Published

United Fresh Video Update

For an update on our current and upcoming work, please watch our five-minute video. You will find the video on our home page.

Food Safety Culture in Organisations

On Tuesday 07 September 2023, The New Zealand Food Safety, Science and Research Centre (NZFSSRC) conducted the webinar: “Food Safety Culture in Organizations” which highlighted the experience and studies of Frank Yiannis. Frank is well known for highlighting the need for an effective food safety culture, in order to achieve successful food safety systems in business.

WiH Building Confidence Workshop a Success and Girls who Grow On Farm Lunch & Learn Experience

On 12th October we held our Women in Horticulture (WiH) workshop: Building Confidence to Thrive in Horticulture, at Zespri International in Mt Maunganui. Over 40 people attended the workshop, facilitated by Loshni Manikam of Thriving Farming Women and MC’ed by WiH Executive Committee member, Jen Scoular.

Trend Report Aotearoa 2023

As we head into the latter half of 2023, New Zealand's food scene continues to be influenced by availability, sustainability and affordability with health and budget conscious Kiwi making smart choices about buying locally grown, in-season produce.

Fruit and Vegetable Prices Drop 3.9 percent over Last Month - Vegetable volumes on the increase

Produce prices have fallen 3.9 percent in the latest Food Price Index (FPI) data released today. The FPI, which tracks changes in the cost of food from month to month, decreased by 0.4 from August 2023 to September 2023, with the decreasing price of fruit and vegetables contributing the most to the overall monthly fall.

United Fresh Launches Fresh Facts 2023 with Fresh Produce Insights for NZ

Celebrating over two decades of providing invaluable insights into the fresh produce sector, Fresh Facts, an annual resource collating data contributions from the industry, has found a new home under the stewardship of United Fresh.

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Section 204 Update

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), a set of regulations aimed at addressing food safety issues occurring within the food system.

Food Rescue Update

Food rescue is the redirection of good-to-eat food, which is unable to be sold, and would have become food waste, back to human consumption, rather than landfill, compost, animal feed, or other uses.

First webinar on Economic Sustainability in the fruit and vegetable industry attended by participants from all over the globe

In September, the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce held the first of a series of global webinars with over 200 commercial operators, industry representatives, national and international officials.

Global Coalition of Fresh Produce calls for urgent policy measures to safeguard the supply of fruits and vegetables to consumers

The Global Coalition of Fresh Produce today published the final results of its survey into the increasing costs of fruits and vegetable production around the world and their impacts on the whole produce industry and end consumers, conducted in the spring of 2023.

United Fresh Spring Trend Report 2023

Restricted household budgets, the need for balanced health and well-being, and an awareness of being eco-friendly for our planet have influenced the food and shopping trends for 2023.

Food Safety & Sustainability Update - Demystifying Smart Bioplastic Anti-Bacterial Food Packaging

Welcome to our latest Food Safety Update. We aim to provide you with a snapshot of information on topical and relevant food safety issues and, where, applicable, the links to allow you to take your knowledge further.

Save the Date - United Fresh & IFPA Sustainability Workshop - Wednesday 15th November at Waipuna Hotel & Conference Centre

We’re pleased to announce that United Fresh New Zealand Incorporated (United Fresh) and the International Fresh Produce Association Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ) are partnering to deliver a hands-on and educational Sustainability Workshop.

Food Safety & Traceability - August 2023

This edition discusses activities in the Food Safety and Traceability area over the last year. We examine the increasing attention directed to having effective and efficient Traceability of fresh produce along the supply chain.

Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries – June 2023

The Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report (“the report”) from the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) is a series of reports intended to analyse the performance of primary industries, and forecast how they will perform over the next 2-5 years.

Food Safety Update – Microbiological Risks, Controlled Environment Agriculture & Listeria Contamination in Produce

Welcome to our latest Food Safety Update. We aim to provide you with a snapshot of information on topical and relevant food safety issues and, where, applicable, the links to allow you to take your knowledge further.

The EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and New Zealand Produce Industry

After years of negotiations, New Zealand and the EU have finally signed a Free Trade Agreement in recent weeks. This agreement is expected to open new avenues for trade as well as strengthening existing ones.

Significant leadership transition in fresh produce industry to drive gender equity

The vital role that women play in New Zealand’s $6 billion horticulture sector has received a significant boost as United Fresh gears up to lead the industry collective, Women in Horticulture (WiH).

Bright future ahead for wāhine Māori growing careers in horticulture industry

One of the country’s most sought-after horticulture prizes, the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower of the Year Award has been presented to Grace Rehu (Rangitane, Taranaki) who works as a Leading Hand for T&G in Puketapu, Hawke’s Bay.

Fresh fruit and vegetable prices falling as industry rebounds from challenging season

For the first time this year, the Food Price Index (FPI) shows a drop in the cost of fruit and vegetables as the country’s growers recover from a tough spell of weather-related challenges.

NZ produce industry ushers in Sustainability Guidelines to meet pressing UN deadline

This week United Fresh launches its Sustainability Guidelines, a significant body of work designed to assist fresh fruit and vegetable value chain organisations throughout Aotearoa New Zealand to make meaningful change towards a sustainable future.

Plastic Produce Label Phase-Out

As you will be aware United Fresh has been working to secure an extension to the upcoming plastic produce label phase-out to allow time for our members and the wider industry to make use of label stock on hand. Unfortunately, this extension has not been granted.

Government announces cyclone recovery package to build protection for the future

The Budget 2023 Flood and Cyclone recovery package will boost resilience against future extreme weather events with an investment of $100 million in flood protection.