VALENCIA, CA - The juice is always worth the squeeze when working with partners like Sunkist. As we get into the thick of summer planning, the company is also gearing up for the Organic Produce Summit (OPS), scheduled for July 14-16 in Monterey, California. Joining those leaders at the top of the citrus category, Sunkist joined me to dig into the team's OPS plans.

"The Organic Produce Summit continues to be an important opportunity for Sunkist to connect directly with retailers, category leaders, and industry partners around the evolving organic produce landscape. Sunkist has been committed to organic citrus for more than 25 years, and OPS provides a strong platform to discuss the category's continued evolution—from merchandising and packaging innovation to shopper insights and long-term growth opportunities," Christine Toy, Director of Organic Business Development, shares.

Cassie Howard, Senior Director of Category Management and Marketing, adds that OPS also creates valuable opportunities to collaborate with retail partners on how organic citrus can continue driving engagement across multiple shopper occasions—from snacking and hydration to meal preparation and seasonal promotions.

"Consumer demand for organic produce continues to strengthen as shoppers become increasingly intentional about freshness, wellness, ingredient transparency, and product quality. According to Circana retail data, organic citrus volume has continued to grow year over year, reflecting sustained consumer interest across multiple citrus categories," Cassie says. "That continued demand is influencing how we think about packaging, merchandising, shopper engagement, and variety expansion across our organic portfolio. At Sunkist, we continue looking for opportunities to evolve our organic offerings in ways that better align with today's consumer preferences around convenience, premium presentation, and everyday usage occasions."

Sunkist is an expert at differentiating its organic program in today's marketplace, whether through innovation, sourcing, sustainability efforts, packaging, flavor profiles, or customer support.

This year, the company is mirroring its values in a new product for the market.

"One of the most exciting developments is the introduction of a new organic Cara Cara bag that will bring our National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) partnership into the organic category for the first time. By extending this purpose-driven program to organic shoppers, we have an opportunity to further connect premium citrus, consumer wellness, and charitable impact while creating additional differentiation at retail,” Christine describes. "Sunkist's organic citrus program is backed by more than 130 years of grower heritage and supported by a diverse network of California and Arizona family farms focused on delivering premium quality citrus. Our commitment to organic citrus spans more than 25 years, reflecting a long-term investment in the category and the growers behind it," Christine adds.

In fact, she tells me, Sunkist's Chairman of the Board is also the organization's largest organic grower, reinforcing how deeply rooted organic production is within the cooperative itself.

"Many of our organic growers and packing facilities are Equitable Food Initiative (EFI)-certified, reflecting our ongoing commitment to responsible growing, worker well-being, and sustainable business practices," Christine adds. "Packaging innovation continues to play an important role in how shoppers discover and engage with the category. As part of our evolving organic strategy, we are continuing to invest in packaging and merchandising approaches that help organic citrus stand out at retail while reinforcing freshness, quality, and approachability for consumers."

This year, Sunkist is planning a full lineup of initiatives for OPS, highlighting its organic citrus portfolio, including organic Cara Cara oranges and organic Sunkist Cali™ Mandarins, alongside new packaging initiatives currently in development for the category.

"These programs reflect the continued growth and momentum we are seeing around premium citrus varieties and evolving shopper preferences within organic produce," Cassie says. "Cara Cara oranges in particular continue to resonate with consumers because of their unique pink flesh, sweet flavor profile, and strong visual differentiation at retail, while mandarins remain an important everyday snacking option for families and younger shoppers."

When I ask the team, looking ahead, what trends or challenges they believe will shape the future of the organic produce category, and how they are preparing to meet them, they have much to share.

"Looking ahead, we expect continued focus on value perception, convenience, premium quality, and shopper education across the organic produce category. Consumers continue to seek products that align with wellness-focused lifestyles, but retailers and suppliers also face ongoing pressure on pricing, supply consistency, and merchandising differentiation," Cassie says.

Christine echoes the sentiment and adds that Sunkist is also seeing continued opportunities for growth through stronger storytelling, digital engagement, and packaging innovation that helps consumers better understand the value and versatility of organic produce.

"Retailers are increasingly looking for trusted suppliers with established organic expertise and long-term category commitment. At Sunkist, we remain focused on evolving alongside those trends while supporting our retail partners with strong merchandising programs, consumer insights, and high-quality organic citrus offerings," she shares.

So much to talk about and conversations to peel back.

Please visit the Sunkist booth #215 in Monterey, and we will see you all there!