With the demand for fresh, convenient and healthy food growing among consumers, leafy greens are the order of the day. From fresh cut to pre-washed and pre-packaged products, this is a rapidly growing market with significant potential.

The need for speed at vegetable processing facilities can sometimes seem incompatible with their other operational and commercial objectives. Perishable produce must be sorted and packed quickly to maximize its shelf life, but the faster this is done, the less time there is for large volumes of produce to be sorted accurately for food safety and quality. And as an added complication, retailers and consumers increasingly expect food producers to adopt sustainable working practices.

With this year's season well and truly over, it’s time to assess your operational performance by asking the following questions: Did you reap the full benefit of your time, effort and energy? Could you have done anything differently? Is there anything you could look at improving to elevate your process and ensure next season’s success?

Lewis Hamilton, Simon Cowell, Bill Clinton and half of Hollywood have recently announced their dedication to a plant-based diet. Veganism and vegetarianism are not new. What is new, is how we perceive these lifestyle choices and the sheer number of plant-based foods on offer to us. 

As the appeal of plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy continue to grow, vegetable producers are presented with a new, highly lucrative market receiving heavy investment in preparation for enormous growth. 

Only a few years ago, labor automation seemed like a futuristic nice-to-have rather than a serious necessity for food producers. Now, most vegetable producers view automation on some level as essential to the success of their business. 

Consumer trends and tastes come and go. However, there are constants in the food industry that remain the same: maximizing yield, waste reduction, production line reliability, hygiene and safety. 

Demand for organic food is on the rise. In the US alone in 2017, the market was valued at $45.20billion. By 2025, it is forecast to be worth $70.4billion. This upsurge is fuelled by many aspects, including the trend towards plant-based diets and healthier living. It is also indicative of another trend: that consumers are willing to pay more to know precisely where their veggies come from.