Robinson Fresh’s third-quarter adjusted gross profit fell 5.1% to $38.1m as higher fuel costs squeezed margins, despite increased volumes with foodservice customers.

The figures appear in C.H. Robinson’s results released on 28 October 2026 for the quarter ended 30 September. They show a weaker performance in produce sourcing alongside stronger earnings at the wider freight and logistics group.

C.H. Robinson reported group revenue of $5.36bn, up 29.5%, and operating income of $271.8m, up 23.1%. Those group increases should not be read as growth rates for Robinson Fresh, the produce business profiled in GTN’s US fresh-produce company analysis.

Robinson Fresh’s $38.1m figure is adjusted gross profit, a non-GAAP performance measure, rather than sales or net income. It compares with $40.2m a year earlier. Over the first nine months, adjusted gross profit was $122.9m, up 0.6%, indicating that the quarterly decline did not extend to the year-to-date comparison.

The reporting boundary is also important. The release shows $379.8m of quarterly revenue under All Other and Corporate, which combines Robinson Fresh, Managed Solutions and Other Surface Transportation. That combined amount is not a standalone Robinson Fresh sales figure.

For supermarket procurement teams, the clearest operational finding is the company’s explanation of the decline: fuel-driven margin compression, partly offset by foodservice volume growth. It does not establish that supermarket orders increased, that retail fruit prices changed by the same amount, or that the business reduced service levels.

The broader transport figures show why delivered-cost discussions remain sensitive. C.H. Robinson said its North American truckload linehaul rate per mile charged to customers rose 31.5% year on year, excluding fuel surcharges. Its corresponding cost per mile rose 33.5%.

Those measures concern the wider North American transport business. They are not a forecast of the increase facing any particular produce buyer, and they exclude the fuel charges specifically cited in Robinson Fresh’s margin commentary.

For fresh produce, a useful quotation comparison therefore separates the product price, linehaul transport, fuel surcharge and any handling or temperature-control services. A buyer also needs to know which costs are fixed for the agreement and which can change during the delivery period.

This is particularly relevant where supply depends on several handovers. As discussed in GTN’s analysis of Irish fresh-produce supply stability, commercial value depends on reliable arrival and usable shelf life as well as the quoted freight charge. The US results do not establish equivalent cost movements on European routes.

The update is separate from the company’s recent expansion of AI into ocean and air freight. Faster quotations and less manual administration may support operations, but neither announcement demonstrates that automation has eliminated fuel exposure or reduced grocery customers’ total delivered costs.

The quarterly release gives no product-level breakdown showing whether the margin pressure was concentrated in particular fruits, vegetables, origins or customers. Buyers evaluating exposure will need that detail from their own supplier and transport arrangements.

The next reporting period will show whether Robinson Fresh can turn volume into stronger margins. For supermarket teams, the practical test is whether agreed supply, delivery windows and cost-adjustment terms remain dependable as transport conditions change.

Editor’s Note: Based on C.H. Robinson’s results released on 28 October 2026. GTN has distinguished Robinson Fresh from group reporting and added procurement analysis.