Your Daily Food & Beverage Briefing

US Produce Prices Soar Amid 'Perfect Storm' of Factors, California Standardizes Food Date Labels

• California's Assembly Bill 660 (AB 660) takes effect on July 1, 2026, mandating standardized food date labeling and prohibiting consumer-facing "sell by" dates on food items manufactured on or after that date. The new law requires labels to use "BEST if Used by" or "USE by" to clarify quality and safety, aiming to reduce consumer confusion and food waste.

  FosterCbs8

• General Mills announced plans to overhaul its aging supply chain as part of a broader $3 billion cost-cutting initiative by 2030. This revamp is critical for achieving faster innovation and greater packaging flexibility, as the company's current network was designed for a lower-volume era.

  Fooddive

• U.S. produce prices have seen significant increases, with lettuce prices jumping approximately 32% and tomato prices spiking around 20% from June 2025 to June 2026. This surge is attributed to a combination of extreme weather events, worker shortages, rising labor costs, and a 27% year-over-year increase in fuel prices impacting refrigerated truck rates.

  Msstate Edu

• Economists are warning that a "super" El Niño event projected for 2026-27 could trigger a severe global food price shock lasting into 2028. This could lead to a 14.3% hit to global agricultural production and price increases of 50-100% or more for key commodities like rice, palm oil, sugar, and coffee.

  The Guardian