WASHINGTON — Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. and the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) have partnered on a new industry-wide initiative to improve the fresh produce supply chain, called IFPA’s Supply Chain of the Future.
At the Washington Conference June 9, the organizations kicked off the initiative with a Supply Chain of the Future Symposium.
From there, the initiative will expand into pilot programs leading up to a global showcase at the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show in October, IFPA said.
“As part of this collaboration, Fresh Del Monte has committed to executive sponsorship of two of the initiative’s key steering committees: Harmonized Standards and Shelf-Life Prediction,” IFPA said. “Backed by more than 135 years of operational expertise and a global supply chain spanning over 90 countries, Fresh Del Monte is helping lead the transformation toward a more transparent, efficient, and data-driven fresh produce ecosystem.”
The following industry leaders will take on key roles:
- Fresh Del Monte’s chief operating officer Mohanned Abbas will serve as the executive sponsor.
- Raul Saca, SVP of global logistics and former executive at Maersk and DP World, will lead engagement in the Harmonized Standards committee.
- Walter Tordoff, VP of global quality assurance will spearhead Fresh Del Monte’s involvement in the Shelf-Life Prediction workstream.
“Waste across the supply chain is one of the most urgent issues facing our industry,” Abbas said. “There’s so much waste out there — and what’s missing is predictability and a more integrated supply chain. Fixing just those two things could unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in savings.”
The four foundational pillars of this initiative are Shelf-Life Prediction, Dynamic Incentives, Harmonized Standards, and Smart Data Escrow, IFPA said. Fresh Del Monte particularly wants to aid in reducing food waste at scale.
“Retailers today contend with 4-8% shrink on the shelf,” Abbas said. “That level of waste is unnecessary — we have the tools and data to do better.”
“Data doesn’t move food. Collaboration does,” said Steve Alaerts, chair of IFPA’s supply chain council. “This initiative is about bringing the industry together to break down data silos and foster trust across the supply chain.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Fresh Del Monte to this movement,” said Drew Zabrocki, innovation lead for the initiative. “This isn’t just a trend — it’s a revolution. We’re not talking about incremental change. We’re building a new operating reality where data transparency and collaboration deliver value for all, from grower to consumer.”
“The fresh produce industry stands at a precipice,” the initiative’s white paper said. “We can continue with outdated, extractive business models that stifle innovation, or we can embrace a new era of open collaboration, where data empowers every stakeholder and fuels a more sustainable and equitable future.”
“The crossroads is clear,” Alaerts said. “Embrace open collaboration or risk continued value erosion. With leaders like Fresh Del Monte, we are creating an open, interoperable framework to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and create shared value through partnership rather than extraction.”
For more information, visit the Supply Chain of the Future website.
