Produce Talks, brought to you by the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), is where industry leaders come together to share insights, experiences, and fresh perspectives on the world of produce. Each episode features in-depth conversations with growers, retailers, innovators, and experts across the supply chain, exploring the issues, opportunities, and stories shaping our sector. Whether you’re in the field, the warehouse, the store, or the boardroom, Produce Talks helps you stay informed, inspired, and connected to the future of fresh.
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June 11, 202657 min
Overcoming the fresh produce food loss & waste challenge
This episode from a CPMA 2026 business session features a panel of growers, retailers, and food rescue innovators who break down practical strategies to reduce Canada’s food loss and waste. Tune in to learn more about how addressing logistics, economic incentives, surplus produce, and new supply chain survey initiatives could help tackle the complexities of food loss and waste.
May 29, 202623 min
How are food influencers driving change?
In this episode of the CPMA Produce Talks podcast, Sue Lewis, CPMA’s VP of Marketing & Events, interviews Canadian food influencers Christopher Rivest, dietitian Desiree Nielsen, and home economist Mairlyn Smith on how they inspire their audiences to eat more fruits and vegetables.
April 17, 202629 min
How Design Thinking is Shaping the Future of Sustainable Produce Packaging
In this episode of CPMA Produce Talks, host Daniel Duguay, Senior Director, Sustainability at CPMA, speaks with Edmund Chin, Managing Director and Co-founder of Lucid Corp, about how design thinking is transforming the way innovative packaging is developed, designed, and ultimately adopted across the fresh produce supply chain.
March 9, 202613 min
Latest trends in produce consumption
In this episode, Sue Lewis, Vice President of Marketing at CPMA, and Registered Dietitian, Veronica Rouse, discuss the key role fruits and vegetables play in enhancing overall health.
Key highlights include:
• The biggest barriers to eating more fruits and vegetables — and tips and tricks to help consumers to overcome them
• The latest trends in consuming fruits and vegetables
• How the produce industry can better support those trends
February 25, 202622 min
Innovation in produce industry
The fresh produce supply chain has always been driven by innovation. Whether an organization is involved in primary production, wholesale, retail, big or small, innovation is at the heart of competitiveness as all strive to provide the consumer with products they want to buy again.
In this episode, Denise Venderveen (Clean Works), Amanda Wilder (Provision Analytics) and Francois R.-Moisan (Sollum Technologies) discuss current and future innovations influencing the produce industry.
January 28, 202621 min
Canadian consumer trends in produce shopping
In this episode, CPMA VP of marketing & events, Sue Lewis, talks with Mike Mauti of Execulytics Consulting about the Canadian shopper. Building on years data gleaned from monthly consumer surveys, Mike looks at the shopping habits of Canadian Gen Z , what is motivating shoppers and how the 2026 retail landscape will look like.
December 16, 202535 min
Reflecting on 2025 and key insights for a stronger 2026 produce industry
In this episode, Ron Lemaire, president of CPMA, and David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, break down the biggest forces that have shaped Canada’s fresh produce industry in 2025. From shifting consumer habits to global trade impacts, the two explore what truly moved the market this past year. Looking ahead to 2026, David highlights key consumer and market trends the industry should prioritize to strengthen supply chain resilience and meet evolving consumer demand.This episode of Produce Talks podcast is sponsored by Crawford Packaging.
If there is one topic that has dominated the sustainability conversation in our industry, it is packaging. But as we look toward 2026, the conversation is evolving from simple reduction to a complex balance of functionality, food safety, and environmental footprint. In the finale of our Fall 2025 Sustainability Series, CPMA's Produce Talks sits down with experts across the supply chain to discuss how we can minimize waste without compromising the quality of fresh produce for Canadians. In this episode, Stuart Jackson of Crawford Packaging, JF Delorme of IFCO, and Jeff Brandenburg of QFresh Lab, join us as we discuss the "Field to Fork" Balance: How to reduce packaging waste without increasing food waste. We also explore B2B vs. B2C: Navigating the differences between primary consumer packaging and tertiary logistics packaging, as well as leading Future Trends related to recycling, composting, and the next generation of packaging materials.A special thanks to our series sponsor, Crawford Packaging, for supporting this vital conversation.
November 18, 202537 min
From burden to advantage: Rethinking sustainability reporting and assurance
Is increasing "audit fatigue" stifling genuine environmental progress? In this episode, we tackle the sustainability reporting paradox with John Mesko, CEO of the Potato Sustainability Alliance, Wyatt Maysey, Director of Sustainability, Taylor Farms, and Garland Perkins of Fresh Endeavors Consulting. Discover how the fresh produce industry can move from reactive compliance to "making our own playbook"—transforming the sustainability reporting burden into a strategic input for growth and prosperity. This episode of Produce Talks podcast is sponsored by Crawford Packaging
November 4, 202514 min
My Produce Story - Sustainability: A Lifelong Pursuit
In this episode of Produce Talks podcast, CPMA’s Dan Duguay sits down with Justine Taylor, chief sustainability officer (CSO) of Topline Farms to discuss her career journey, the evolution of her role, and the leading challenges CSOs face today. Tune in to hear her perspective on the future of sustainability in fresh produce and her top advice for professionals just starting their journey.
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