SACRAMENTO, CA - The prevalence of podcasts might seem shocking to some, but to those who value the simplicity of an old-fashioned conversation, it's not a surprise at all. The brilliance of the medium is the nod to radio personalities of old mixed with the modern reliance on social media. People want to know who's behind the mic more than ever, especially in our relationship-forward industry.

The Fresh CrEd podcast, hosted by Craig Slate and Ed Bertaud, is a great example of how people in our industry use podcasts to further build community and share insights across the biz. I spoke with Craig about how the podcast got its start.

"The podcast started as something I really wanted to do, because I've become passionate about listening to them. When I reached out to Ed and pitched him the idea, it was about trying to help each other be better," Craig, President and Chief Executive Officer of SunFed, told me. "That's the foundation of The Fresh CrEd. As it's evolved, we do talk about produce, but the show is really about trying to improve our lives and talk to people doing the same."

Ed Bertaud also shared a few words with me on the meaning of the podcast.

"As listeners will hear from the first episode, I felt terrible for a long time and didn't have the discipline to do something about it," IFCO's Director of Retail Sales shared with me. "The bottom line is, conscious self-improvement is very difficult to execute when you feel like you're simply trying to survive day to day, and that's pretty much where I was at. I made a promise that if I ever 'got better,' I would live the rest of my life to the fullest. My personal situation crept up on me, which can happen to anyone. So as I made this change, I wanted to help people do the same thing I did."

Our very own Chief Executive Officer Robert Lambert was featured on the podcast during International Fresh Produce Association's Foodservice Conference.

"Any opportunity to shine light on how our industry is innovating and thinking outside the box is a win in my book. Podcasts can highlight everyone from the marketers to the farmers, and build on the most central aspect in the business: relationships," Rob remarked.

The interview itself highlights what makes podcasts essential: More often than not, it's friends reconnecting. It's the art of getting to know someone better. In this case, Ed and Craig chat with Robert about his entry into the produce industry after getting his start in finance, as well as his deep appreciation for every aspect of the supply chain.

It's emotional, as Craig says in the interview, and he's absolutely correct. What we're doing in fresh produce is connecting ourselves to the food that feeds the world, and the people behind that are ones you want to get to know.

"I see the podcast as a vehicle to get what we're trying to talk to each other about at produce conventions past the obvious audience," Craig expressed. "There are tons of people in this business, Produce Managers, those on the front lines in the fields, where they may not be able to attend a convention but would benefit from hearing what we're doing at these shows."

To listen to this interview in full, click here. And don't forget to subscribe to The Fresh CrEd podcast on whatever platform you use—I'm on Spotify!

We'll continue to follow the course of other podcasts in upcoming newsletters, so stay tuned.