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optimization and production costs in an indoor environment,” John discloses.“ The economics must be carefully managed to ensure long-term viability. That said, the benefits are compelling – vertical farming enables hyper-local production and uses significantly less water and land than typical field production.”

Collaboration is key for Oppy- the Dole brand integration represents strategic opportunity, and its partnership with Ocean Spray spans 50 years, starting with their iconic fresh cranberries.“ We are currently integrating Dole Diversified North America operations into Oppy, while expanding the Dole brand,” elaborates John.“ The Dole brand is the most recognized fruit brand in the US and carries significant consumer trust. Oppy is a‘ house of brands’ which includes Zespri, Envy, Ocean Spray, Blue Diamond as well as many grower brands, so adding Dole provides another popular label. Additionally, we added berries, citrus and grapes to the Ocean Spray branded line about ten years ago. We have since leveraged Ocean Spray’ s strong, center store presence and brand equity to build a strong retail and consumer following.”

Oppy’ s‘ must win’ areas for 2026 include disciplined execution, strengthening its core partnerships and positioning the business for sustainable growth.“ Woven into our approach is the Oppy brand promise‘ expect the world from us.’ Our aim is to always deliver the excellent service that sets us apart,” John states.“ I anticipate the year ahead will bring uncertainties – weather, market or geo-political. We’ ll constantly support our grower partners, especially those who may be financially vulnerable, while continuing to be vigilant about tariffs and other trade impacts.”

Innovation meets integrity

Further afield, the company’ s long-term vision targets 68 million cartons of fresh produce annually.“ Over the next five years, we aim to solidify our position as a global leader in fresh produce, recognized for innovation, sustainability, and category leadership,” John concludes.“ I anticipate Oppy growing steadily within each of our product categories. We forecast that kiwifruit, our largest category, will continue to grow the fastest, and our

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