One sentiment among my interviews and chats for this PMG magazine issue stuck with me personally.
It was something uttered by Tamara Muruetagoiena, director of sustainability for the International Fresh Produce Association, as we delved into how to make produce packages more sustainable, detailed in the feature starting on page 36.
Read the digital issue of the November-December PMG magazine.
Nothing is simple. Yet it is, at the same time.
Problems can be overwhelming. Our industry issues can be so complicated that one solution causes another problem, like when you take a medicine for one ailment, but then that medicine has a side effect possibly worse than the original ailment.
Do we stop taking what seem like healthy steps, even if they're imperfect? No. Solutions aren't perfect. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try them. Every small action in the right direction can help in the long run.
We can do this.
That's what should be helpful in Kristin Leigh Lore's buyer wish list story on page 12. Suppliers can't do everything retail buyers want, but they can all make at least a little tweak here and there. It adds up over time.
I mean, look at organics. Who would've ever thought organic prices could drop as much as Mike Mauti predicts in the not-so-distant future, on page 20? And Chilean fruit growers are taking action in overcoming their issues, and thank goodness, because we eat a lot of their fruit in the U.S. (page 46). The onslaught of social media is daunting, but experts share some tips on page 49, including asking for help from the stars of the platform. Let's not take garlic for granted either, detailed on page 54.
All of this to say, winter is coming, yet we can sit with the warm comfort of the power of taking wobbly baby steps.
The only way to move is forward, no matter how much we fall along the way. And that's simple, isn't it?