Artificial intelligence and automation are reshaping every link in the global fruit and vegetable supply chain. The FRUIT LOGISTICA Trend Report 2026 explores how emerging technologies are driving efficiency, resilience and sustainability throughout the fresh produce industry. Its very title suggests a system-wide reboot — a reconfiguration of the global fresh produce sector with the help of AI, aiming to make it faster, smarter and more sustainable.
Artificial intelligence in focus
The report combines exclusive survey results with real-world case studies from leading and innovative companies worldwide.
“The fresh produce sector is undergoing a complete transformation as technologies become more useful, affordable and intelligent. Those who fail to adapt risk being left behind.”
AI in action
Across production, logistics and retail, AI applications are already delivering measurable impact. Smart greenhouses, predictive crop models and autonomous robotics are improving yield consistency and reducing waste. In logistics and retail, AI-based analytics enhance demand forecasting, cold chain performance and shelf-life management.
Dole has implemented AI tools in forecasting, crop monitoring and quality control to boost efficiency and enable data-driven decision-making.
“In any area of the business where large volumes of data exist, AI offers the opportunity to optimize, accelerate and generate insights,” says Drew Reynolds, Technical and Sustainability Director. “The logic suggests that crop forecasting—and aligning that forecast with packaging, shipping and sales—could be revolutionary.”
Clarifresh uses AI to automate and standardize quality control across the supply chain, helping growers reduce waste and increase precision.
“The impact is twofold,” explains Elad Mardix, CEO and co-founder. “Doubling inspector productivity and expanding sample sizes by 50% to 100%, while reducing waste or claims by 25% to 35% through more objective inspections, standardized quality control and broader sampling.”
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Meanwhile, Agriplace applies artificial intelligence to simplify regulatory compliance and enhance transparency in global supply chains by extracting and structuring data from supplier documents.
“We leverage AI to quickly scan and extract relevant data from documents, reducing what used to take weeks of manual work to just minutes,” says Nico Broersen, CEO. “This combination of human expertise and automation not only allows companies to get up and running faster, but also ensures that their supply chain data remains structured and reliable over time.”
A connected and predictive future
Industry leaders surveyed anticipate rapid advances in autonomous harvesting, non-destructive quality analysis, and cold chain optimization. A recurring theme is the need for data interoperability—systems that can securely connect and share information across the supply chain.
“Smart farming, combined with smart logistics and smart marketing, results in a super-intelligent food system,” concludes the report. “The Ctrl+Alt+Refresh button has been pressed: the system is rebooting.”
Availability
The FRUIT LOGISTICA Trend Report 2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the technologies and strategies that will shape the future of the fresh produce business.
The report is now available for free download: Download the FRUIT LOGISTICA Trend Report 2026.
