I remember my oldest brother holed up in his bedroom in the late 1980s or early 1990s, somehow “talking” to people around the world through his computer. It seemed like a curious dichotomy of antisocial yet social behavior. But oh, was he ahead of his time, using the internet before the World Wide Web transformed all our daily lives.
The fresh produce industry doesn't have a reputation for being ahead of the curve, technology-wise, compared to some industries. But necessity is changing that, as it tends to do.
Read the digital version of the September-October issue of PMG magazine!
And shopping, well, that's a sector that's usually pretty advanced, so the produce retail industry is getting quite tech-savvy. My mom may not understand many aspects of our digital world, but she figured out how to shop online. Where there's a will, there's a way.
That's what strikes me about our Produce Retailer of the Year, Chris Miller of MOM's Organic Market. He's a millennial. He's driven by a passion for the environment and the greater good, along with furthering the business and industry. Miller's manner feels refreshingly authentic. Read more on why he won this prestigious honor on page 22.
We've come a long way from those 1980s: Now look at us, buying broccoli through an app, checking out of a grocery store without human assistance, and finding our groceries on our doorsteps. See page 18 for more contactless shopping advancements.
A lot of these advancements are fueled by the demands of younger shoppers, more and more of whom will be Generation Z. Learn what they want and why on page 6.
Click on the image to read this issue. Illustration and photo: Farm Journal and courtesy of MOM's Organic Market
No matter your age, the learning never stops. Get a pear primer from Brian Dey on page 12 and a mandarin tutorial on page 46. And Mike Mauti tells us more about the orange shopper on page 50.
Innovation never gets old, and neither do you (in spirit), if you always look forward to what's next. And stay open to it.
Just ask little Amy, looking in bewilderment and awe at her oldest brother, somehow communicating in ways she couldn't understand. And now, she can't get off that darn social media.