The Equitable Food Initiative is partnering with Costco Wholesale in California, Oregon and Washington to boost consumer awareness and sales of EFI-certified fruits and vegetables.
EFI’s Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured, highlights the group’s mission for improved working conditions, pest management and food safety.
The promotion, which lasts through July 5, includes outreach to online influencers, bloggers and editors, along with an online consumer contest encouraging Costco customers to post photos of EFI-labeled produce with #GrowtheGood. Information on the sweepstakes is at https://equitablefood.org/sweeps/.
“From the beginning, Costco has been a strong partner for EFI, supporting safer and healthier workplaces for farmworkers, which is why we’re excited to educate shoppers on the meaning behind the EFI label and Costco’s commitment to worker and food safety,” LeAnne Ruzzamenti, director of marketing and communications for EFI, said in the release. “To further this important message, EFI will donate sun protection equipment to field workers for purchases made during the promotion.”
EFI growers participating in the promotion include:
- Alpine Fresh — French beans;
- Andrew & Williamson/GoodFarms — strawberries;
- Houweling’s Tomatoes — tomatoes and cucumbers;
- Keystone Fruit Marketing — Walla Walla onions; and
- Windset Farms — tomatoes and cucumbers.
Sharon Palmer, whose The Plant-Powered Dietitian blog has more than 170,000 members, will have a Facebook Live segment at 6 p.m. Pacific June 27 at the Marina del Rey, Calif., Costco, interviewing growers and showcasing products.
Costco, a founding member of the EFI, has paid more than $6.5 million in bonuses to farmworkers through the program, according to the release.
“What’s good for farmworkers provides benefits to the entire supply chain, which is why we support the EFI program,” Jeff Lyons, senior vice president for fresh foods at Costco Wholesale, said in the release. “Improving conditions in the field and fully engaging farmworkers in the ways that EFI does helps to deliver a safer and better product for our members.”
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