe.lac-bac.gc.ca
  8. manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com
  9. dnb.com
  10. tracegains.com
  11. utah.ismworld.org
  12. freshproduce.com
  13. organicproducenetwork.com
  14. ers.usda.gov
  15. eu-assets.contentstack.com
  16. 47594877.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net
  17. freshfruitportal.com
  18. prnewswire.com
  19. justice.gov
  20. mnp.ca
  21. ahealthieramerica.org
  22. public-inspection.federalregister.gov
  23. m.agcareers.com
  24. govinfo.gov
  25. bls.gov
  26. rimfireresources.com.au
  27. 3ppartners.com
  28. ift.org
  29. peopleinsight.co.uk
  30. culturemonkey.io
  31. theproducenews.com
  32. fmi.org
  33. lipmanfamilyfarms.com
  34. upside.prezly.com
  35. producebusiness.com
  36. provokeinsights.com
  37. perishablenews.com
  38. media.sproutsocial.com
  39. fao.org
  40. producemarketguide.com
  41. nimss.org
  42. producecoalition.net
  43. everycrsreport.com
  44. fpsc-ctac.com
  45. 1557649.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net
  46. documents1.worldbank.org
  47. business.qld.gov.au
  48. apnews.com
  49. vcm-international.com
  50. ceintelligence.com
  51. hassavocadoboard.com
  52. sustainabilityreports.com
  53. unifruttigroup.com
  54. ethicalcharterprogram.org
  55. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  56. uk.marketscreener.com
  57. melissas.com
  58. gs-esg.com
  59. hallsfreshproduce.com
  60. documents.globalgap.org
  61. globalgap.org
  62. wtwco.com
  63. foodandag-isac.org
  64. publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu
  65. afgc.org.au
  66. fas.usda.gov
  67. yougov.com
  68. wga.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com
  69. butcherjoseph.com
  70. fortunebusinessinsights.com
  71. nass.usda.gov
  72. lemonde.fr
  73. bluebookservices.com
  74. produceprocessing.net
  75. fda.gov
  76. driscolls.com
  77. sustainability.camposol.com
  78. taylorfarms.com
  79. hortifrut.com
  80. doleplc.com
  81. greenyard.group
  82. chiquita.com
  83. unifrutti.com
  84. westfaliafruit.com
  85. sec.gov
  86. cdc.gov
  87. circana.com
  88. agwestfc.com