Apple Toolkit
A crisp feeling in the air and the crunch of leaves underfoot are classic fall feelings, but autumn needs a quintessential crisp and crunchy fruit to go with it. To make sure your department matches the season, OGC has a steady stream of delicious and unique apple varieties all fall long. With over 60 varieties throughout the season, celebrate the harvest by promoting fan favorites and bring in special heirloom varieties to help your department or menu stand out.
Radicchio takes root in the Northwest
Radicchio is a domesticated form of wild chicory. The leafy vegetable (not a “leafy green,” since it also comes in eye-catching pinks, whites, reds, purples, and variegated variations) is a staple crop in northern Italy. Its shapes – round, conicular, long-fingered fronds, floral – are so attractive that one campaign urges “radicchio not roses” for Valentine’s Day bouquets.
Push is on to grow consumption of organic radicchio
The Northwest assortment includes a number of varieties such as Chioggia, Castelfranco and Treviso alongside Lusia, Verona, Rosa/Rosalba, Variegated Chioggia, Bianco and others, plus chicories such as Sugarloaf and Puntarelle. Sugarloaf is typically among the first varieties harvested, while Bianco, Castelfranco, Chioggia, Lusia, Treviso and Verona begin in October.
How Bitter Radicchio Became Portland’s 21st-Century Sweetheart
A new book by Lane Selman and Margarett Waterbury tells how the vegetable became a poster child for our local food culture at its best.
Organicology 2027 Announces Program & Speaker Lineup Exploring What’s Next for Organic
Organicology is known for combining big-picture conversations with practical education participants can put to work. The three-day program brings together 28 speakers representing a wide range of perspectives and experience across the organic movement: farmers and food-system leaders, researchers, advocates, certifiers and standards experts, retailers, distributors and others working throughout the organic supply chain.
Organically Grown Company Promotes Brad Stark to Vice President of Sales
Fourth-generation produce professional brings decades of sales experience, organic industry expertise and a lifelong connection to agriculture to key leadership role.
Organically Grown Company’s Mike Dill Receives Organic Trailblazer Award
Mike Dill, Organically Grown Company’s (OGC) Director of Advocacy and Sustainability, received the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) Organic Trailblazer Award during OTA’s Organic Week in Washington, DC, last week. This award recognizes individuals forging new paths and creating meaningful impact in the organic industry.
Organic Leaders Honored at Organic Week 2026 in Washington DC
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) honored eleven individuals for their longstanding commitment to advancing the organic movement during last night’s annual leadership awards event. Held at OTA’s Organic Week conference in Washington, D.C., the awards ceremony recognized industry leaders for driving and sustaining the growth of the organic sector on farms and in their communities, while prioritizing the benefits of organic agriculture for people and the planet. Awards were in categories for Organic Leadership and Organic Lifetime Achievement.
Harvesting Wisdom: Setting the Stage for Fall
As the days grow shorter and the summer heat gives way to crisp fall air, your produce department is ready for its seasonal transformation.
Merchandise to Make “What’s for Dinner?” Easier
Convenience matters: washed, trimmed, pre-cut, steam-ready and meal-ready options make fresh produce easier to choose and prepare. The opportunity for retailers? Take a little of the thinking out of dinner.
One Stop Shop for Lunchboxes & Snack Attacks
September means packed lunches, after-school hunger and the daily scramble for something quick everyone will actually eat. With more than half of shoppers looking for healthier choices, fresh produce has plenty of answers for lunchboxes, snack drawers and everything in between. Easy to grab, pack and snack? Produce understands the assignment.
Bite-Sized Fruit. Big Kiwi Energy.
Kiwi berries are one of those fleeting Northwest crops that make September-October produce departments a little more interesting. Smaller, sweeter and more aromatic than their fuzzy cousins, they’re an easy snack with no peeling required. Think lunch boxes, snack packs, smoothies, fruit boards, salads or simply eat them by the handful.
Pear Toolkit
The Northwest pear season has arrived with plenty of showstoppers, from crisp and juicy Asian pears to well-loved varieties like Bartlett and with lesser-known varieties like Forelle soon to come.
Help Your Team Sell Organic with Confidence
To help you build confidence in that role, OGC is partnering with the Oregon Organic Coalition on September 23 from 9–11 AM for a FREE virtual training, Strengthening Organic Retail Through Merchandising, Education & Integrity.
Back to Routine Starts in Produce
As summer winds down and life picks up speed, shoppers are getting back to packed lunches, quick breakfasts, after-school snacks and the nightly question: What’s for dinner? That's where the produce department shines.
Fresh, organic produce naturally meets the moment. Peak-season fruits and veggies are flavorful, snackable and ready to work across breakfast, lunch, after-school snacks and weeknight meals. They make eating well feel just a little bit easier, and tastier.
A Bunch Beyond the Basics
September hits the sweet spot for organic grapes. California fruit is still rolling in while Northwest vineyards are hitting their stride, bringing some of the most flavorful and interesting varieties of the year. It’s a great time to go beyond red and green and build a grape display that invites shoppers to discover something new.
Don’t Rush the Season
We get it. September is coming. The coffee shops are rolling out the pumpkin spice lattes, and school is back in session in a few weeks. But for the produce department, there’s still a whole lot of summer left to sell.
Go Bananas for GROW Month
GROW stands for Giving Resources and Opportunities to Workers, a program created by Organics Unlimited to support the communities where its fruit is grown. Every case of GROW bananas contributes $0.60 to the program.
2026 Summer Update
Our latest Update for Friends of OGC is here, filled with stories about the people, partnerships and ideas helping us grow the organic agriculture movement.
Inside, we’re celebrating the gloriousness of summer fruit, coworkers stepping into new leadership roles, small ideas making a big sustainability impact and how we’re exploring new technology that’s hitting the road.
A Northwest Tomato For Every Summer Meal
Northwest tomato season is firing on all cylinders. Whether shoppers are after a thick slice for a BLT, handfuls of sweet cherry tomatoes or colorful heirlooms for summer entertaining, nearly every tomato category is tasting great and available in promotable volume. This is the moment to build brimming displays that celebrate the incredible variety of tomato season.