Retail - General

Stater Bros. Markets Expands Afresh Partnership to Unify Fresh Inventory Decisions

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 20:03:34 GMT

Stater Bros. Markets is expanding its partnership with Afresh , advancing plans to extend AI-driven fresh replenishment beyond produce into additional fresh departments and upstream into distribution center (DC) forecasting. The move creates a more unified approach to managing fresh inventory across the supply chain — from store ordering through DC buying.

Following the successful deployment of Afresh’s Fresh Replenishment in produce in 2025, Stater Bros. says it will scale the platform to additional fresh departments, while implementing Afresh’s DC Forecast to guide upstream procurement. Together, these deployments enhance existing business processes with a connected system that links real store demand directly to buying decisions, supporting the company’s commitment to delivering fresh, affordable food.

Produce Results Drive Stater Bros.’ Expansion

The expansion follows strong results from the company’s initial Fresh Replenishment deployment in produce, which achieved:

Sustained improvements in product availability and ordering accuracy through AI-powered replenishment
Significant reductions in food waste, setting a performance benchmark across fresh categories
Improved inventory efficiency, optimizing on-hand levels and freeing up working capital
Strong store-level adoption of Afresh’s AI order recommendations, underscoring operational trust and ease of use

“We’ve been impressed with Afresh’s partnership with our teams,” says Bertha Luna, executive vice president, store operations for Stater Bros. Markets. “They took the time to earn trust, and the results speak for themselves; produce shrink is down, shelves are full and our customers notice the difference. When teammates see a solution that supports their work, adoption follows naturally.”

For decades, Stater Bros. says produce buying has been guided by deep expertise and hands-on merchandising practices. As the company modernized its fresh operations, it adopted traditional forecasting tools commonly used in center-store categories. While effective for more stable items, these technologies struggled to keep pace with the complexity and variability of fresh products.

Fresh categories require frequent ordering, rapid response to changing conditions and close alignment between stores and distribution centers, the grocer says. In contrast, center-store forecasting tools treat demand as static, relying on weekly snapshots and historical averages.

These limitations became more pronounced during promotions and for commodity items such as bulk and catch-weight products, often resulting in store shortages, excess aging inventory or missed sales. As a result, Stater Bros. says much of its produce procurement remained manual, despite the presence of center-store technology, with buyers spending hours synthesizing data across tools and spreadsheets to answer fundamental questions, such as how many strawberries to order two weeks in advance.

To address these challenges, Stater Bros. sought a more dynamic fresh solution, one capable of adapting to promotions, seasonality and the natural variability inherent in fresh and commodity items.

Afresh’s DC Forecast met those needs by providing an AI platform purpose-built for fresh buying nuances, including SKU mismatches, multiple vendors and frequent delivery schedules. Built on real store demand and an understanding of how inventory flows, turns and ages across the network, the system enables teams to plan proactively, align decisions upstream and respond more effectively to change across the supply chain.

“Fresh operations don’t follow a single, predictable path — signals change, conditions shift and outcomes vary,” says Matt Schwartz, CEO for Afresh. “By extending the same intelligence from store ordering into DC procurement, Stater Bros. is aligning decisions across the supply chain on a system built to operate under that uncertainty. When inventory decisions learn from each other instead of operating in silos, retailers can reduce waste, improve service levels and deliver the freshness customers expect.”

With a unified system connecting stores and the distribution center, Stater Bros. says it is strengthening service to stores while supporting fresher products, more efficient inventory flow and continued operational excellence.

Reconnecting Buyers to the Business

By reducing manual calculations and data mining across multiple tools, Afresh is fundamentally changing how Stater Bros.’ buyers spend their time. Instead of reconciling numbers from behind a screen, buyers can now focus their energy on the warehouse floor, observing product condition, validating expectations and building stronger relationships with suppliers and warehouse teammates. This shift enables procurement teams to improve fill rates, ensure better in-stock conditions in stores and deliver a more consistent customer shopping experience.

“Having spent my career in fresh produce, in both retail and sales and merchandising, I know firsthand the hours consumed by synthesizing data and relying on guesswork for critical fresh decisions,” says Jacob Cadwallader, director of produce for Stater Bros. Markets. “Afresh’s interconnected system, coordinating decisions from the store to the DC, is the breakthrough we’ve needed to improve accuracy and efficiency. Automating forecasting allows our buying teams to stay laser-focused on supporting our stores, sharpen long-term purchasing decisions and strengthen our commitment to delivering the quality our customers expect from us.”

“Fresh operations don’t follow a single, predictable path — signals change, conditions shift and outcomes vary,” says Matt Schwartz, CEO for Afresh.

(Photo courtesy of Afresh)

The Packer reached out to Afresh CEO Matt Schwartz to learn more.

The Packer: Afresh DC Forecast is purpose-built to handle SKU mismatches and multiple vendors. In the produce world, a buyer might see one SKU for a 1-pound strawberry clamshell at the store level but be sourcing that from three different vendors with three different pack sizes or cost structures at the DC level. How does your AI bridge that data gap, so the DC buyer sees a unified demand signal without getting lost in the translation between store needs and vendor offerings?

Schwartz: The core issue is that most retail systems were designed for static supply chains, where one barcode equals one product. That assumption works fine in center store, but it breaks down completely in fresh, where sourcing is inherently fluid.

In fresh, the same item on the shelf can be supplied by different growers, in different pack formats, at different costs — and that can change week to week. Traditional systems treat each of those changes as a new item, which fragments demand history and makes sales, replenishment, forecasts and inventory data unreliable.

Afresh takes a different approach. We designed our platform and data model specifically to handle this variability. Rather than tying demand to a specific vendor or pack, we focus on the underlying consumer intent — what the shopper is actually buying — and keep that demand signal continuous even as sourcing changes behind the scenes.

For grocers, that means they don’t have to manually reconcile shifting SKUs or rebuild history every time supply changes. They see a clear, consistent view of demand and can then make the best purchasing decision based on what’s available that day.

The practical result is that the normal realities of fresh such as vendor churn, pack changes, seasonal sourcing, no longer disrupt the forecast. Demand stays stable even as supply changes, so decisions get easier and teams can focus on buying well instead of managing noise.

Stater Bros. is moving upstream into DC forecasting to plan further in advance. You’ve noted in the past that Afresh can estimate demand more than a month out. For highly volatile produce items like berries or leafy greens, where quality and price can shift in 48 hours, how does the system balance a long-term, 30-day procurement plan with the need to be hyper-reactive to the real-time store demand signals you’re getting from the Stater Bros. shelves?

In fresh, planning further ahead is essential, but those plans can’t be rigid. Quality, pricing and weather can shift in a matter of days, especially for items like berries or leafy greens. Any buyer who’s lived through a heatwave or a quality turn knows that firsthand.

Rather than relying on a single static forecast, Afresh gives Stater Bros. visibility weeks out to support procurement, trucking and vendor coordination, while still refining demand every day based on what’s actually happening in stores.

Just as important, the DC forecast is driven by store demand not by warehouse shipments or yesterday’s buys. If quality drops and sales slow at the shelf, that signal shows up upstream quickly. Buyers aren’t stuck chasing an outdated plan; future requirements adjust as conditions change.

The result is that Stater Bros. can plan confidently further out without getting locked into numbers that don’t hold up. Buyers stay highly reactive day to day, while still operating with a forward-looking view that supports better sourcing decisions and fewer surprises.

For customers using our Fresh Buying solution, we layer the operational reality on top of that demand signal to automate execution as well.

Amazon to Close Fresh and Go Stores, Expanding Whole Foods Footprint

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 20:29:40 GMT

Amazon is pivoting its physical grocery strategy by closing all Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go brick-and-mortar stores to prioritize the growth of Whole Foods Market. This shift marks a significant realignment of the company’s retail footprint as it doubles down on formats and services that show the strongest customer resonance.

Amazon says that while it has learned extensively from its “innovation hubs” at Fresh and Go locations, these specific physical formats did not meet the long-term economic and distinctive experience bars required for further investment. Instead, Amazon says it will focus on its most successful grocery asset, Whole Foods Market, which has grown sales by over 40% since being acquired in 2017.

To accelerate this growth, Amazon says it plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores in the coming years. This expansion includes the new “Whole Foods Market Daily Shop,” a smaller-format store designed for quick, urban convenience. Amazon says it expects to have 10 of these Daily Shop locations operational by the end of 2026, with some existing Fresh and Go storefronts being converted into the Whole Foods brand.

The company is also leaning heavily into its digital capabilities. Amazon says sales of perishable groceries through its same-day delivery service have increased 40-fold since early 2025. By consolidating its physical efforts under the Whole Foods banner, Amazon says it can better integrate its online and offline shopping experiences, offering customers a seamless way to get fresh food delivered alongside their daily Amazon essentials.

Regarding the technology that powered its Go stores, Amazon says it will continue to scale its “Just Walk Out” checkout-free system. Rather than operating its own small-format stores, Amazon says it will focus on licensing this technology to third-party locations, such as airports and stadiums, where it is already in use at over 360 sites globally.

Amazon says the final day of operation for most Fresh and Go locations will be Feb. 1. For employees affected by these closures, Amazon says it is committed to providing support and identifying opportunities for them to transition into other roles across the company’s fulfillment and operations network.

Strategic Shift to Capital-Light Delivery Begins as Kroger launches on Uber Apps

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:23:24 GMT

The Kroger Co. has officially launched a nationwide grocery delivery service across nearly 2,700 stores via the Uber Eats, Uber and Postmates apps. The move, announced Jan. 15, marks the company’s transition toward a “hybrid” fulfillment model designed to maximize profitability and speed.

Customers nationwide can now shop their local Kroger banner for fresh groceries, Kroger’s Our Brands favorites, household essentials and more with the convenience of on-demand and same-day delivery via Uber’s apps.

“Making Kroger’s banners available across Uber’s apps gives shoppers a simple, reliable way to get their weekly groceries or last-minute items whenever they need them,” says Hashim Amin, head of grocery and retail for Uber North America. “We’re excited to begin working on our shared vision for convenience and to give households even more flexibility in the months ahead.”

This expansion follows a major strategic update communicated to investors in late 2025, where Kroger confirmed a shift toward a more “capital-light” approach to e-commerce , aimed at improving digital operating profit by approximately $400 million in 2026.

As part of this shift, Kroger took a $2.6 billion impairment charge in the third quarter of 2025 related to the closure of three automated fulfillment centers that did not meet financial expectations. By moving away from a purely centralized, in-house warehouse model and leaning on third-party partners like Uber, Kroger is reducing high infrastructure overhead while increasing delivery speed.

Cross-Platform Integration and Retail Media

A unique technical component of the strategy is the first-of-its-kind integration of Uber Eats’ restaurant selection directly into the Kroger app. This allows Kroger to capture “incremental shopping occasions” by offering both groceries and prepared meals in a single digital experience.

Furthermore, the increased traffic on third-party platforms is intended to fuel Kroger’s retail media business, allowing brand partners to reach customers through relevant advertising on both Kroger and Uber platforms.

By using Uber’s fleet of millions of drivers rather than expanding its own in-house van network, Kroger aims to provide “greater flexibility” for families while building a “sustainable and profitable” e-commerce business for the future, according to the company.

Aldi Plots Massive 2026 Expansion: 180 New Stores and Colorado Debut

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:08:43 GMT

Aldi US is kicking off its 50th anniversary year with a significant growth strategy that promises to bring more “Aldi finds,” and more fresh produce bins, to neighborhoods across the country.

The discount grocer plans to open more than 180 new stores in 2026, spanning 31 states. The expansion is part of a broader $9-billion, five-year capital investment aimed at reaching a total of 3,200 stores nationwide by the end of 2028.

“One in three U.S. households shopped at Aldi this past year, and in 2026 we’re focused on making it even easier for customers to shop our aisles first,” says Atty McGrath, CEO of Aldi U.S. “That means bringing Aldi to even more neighborhoods, upgrading our website and planning additional distribution centers to keep our shelves stocked with the products our shoppers love.”

Bringing Aldi to More U.S. Neighborhoods

Aldi is building on its momentum with expansion in key U.S. markets, including:

Maine: In 2026, Aldi will enter Maine as its 40^th state in the U.S., opening in the city of Portland to bring value to Maine shoppers.
Colorado: Aldi is announcing expansion plans into the state of Colorado within the next five years, with more than 50 stores planned for Denver and Colorado Springs markets supported by an accompanying distribution center.
Phoenix: As Aldi continues its westward expansion, the grocer will open 10 new stores in the Phoenix market in 2026, with plans to add a total of 40 new stores in the market by the end of 2030.
Las Vegas: After debuting four successful stores in 2025, the grocer will continue to deepen its presence in the growing market with plans to double its current store count by 2030.
The Southeast: Aldi plans to continue its Southeast expansion in 2026 by converting close to 80 Southeastern Grocers locations to the Aldi format. Since acquiring Southeastern Grocers in 2024, Aldi has converted and opened nearly 90 stores, with plans to convert more than 200 in total by the end of 2027.

To support this surge, Aldi is bolstering its logistical backbone with three new distribution centers planned through 2029 in:

Baldwin, Fla. (2027)
Goodyear, Ariz. (2028)
Aurora, Colo. (2029)

In a move that signals Aldi’s increasing focus on the fresh department, the company is expanding its distribution center in Haines City, Fla.

(Photo courtesy of Aldi)

A Boost for Fresh Perishables

In a move that signals Aldi’s increasing focus on the fresh department, the company is expanding its distribution center in Haines City, Fla. The upgrade includes a new dedicated chilled center for perishable foods. According to an Aldi spokesperson, this investment is specifically designed to allow Aldi to deliver a higher volume of fresh produce and meats to its rapidly growing Southeast customer base.

“As ALDI grows, we’re always thinking about what shoppers want from our produce aisle — and making sure it’s available — no matter what store they visit,” a spokesperson said in an email.

“That’s why we’re expanding refrigerated capacity in Haines City, Fla., as we seek to service the fast-growing Southeast region with fresh products — from peak-season produce to meat, cheese and bread. Increasing distribution capacity means we can deliver on our shoppers’ craving for more flavorful everyday produce — whether they’re reaching for their favorites like Autumn Crisp grapes, or something new like our exclusive varieties, including Erandy Blackberries,” the spokesperson says.

The Southeast remains a core focus for the retailer following its 2024 acquisition of Southeastern Grocers. In 2026 alone, Aldi plans to convert approximately 80 Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie locations to the Aldi format.

Digital and In-Store Evolution

The 2026 push isn’t just about physical footprints. Aldi is launching a redesigned website early this year, featuring shoppable recipes and enhanced nutritional information to capture the growing “online-first” grocery demographic.

The retailer is also rolling out its largest-ever packaging refresh, placing the Aldi name prominently on all private-label items to reinforce its commitment to quality, including its strict “no certified synthetic colors” policy.

With its increased footprint, by the end of 2026, Aldi says it will operate a total store count of nearly 2,800, pushing it closer to its goal of 3,200 stores by the end of 2028. The growth plans are the company’s answer to sustained demand for its simple, affordable shopping experience, with 17 million new customers visiting stores in 2025. Aldi is also sharing plans to make shopping online even more seamless for U.S. customers in 2026 with a new digital experience.

“These strategic investments are all about making sure customers can continue to count on us for the quality, affordable groceries and enjoyable shopping experience they love,” McGrath. says. “As we look ahead to our next 50 years in the U.S., we’ll continue to earn shopper loyalty by staying true to what’s made Aldi successful: keeping things simple and delivering real value.”

NAD Recommends Lidl Modify or Discontinue Certain Price Comparison Claims

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:29:41 GMT

Following a challenge from Ahold Delhaize USA, BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division recommended Lidl US LLC discontinue or modify certain grocery price comparison and “exact same basket” comparison claims.

Ahold and Lidl are grocery retailers. At issue for the National Advertising Division were comparative savings claims in print and online advertising, including claims of 25% to 30% savings and statements that consumers could save specific dollar amounts when shopping at Lidl instead of Ahold’s local grocery brands, including Food Lion, Stop & Shop and Giant Food, according to a news release.

At issue for NAD was whether Lidl’s price comparison claims of 25% to 30% savings or savings of a specific dollar amount were stale because the ads ran weeks or months after the comparisons were made. Because the evidence indicates prices for at least some of the items had changed by the time the advertisements ran, and Ahold updates its prices weekly, NAD determined seven days is a reasonable period of time for price comparison claims.

NAD found Lidl’s disclosure of the date of comparison that appeared in the advertising was not sufficient to dispel the message that consumers could presently save 30% when shopping at Lidl. NAD also found that the disclosure was not always present and was sometimes in a small font and hard to read.

Therefore, NAD recommended Lidl discontinue the challenged price comparison claims unless the substantiation is based on price checks within seven days of the comparative advertising and accompanied by a clear and conspicuous disclosure of the basis and date of the comparison.

NAD also examined Lidl’s comparative pricing claims, which did not account for the discounted prices offered through Ahold’s free loyalty programs. The record showed the majority of Ahold’s customers receive discounted prices under these programs, and even nonmembers regularly obtain the discounted prices in-store.

The fact that Lidl’s comparisons did not take loyalty discounts into account is material information that should be disclosed to reduce ambiguity and prevent consumer confusion, NAD concluded. Therefore, NAD recommended Lidl disclose whether the comparison is to the base price or to the discounted loyalty price.

NAD also examined Lidl’s claims that consumers could save on the “exact same basket.” NAD found that the phrase “exact same basket” expressly communicates that the items being compared are more than merely similar, they are the exact same, and determined consumers would not expect the “exact same” basket to contain items of different brands, quantities or other material characteristics.

Therefore, NAD recommended Lidl discontinue its “exact same basket” claims.

In its advertiser statement, Lidl stated they would “implement the National Advertising Division’s recommendations in this matter on a going forward basis as part of the voluntary self-regulatory process.”

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library . For the full text of NAD, NARB and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive . Per NAD/NARB Procedures, this release may not be used for promotional purposes.

Wegmans Under Fire for Storing NYC Shoppers’ Facial Scans, Eyes, Voices

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:18:07 GMT

Wegmans Food Markets has found itself at the center of a growing privacy debate following the discovery of new biometric surveillance measures at its New York City locations.

While the company maintains that the technology is a necessary security tool used only to identify individuals “flagged for misconduct,” shoppers at its Manhattan and Brooklyn stores are being met with legally mandated signage that tells a different story. According to the signs, which are required under NYC’s 2021 biometric disclosure law, the grocer “collects, retains, converts, stores or shares” data that could include not just facial recognition, but also “eye scans” and “voiceprints.”

In an official public statement, Wegmans’ public relations manager, Tracy Van Auker defended the move, stating the cameras are deployed only in a small fraction of stores facing elevated risk. Van Auker clarifies that the system solely uses facial recognition as an investigative lead to spot people previously identified by asset protection or law enforcement.

Despite the broad language on their physical signs, the company’s corporate stance is firm: “We do not collect other biometric data such as retinal scans or voiceprints.” Wegmans further stated that it does not share this data with third parties and retains images only as long as necessary for security purposes, though it declined to specify a retention period for security reasons.

When contacted via email for further clarification on the discrepancy between their signs and their public denials, Mandee Puleo, senior public relations coordinator for Wegmans, reiterated the company’s reliance on facial recognition alone.

“While the signage lists several types of biometric technology, we only use facial recognition,” Puleo wrote, adding that the broad language on the signs is intended to “comply with local requirements.” She noted the store remains “unable to provide specific details for security reasons” regarding the system’s exact operations.

Ben Winters, director of AI and privacy for the Consumer Federation of America and chair of the ACM USTPC Privacy Subcommittee, warns that over-inclusive or inconsistent notices diminish public trust.

(Photo courtesy of Ben Winters)

However, privacy advocates and technical experts argue that this “notice-only” approach is insufficient and potentially misleading.

Ben Winters, director of AI and privacy for the Consumer Federation of America and chair of the ACM USTPC Privacy Subcommittee , warns that over-inclusive or inconsistent notices diminish public trust. In a call with The Packer, Winters noted the ACM has called for an immediate suspension of such technology since 2020 because it is not yet “reliably unbiased enough” to be used when people’s “lives, livelihoods — and certainly liberty — are at stake.”

Winters says simply slapping a sign on a door does not constitute meaningful consent.

“You can’t just slap [a sign] there and say, ‘Hey, we’re doing biometric identification today,’ and then make someone decide whether they should go in and get that banana they need,” Winters says.

He argues true transparency requires rigorous testing and accountability measures integrated throughout the process, rather than just “at the point of use.”

“There needs to be notice well in advance,” Winters says. “There needs to be a description and ability for people to investigate what data was used to make the algorithm. How is it being implemented, what sort of data is being collected, and how is it being used?

“Transparency is key,” he says. “It’s never sufficient, but it’s absolutely necessary.”

Jim Perkins Named President and CEO of The Save Mart Companies

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:04:47 GMT

The Save Mart Companies has named Jim Perkins as president and CEO.

With deep roots in California’s Central Valley, The Save Mart Companies operates more than 200 stores across California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington with over 11,000 associates — more than 30% of whom have served their communities for more than 20 years, according to a news release. This multigenerational workforce and authentic neighborhood commitment recently earned the company 2025 Retailer of the Year recognition from Progressive Grocer.

“I am honored to lead The Save Mart Companies at this pivotal moment,” Perkins says. “For 70 years, we’ve been a trusted partner to West Coast families because we understand what it means to be a true neighbor. Our associates know their communities intimately because they live and work in them, serving neighbors they’ve known for years. Our competitive advantage isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are. That authentic connection, combined with our transformation across operations, formats and digital innovation, positions us for meaningful growth while staying true to our roots.”

Under Perkins’ leadership as president, The Save Mart Companies says it has driven significant operational improvements and customer-focused initiatives across its Save Mart, Lucky, FoodMaxx, Roth’s and Chuck’s banners. His strategic priorities, such as customer centricity, operational excellence and talent development, reflect the company’s commitment to honoring tradition while embracing transformation.

Perkins assumes the role following the retirement of Shane Sampson, who has led the company as CEO since 2022. Under the ownership of The Jim Pattison Group, The Save Mart Companies says it has the capital structure and long-term stability to support continued investment in technology, formats, loyalty and supply chain modernization.

“Jim exemplifies the leadership qualities and community commitment that define both The Save Mart Companies and The Jim Pattison Group,” says Ryan Barrington-Foote, president of The Jim Pattison Group. “His deep understanding of West Coast grocery, proven track record of operational excellence and dedication to developing people make him the ideal leader to guide this award-winning company into its next chapter. We’re excited to support Jim and this exceptional team as they build on 70 years of trusted service to their communities.”

In 2026, the company says it will open new locations, complete major remodels and expand merchandising assortments across all banners.

Jim Perkins: Background

A Sonoma, Calif. native with more than 40 years in the grocery industry.
Previously served as president of The Save Mart Companies, leading store operations, merchandising and marketing.
Spent the first 12 years of his grocery career in California before leading teams across the U.S., including Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
Returned to California in 2004 to lead the Lucky banner in the Bay Area.
Recognized for developing next-generation grocery leaders and driving operational excellence, earning national recognition including the Maryland Food Industry Council Hall of Fame, Pete Manos Retail Executive of the Year, two-time MAFTO Retail Executive of the Year, and the New Jersey Food Industry Council Retail Executive of the Year.
Holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

More Than a Market: How Detwiler’s Scaled 'Farm Stand' Energy Into a Produce Powerhouse

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:47:14 GMT

The story of Detwiler’s Farm Market is a narrative of grit, family unity and a singular focus for selling as much fresh produce as possible.

Their story began in earnest in 2009 after the Florida grocer lost its lease and restarted in a 5,000-square-foot concrete building that lacked air conditioning and walk-in coolers. It quickly became clear just how inhospitable that space could be during peak heat.

“It was Detwilers’ first pizza oven for produce,” says Sam Detwiler, president of Detwiler’s, describing nights when doors were propped open just to let the heat escape.

By 2010, vice president of purchasing, Caleb Detwiler, says the business hit its lowest point following a devastating freeze that drove tomato prices over $100 a box. Buried in debt and stretched thin, the family gathered for a crossroads conversation. Caleb says his father, Henry, and founder of Detwiler’s, gathered his sons for a turning point: “‘If y’all want this thing, y’all are gonna have to ... put your heart into it.’”

That conversation sparked a shift. The stores still weren’t polished, tables were cobbled together, coolers were repaired with whatever parts they could find, but the Detwilers leaned hard into what they did best: moving staggering amounts of fresh produce, priced aggressively, with genuine hospitality, Sam says.

The family-owned grocer has redefined the modern farm market experience.

(Photos courtesy of Detwiler’s)

Growth followed, but not in a conventional way. Their second store, a 2013 Venice expansion, came together almost overnight. Instead of waiting for architects and committees, they set tables, stacked tomatoes and opened the doors while an auction took place next door. Fresh strawberries harvested that morning were sold by afternoon, and customers took notice. The model wasn’t slick, Sam says, but it was undeniably alive.

As new locations opened, the family learned operational lessons in real time. Register systems failed. Layouts evolved. Processes had to be built while business surged around them. At the University Parkway location, when the technology crashed on opening day, Sam remembers simply switching to cash in the aisles and asking customers what they thought their carts were worth. “We didn’t care,” he says. “We were just making customers happy.”

That instinct of meeting people where they are and making it easy to buy produce continued to define the brand. When the pandemic arrived, Detwiler’s quickly shifted to two-lane drive-throughs that served about 700 cars a day in under five minutes each. Efficiency mattered, but the goal was still the same: to keep families stocked with fresh food.

Today, the 49,000-square-foot Palmetto store reflects how far the company has come. A 9,000-square-foot produce department anchors a bustling deli and wellness section, yet the spirit remains rooted in the same principles that carried them through those early, overheated nights: buy fresh, sell fast, serve people well and let the energy of a farm stand live inside a full-scale grocery environment.

For the Detwilers, success hasn’t been about perfection. It has been about adapting, staying close to the work and remembering why customers keep showing up: quality, price and what Sam calls that “warm hug” of service that turns transactions into relationships.

Kroger Launches ‘Verified Savings’ Program to Cut Produce Costs

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 19:44:05 GMT

The Kroger Co. has launched its Verified Savings program, which provides a 20% discount on fruits and vegetables, as well as half-off Boost by Kroger Plus memberships, to customers who are recipients of various government assistance programs, including SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and more. Customers can sign up online using SheerID, a trusted verification service provider that helps retailers confirm eligibility.

“Making fresh food more affordable and equipping more customers with free grocery delivery is an incredible step in expanding food access,” says Carlo Baldan, group vice president of fresh merchandising for Kroger. “With the launch of the Verified Savings program, we are thrilled to make fruits and vegetables more affordable and eliminate one more barrier to food security in our mission to end hunger.”

After enrolling in the program with an online verification form, verification is good for five months, and customers will need to reconfirm eligibility to remain enrolled.

To receive 20% off fruits and vegetables, eligible customers need to have a Kroger digital account, enroll in Verified Savings, and the offer will automatically be loaded to their account. Savings is valid on all fruit and vegetable purchases through Jan. 31, 2026.

Verified Savings enrollees are eligible for half-off annual and monthly Boost membership plans, including Boost Essential at $34.50 per year or $4.50 per month and Boost at $49.50 per year or $6.50 per month. Current Boost members who enroll in Verified Savings can redeem the offer at the time of renewal or extension of their membership.

Boost by Kroger Plus benefits include:

Unlimited free delivery on orders of $35 or more.
Boost 2x Fuel Points any way customers shop, with extra fuel points during fuel promotions.
Streaming option of Disney+, Hulu or ESPN+ (all with ads) for annual Boost members.
Member exclusive offers throughout the year.

Using the Kroger app, customers can easily find nutrition options by using the OptUP program and checking the FoodHealth Score of their favorite products. Kroger Plus loyalty customers can OptUP their nutrition further by unlocking one free 30-minute dietitian visit for customized product recommendations, meal hacks and delicious, budget-friendly meal planning inspiration to identify new ways to connect with food. These convenient virtual sessions fit customer schedules, providing connections with a registered dietitian from anywhere.

To learn more about Boost, visit their website .

Publix Teams to Restore Coral in the Florida Keys

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:21:49 GMT

Publix says it is supporting coral restoration efforts in the Florida Keys by installing a coral field nursery consisting of 25 coral trees, with the help of military veterans from the nonprofit Force Blue, through its “Good Together” environmental campaign donations made by customers and employees at Publix stores in the state.

A coral tree is a tree-like structure anchored to the ocean floor and equipped with floats (or buoys) to maintain its upright position. Coral fragments are hung from the branches of the tree, allowing them the opportunity to grow freely and adapt to ocean conditions, according to the company.

Built by support associates in Lakeland, Fla., the coral trees were transported to the Florida Keys using the Publix Good Together truck. From there, military veterans from Force Blue and local scientists anchored the trees to the ocean floor within what is now known as the Publix Coral Nursery — an extension of an existing Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium underwater coral field nursery. The team then attached small fragments of coral to the trees, like ornaments on a Christmas tree, which can grow into larger corals that can later be transplanted to existing coral reefs to help rehabilitate the coral population.

Shown is a coral tree with growing coral fragments in the field nursery in the Florida Keys.

(Photo: Force Blue)

“It is a great honor for our company to be able to support such an important local project aimed at conserving and restoring coral reefs,” says Paul Osley, director of environmental and sustainability programs for Publix. “With the help of Force Blue and local scientists with Mote and I.CARE [Islamorada Conservation & Restoration Education], this coral field nursery will help rebuild these important habitats.”

Publix began funding environmental projects with Force Blue in 2023, with the creation of Force Blue’s Quick Reaction Force giving the organization the ability to quickly respond to environmental emergencies. Publix says it committed to covering the costs associated with the first QRF deployments. Force Blue has also been a recipient of a portion of the grocer’s “Good Together” environmental campaign funding since 2024, allowing them to complete various marine debris removal and coastal conservation projects across Florida.

Force Blue is a nonprofit organization that retrains and redeploys former special operations veterans and military-trained combat divers to work alongside scientists, environmental agencies and community leaders on marine conservation missions.

In addition to funding coral restoration projects, Publix says it also donates a portion of the profits from its companywide reusable bag sales to the Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees in Florida. Donations made outside of Florida during the “Good Together” environmental campaign are provided to the Arbor Day Foundation to help rebuild forests in its other seven states of operation.

Since 2016, Publix says its efforts have helped the Arbor Day Foundation plant over 2.7 million trees across its eight operating states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Instacart Ends AI-driven Price Experiments After Criticism

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 19:51:14 GMT

Instacart is ending price tests that resulted in different shoppers being shown different prices for groceries, the online retail platform said on Monday after criticism of its artificial-intelligence-driven pricing tool.

The company faced an outcry after a study by Consumer Reports and two other nonprofits showed some shoppers saw prices up to 23% higher than others browsing the same grocery items from the same store at the same time.

Reuters reported last week the U.S. Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into Instacart’s Eversight pricing tool, which allowed retailers to run random price tests to gauge shoppers’ reactions to higher or lower prices. Instacart had previously said on its website that shoppers were not aware of the experiments.

Instacart acknowledged dissatisfaction over the practice in a blog post on Monday, saying it was immediately ending all item price tests on the platform.

“At a time when families are working exceptionally hard to stretch every grocery dollar, those tests raised concerns, leaving some people questioning the prices they see on Instacart. That’s not okay,” the company said.

Instacart made the announcement around two weeks after the study, showing a 7% average difference in cost for the same grocery list at the same store.

The randomized tests join the list of AI-driven pricing tactics that have drawn public outcry and calls for regulation, along with dynamic pricing based on demand and based on shoppers’ data.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

Sun Pacific Launches New ‘Irresistibly Cute’ Marketing Campaign for Cuties

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:34:13 GMT

Sun Pacific , a California grower, packer and shipper of fresh citrus, kiwifruit and table grapes, has launched a new marketing campaign for its Cuties-brand mandarins. Sun Pacific says Cuties, first launched in 2002, helped define the mandarin category and introduced millions of shoppers to the seedless citrus. The company says its new marketing campaign celebrates Cuties’ role in fueling demand for the mandarin category.

This “Irresistibly Cute” marketing campaign will celebrate what makes Cuties a trusted staple for families.

“This season we’re launching a campaign that is unapologetically and irresistibly cute,” says Sarah Deaton, director of marketing at Sun Pacific. “No other brand owns cuteness like Cuties does. We’re serving up smiles with a side of vitamin C, and we’re not toning the cuteness down for anyone.”

Sun Pacific says its new “wow” displays will help retailers prominently showcase Cuties in stores.

“It was a record year for mandarins with nearly $1.8 billion in sales for the domestic season, and we look to continue the momentum this year,” Deaton says.

Sun Pacific notes that according to Circana data, Cuties is the fastest growing and largest mandarin brand in dollar sales by almost 10% over competitor brands. Additionally, Sun World says the Circana data shows Cuties is the best performing brand with higher average weekly dollars per stores selling, and it has the highest repeat purchases at 61% with more new consumers purchasing Cuties than all other brands combined.

Sun World has also refreshed the Cuties website to better support retailers. This website will align with the “Irresistably Cute” campaign and offer consumers wellness information, Cuties crafts, activities and content along with snacking ideas and recipes to keep shoppers engaged and to encourage new and repeat purchases at retail. Shoppers can join the Cuties Club for coupons and more to continue driving traffic to stores.

Sun World says this new campaign was inspired by the belief that even in stressful times, joy can be found in life’s sweet little pleasures.

“We’re on a mission to ‘cutify’ the world by inviting people to embrace positivity and playfulness every day. The brand naturally brings joy, comfort and even a bit of nostalgia for simpler, sweeter times,” Deaton says.

Sun World will roll out this new marketing campaign across digital advertising, social media, influencer marketing and in-store activations. This “Irresistibly Cute” campaign, Sun World says, encourages consumers to spread joy, share sweetness and see the world through a brighter, more playful lens.

Instacart App Now Live in ChatGPT, Enabling Direct Shopping

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 15:53:24 GMT

Instacart is the first grocery partner to launch an app on ChatGPT and the first to offer an embedded, end-to-end shopping and Instant Checkout, all within the context of a ChatGPT conversation.

This new integration makes it easier than ever for people to go from meal inspiration to doorstep delivery, using Instacart’s real-time grocery network and fulfillment capabilities with the help of OpenAI frontier model capabilities, according to a news release.

“Instacart and ChatGPT are redefining what’s possible in AI-powered shopping,” says Anirban Kundu, chief technology officer for Instacart. “Built on Agentic Commerce Protocol, this experience brings intelligent, real-time support to one of the most essential parts of daily life: getting groceries to feed your family. Together, we’re creating a seamless and secure way for people to turn simple conversations into real-world action, helping customers go from inspiration to a full cart delivered from the store to their door with ease.”

“With the Instacart app directly in ChatGPT, users can go from meal planning to checkout in a single, seamless conversation,” says Nick Turley, vice president, head of ChatGPT. “It’s another step toward bringing our vision to life — where AI delivers helpful suggestions and connects directly to real-world services, saving people time and effort in their everyday lives.”

The Instacart ChatGPT app experience with Instant Checkout is currently available on desktop and mobile web; the Instacart ChatGPT app is available on iOS and Android, with Instant Checkout rolling out to these native platforms in the coming weeks. ChatGPT can surface the Instacart ChatGPT app when a user asks for it by starting a prompt with Instacart, such as “Instacart, can you help me shop for apple pie ingredients?” During their first use, users install the app by signing into their Instacart account. To enable Instant Checkout on iOS, users should ensure they have updated to the latest version of ChatGPT in the iOS App store.

Once the Instacart app is opened and the user is signed in, the company says the app will help users find what they need from their local retailers and present a ready-to-review cart with the help of OpenAI models. Once satisfied with selections, users can securely pay directly in the Instacart app right in ChatGPT with Instant Checkout, with no need to switch tabs. The customer’s items will then be shopped and delivered through Instacart’s trusted platform.

Instacart says it is the first app within ChatGPT’s app ecosystem to offer checkout directly within ChatGPT, powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol . Through this first-of-its-kind implementation, ChatGPT and Instacart are enabling a fast, secure and familiar credit card payment flow; digital wallets, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, will be supported in the coming weeks. Powered by Stripe, transactions run smoothly and safely within the conversation, the company says.

“Powering grocery shopping inside an AI agent requires technology that understands constantly changing, highly local inventory and converts it into accurate, real-time decisions. Instacart’s platform does just that,” Kundu says. “Our decade of unmatched grocery data, fulfillment intelligence and deep retailer integrations make it possible to surface the right products based on what’s actually in stock, delivering consumers a shopping experience they can trust.”

Experience the Instacart ChatGPT app experience with Instant Checkout now.

Little Potato Company Kicks off Holidays with Campaign, Sweepstakes

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:19:00 GMT

The Little Potato Company says it has kicked off the holiday season with its “A Little Holiday Happiness Is…” campaign and sweepstakes. This campaign will run through early January 2026 with digital brand assets, in store POS and online sweepstakes.

“This campaign has become a beloved annual tradition that our consumers and retail partners look forward to, and we truly love spreading holiday happiness every year,” says Angela Santiago, CEO and co-founder of The Little Potato Company. “As a family-fun business, we know the holiday season can be busy, and time with loved ones matters. Our campaign and sweepstakes aim to make getting dinner on the table during the holiday season easier to create more little moments of happiness for families.”

The Little Potato Company will also give families the chance to win $1,000 in groceries from a choice of retailers by entering online at www.thelittleholidayhappiness.com or in-store by scanning the QR code on the Little Holiday Happiness point of sale materials. The company says from now until Jan. 7, 2026, 15 consumers in the U.S. and 15 in Canada will win.

In addition to the sweepstakes, the company says its integrated brand campaign will run across all owned, third-party digital channels and media via PR activities.

U.S. E-Grocery Total $11.6B in October, Up 10.5% Versus a Year Ago

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 23:02:17 GMT

U.S. monthly online grocery sales totaled $11.6 billion in October, a 10.5% increase over the previous year, according to the Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey, sponsored by Mercatus.

October’s moderate growth rate compared to the 2024 surge was the result of an expanding base of monthly active users, tempered by anemic gains in order frequency and pullback in average order values, according to a news release.

The overall base of e-grocery MAUs grew almost 13% year-over-year to finish October with 83.3 million households, surpassing the record high set last month. Most of the MAU growth came from reengaging infrequent users who last bought groceries online two to three months ago, but some of the gain came from households that have never shopped online for groceries before, causing the total user pool to expand at its fastest YOY rate since February 2022. All three receiving methods posted gains in their MAU bases versus last year, and the MAU base for pickup set a record high.

The average number of online grocery orders completed per MAU during October climbed for the 14^th consecutive month, but the YOY gain was limited and well under 1%. Order frequency in large metro markets declined versus last year, limiting overall growth as MAUs in medium metro, small metro and rest of market posted strong gains that ranged from 7% to 15%. By age group, only the 60-plus-year-old households increased e-grocery ordering activity for October versus last year; order frequency per MAU declined year-over-year across all the younger age groups.

The combined average order value for delivery and pickup in October fell by almost 3% year-over-year as spending per order at supermarkets was essentially unchanged compared to a year ago, and spending at mass posted a mid-single-digit drop. Meanwhile, ship-to-home’s AOV rose approximately 5% during the month compared to last year, fortified by increased spending rates with mass retailers and Amazon’s pure-play segment, which includes Amazon’s same-day fresh grocery service.

Online’s share of weekly grocery spending in October ended the month at 16.3%, climbing 110 basis points versus last year. The share expansion was fueled by higher spending rates in medium metro markets as well as predominantly with the youngest age group.

“The October 2025 results are a reminder that online grocery sales growth is not on autopilot,” says David Bishop, partner for Brick Meets Click. “Customers choose how to receive online grocery purchases based on many factors, including cost and convenience, and the impact of Amazon’s same-day grocery service, which offers customers a lower-cost alternative, is becoming visible.”

NRS Unveils Grubhub Partnership for Local Retailers

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 20:22:43 GMT

National Retail Solutions revealed stores using its nationwide point-of-sale network can now connect with Grubhub, enabling customers to place orders for delivery or in-store pickup directly through the Grubhub app.

NRS says this partnership enhances not only convenience but also access to fresh, locally sourced produce.

“Fresh produce has always been a challenging category for independent retailers to deliver — it’s perishable, time-sensitive and relies on consumer trust in quality,” says Elie Y. Katz, CEO and founder of NRSPlus. “That’s exactly why our integration with Grubhub and NRS is such a game-changer. It gives local stores the ability to showcase and deliver their produce quickly and reliably, helping them reach customers who want fresh fruits and vegetables without sacrificing convenience. We’re giving neighborhood grocers the same level of visibility and digital power that national chains have, and that means more people can access fresh, healthy food right from the stores they already know and trust.”

Of the partnership, Katz adds: “We are tremendously excited to announce our integration with Grubhub. This partnership empowers our NRS retailers, which are predominantly neighborhood convenience stores and bodegas, to compete effectively and efficiently in the rapidly expanding digital channel.”

For NRS retailers, the key advantages and features of the integration with Grubhub include:

Streamlined operations: Grubhub orders flow directly into the NRS POS system, eliminating counter clutter and simplifying workflows.
Real-time menu and inventory syncing: Price updates and inventory changes that are recorded in the retailer’s NRS POS are automatically reflected on the retailer’s Grubhub menu, ensuring accurate orders while preventing out-of-stock cancellations.
Reduced training: Retailers receive and process orders through their familiar NRS POS, minimizing errors and training time.
Centralized management: Retailers can manage Grubhub menus, store hours and analytics directly from their NRS POS.
Actionable analytics: Centralized analytics enable NRS retailers to gain insights into both in-store and delivery sales performance.

“Local businesses are essential to the fabric of their communities, and this integration is about helping them thrive in a digital-first world,” says Stephanie Grammel, director of integrations and solutions for Grubhub. “By embedding Grubhub directly into the NRS point-of-sale system, we are making it easier for independent retailers to expand their reach, serve customers on their terms, and unlock new revenue streams — without adding operational complexity.”

“We are eliminating the friction points that make it harder for small businesses to compete successfully in the delivery marketplace,” says Ari B. Korman, senior vice president of e-commerce for NRS. “Based on our results to date, on average, our retailers with the Grubhub integration are achieving significantly increased profitability with very strong ROIs.”

Food Lion Deepens Local Produce Roots with $484M Remodeling Investment

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:55:09 GMT

As consumers grow more mindful of where their food comes from, Food Lion is betting big on freshness — and on its Carolina roots.

With a sweeping $484 million investment to remodel 153 stores across the greater Charlotte market, the Salisbury-based grocer is doubling down on locally grown fruits and vegetables, sustainable sourcing and community partnerships that keep farm-to-table flavors close to home.

“Customers will enjoy an expanded assortment of fresh, locally sourced fruits and vegetables through Food Lion’s Local Goodness program, which could feature up to 25 to 30 seasonal produce items from regional growers and producers,” says Chris Dove, vice president, produce category and merchandising for Food Lion. “This includes limited-time fall offerings such as potatoes, cooking greens, specialty squash, muscadine grapes, locally produced honey and a variety of fresh seasonal apples.”

The upgrades include modernized refrigerated cases — with energy-efficient doors and, in some locations, CO₂ systems — to maintain the freshness and quality of local produce while reducing the company’s carbon footprint. The grocer says these changes make it easier to showcase the vibrant colors and flavors of the Carolinas’ harvests, from family farms to the produce aisle.

Through its Local Goodness initiative, Food Lion partners directly with farmers across North and South Carolina to bring seasonal variety and hometown flavor to shoppers. The program not only highlights local farms but also invests in infrastructure and training that strengthen regional food systems and shorten the distance between harvest and home.

“By deepening partnerships with local farmers, improving infrastructure and expanding programs like food rescue, Food Lion continues to reduce waste while supporting local economies and providing fresh, responsibly sourced food to the towns and cities we serve,” Dove says.

In addition, Food Lion says it was the first grocery retailer in the country to establish a food rescue program with Feeding America, a domestic hunger relief organization. All stores regularly donate unsaleable but edible food that might otherwise go to waste to local feeding agencies to support their clients’ nutritional needs. Since 2024, Food Lion stores in the greater Charlotte-area donated nearly 13 million pounds of food through this program to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina in Charlotte, N.C., the company says.

“Charlotte is a special market for us because it’s our hometown,” says Greg Finchum, president of Food Lion. “Every enhancement is designed to meet our customers’ evolving needs — whenever, wherever and however they shop with us. Our associates are excited to welcome our customers into our refreshed stores and highlight what’s new. We’re proud to continue nourishing our towns and cities while delivering an easy and affordable omnichannel shopping experience customers count on from Food Lion.”

Anne-Marie Roerink on the Surprising Shifts in Produce Purchasing

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:02:45 GMT

Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, says she looks into a lot of trends within the food space, from candy, to deli, snacks, meat and, of course, produce. And she joins “The Packer Podcast” to share some of the recent trends she’s seen in fresh produce. Roerink says in the latest “What’s New?” research that she presented at the 2025 Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovations showed some surprising results.

Roerink says it’s no secret fruit has been outperforming vegetables in the produce category, but this year’s data shows an even bigger divide.

“As of pretty much January, the beginning of this year, all of a sudden, we saw that fruit started to accelerate in terms of growth, and we saw that vegetables just started to decline year or month after month in terms of dollars, units and pounds,” she says. “The trends that we had been seeing for five years all of a sudden started to really bifurcate in that fruit excelled even more, and vegetables started to pull back even more.”

Roerink says it’s important to look at the generational trend around fruit and vegetable trends to better understand what’s going on. Millennials make up about 60% to 70% of new unit growth, she says, while baby boomers’ fruit and vegetable dollars are down.

“Millennials are growing their vegetable engagement, but fruit is growing at double the rate, and that’s why we’re seeing such enormous strength in things like berries, organic bananas, citrus fruits,” she says. “I think we’ve got some work to do as the vegetable industry. Fruit is growing nicely, but to see all the main commodities and the smaller ones down year on year in terms of volume, that just means that we have an opportunity to engage with millennial consumers.”

And digging deeper, she says a lot of that growth in millennials is driven by a change in shopping habits when compared with baby boomers.

“[If] you look at millennials and Gen Z as well, and you see that all their inspiration is digital, and it’s led by YouTube, Instagram, TikTok is in the mix, and even Facebook is in the mix,” she says. “All of a sudden, you start to realize that that’s an opportunity right there. How can we elevate the profile of vegetables, all the goodness that they bring in terms of health and functional benefits and start to make sure that vegetables are part of those recipes, in addition to, of course, fruit, because we don’t want to see that decline.”

Roerink says it’s also important to understand the taste preferences of millennials and Gen Z, who are more likely to embrace global flavors when preparing meals. While both boomers and millennials might gravitate toward Asian flavors, most boomers flock toward traditional Chinese dishes and millennials look to Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese flavors, which she says is a great opportunity for retailers to bring new vegetables into the stores.

“That’s explaining why we’re seeing such a surge in things like avocados and cilantro and even some of the Chinese vegetables, cabbage and what have you,” she says. “Asian cuisines are coming into the mix as well, and that’s a huge opportunity, in my mind, for vegetables and to really authentically create those dishes that are popular.

Another reason fruit tracks higher than vegetables in millennial and Gen Z spending is those generations are parents whose children prefer fruit to vegetables.

“It really became clear that children are preferring fruit, and that for the most part, millennial parents say, as long as it’s fresh produce, if it’s fruit, a little bit more than veggies, I’m okay with that,” she says.

But she says in her research, she found that millennial and Gen Z parents want information on how to better incorporate fresh vegetables into their children’s diets. And while children are picky eaters, another barrier to vegetable consumption is many families are on the go.

“We also have to really keep in mind that produce goodness, so the vitamins, the minerals, the fibers, can be consumed in many ways these days,” she says. “If you look at millennials engaging with things like smoothies or those little pouches where you can drink out of or shots or supplements, you know millennials over-index for all of those. There is enormous focus on the importance and the benefit of fresh produce, but it doesn’t always translate into consuming the fresh produce, and especially different fresh vegetables.”

She says this is an opportunity to engage with children to help drive produce consumption. That could be as easy as being active on social media platforms, creating kid-friendly recipes with vegetables and incorporating vegetables into grocery store children’s programs.

“If you think about how many retailers have those programs where you can grab a free piece of fruit, whether that’s a banana or an orange, right, or an apple, but it’s always fruit,” she says.

DoorDash Launches Emergency Food Response as SNAP Cuts Threaten Millions

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:57:26 GMT

With USDA’s announcement that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for more than 40 million Americans will not be issued on Nov. 1, DoorDash is mobilizing an emergency food response to help bridge the gap.

The company says it plans to deliver 1 million meals through its Project DASH network of food bank partners and waive delivery and service fees for roughly 300,000 grocery orders placed by SNAP recipients. The move comes amid growing concern from states, retailers and food banks .

The more than 40 million Americans affected includes 21 million children, 16 million working families and 5 million seniors, DoorDash says in a news release. As federal funds run out, families face a growing risk of hunger, and food banks are already experiencing overwhelming demand they cannot meet on their own, the company says.

DoorDash says this is a food emergency unfolding in real time. Fighting hunger has always been core to DoorDash’s mission to grow and empower local economies. Through Project DASH , its effort to power delivery on behalf of food banks and pantries, the company says it works with over 300 partners nationwide and has powered 8 million deliveries — equivalent to 135 million meals.

“Our partners have told us: They need help now,” DoorDash says.

“No one should go hungry in America — period,” says Max Rettig, vice president and global head of public policy for DoorDash. “Millions of families are worried right now about how they’ll put food on the table. Fighting hunger is core to our mission at DoorDash, and we’re stepping up alongside leading grocers and retailers to help bridge the gap. We know this is a stopgap, not a solution, but doing nothing simply isn’t an option.”

“The food security of millions of people who rely on SNAP is at dire risk,” says Eric Mitchell, president of Alliance to End Hunger. “We know that the only viable solution is to ensure SNAP benefits are being delivered in full to those in need of food assistance as soon as possible. We are thankful for the part that companies and organizations across the country like DoorDash can do to try to fill the gap, and we will continue to work tirelessly to make sure SNAP is restored and protected quickly and fully.”

DoorDash’s Emergency Food Response:

Delivering meals. DoorDash is waiving merchant fees for all 300-plus Project DASH partner food banks, food pantries and community organizations nationwide throughout November, equal to an estimated 1 million meals.
Waiving delivery and service fees. DoorDash and grocery partners are covering the cost of delivery and service fees for an estimated 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients in November, helping families stretch budgets during any SNAP freeze. Customers who have linked a SNAP/EBT card to their profile can shop on DoorDash at Sprouts, Dollar General, Schnucks, Ahold Delhaize brands, Hy-Vee and Wegmans and have their delivery and service fees waived on one order.
Donating food and essentials. DoorDash will donate fresh food, shelf-stable items and household essentials from DashMart locations to local food banks in affected communities.

DoorDash says its response alone cannot match the scale of this crisis, adding that the federal government’s role is irreplaceable.

“This is an opportunity for Congress to come together and find a way to continue to fund this essential program that keeps Americans from going hungry. We’re also calling on companies, organizations and individuals to do their part — donate food, funds or time — to support those most in need,” the company says.

For food banks interested in partnering with Project DASH, contact mailto:projectdash@doordash.com .
Individuals can support the Feeding America network here , or find a local food bank here .

Your Next Read: SNAP Cuts Could Leave Millions Hungry, States Scramble to Fill the Gap

As Grocery Prices Rise, Shoppers Change Their Habits

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 20:09:14 GMT

Consumers are changing how they shop as grocery prices continue to climb. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food-at-home prices rose 2.7% in 2025 compared to last year, with beef up nearly 14%, pork up about 1% and fresh produce increasing nearly 3% in late summer.

Amid that pressure, new data from Algolia’s consumer survey shows 73% of U.S. shoppers are stressed about grocery bills this year, and it’s influencing what lands in their carts. Nearly 40% have tried private-label products for the first time, seeking lower prices and better value.

“We’re seeing a huge lift in store brand customers,” says Nate Barad, vice president of product marketing for Algolia. “Customers may have been hesitant before, but both the quality of the store brands and the deals have come up. It’s become a win-win situation.”

Algolia’s survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, both in-store and online shoppers, found that 60% participate in grocery loyalty programs, and 70% enjoy using grocery app games or ‘adventures’ that offer discounts or new product trials. Nearly half (46%) said they want personalized deal recommendations based on their carts or past purchases.

Barad says these findings align with what Algolia sees from retailers using its AI-powered search and personalization tools.

How Fresh Fits Into the New Grocery Equation

While some analysts suggest shoppers are trading fresh for frozen, Barad says Algolia’s data shows something different: Consumers are rethinking how they plan meals and use ingredients, not necessarily abandoning fresh food.

“We haven’t seen a spike in frozen versus fresh,” he says. “What we’re seeing is how people come about it. They’re looking to use the same ingredients multiple times — like making chicken Parmesan pasta one day and a chicken Caesar salad the next. It’s about meal planning and stretching ingredients.”

This shift toward intentional meal planning means fresh produce remains a key component of shoppers’ baskets, but AI and search tools are changing how consumers discover what’s available and affordable.

“In produce, inventory is now part of the search,” Barad says. “Retailers are using product freshness, shelf life and inventory data to influence what shows up first when consumers search for items like tomatoes or romaine. The AI can prioritize produce that needs to move now, which helps reduce waste and improve margins while still meeting consumer demand.”

The ability to surface nearby, in-stock and discounted produce options also helps grocers manage tight margins while keeping “fresh” accessible to price-conscious customers, Barad says.

Tech-Driven Grocery Shopping

According to the Algolia survey, shoppers view AI as a means to assist them in their grocery hauls and inspire them to create healthy meals. Specifically, consumers are eager to leverage AI agents for the following use cases:

Real-time alerts about restocked items (58%).
Suggest foods/meals based on dietary needs (56%).
Organizing meal prep (51%).

Algolia’s AI-driven “virtual shelving” feature, which builds a personalized shelf view from a shopper’s list, has been especially popular, Barad says. Shoppers can upload a handwritten or voice-generated grocery list, and the AI populates comparable items by price, availability and brand.

“You can see all the romaine, all the pasta, all the chicken and all the cheeses,” Barad says. “From there, you decide if you want the organic chicken or the store-brand version. The AI helps you do more with less, finding the best cost on the products you actually want.”

He notes that while many consumers are cautious about AI (with 50% of survey respondents saying they don’t fully trust AI agents to shop for them), most see its potential for convenience and savings. Nearly 60% believe AI will make grocery shopping easier, and 56% are interested in AI tools that suggest foods or meals based on dietary needs.

Fresh Meat, Dairy and Repeat Buys

Although the survey didn’t break down results by protein or dairy category, Barad says Algolia’s retail data shows repeatable staples, such as milk, ground beef, lettuce and cheese, are key drivers of online cart growth.

According to the Algolia survey, nearly half of consumers (46%) want grocery retailers to offer deal recommendations tailored to their current cart or past purchases. This number rises to 51% for millennials and 52% for Gen X.

“When those essentials are automated, when shoppers don’t have to manually add things like hamburger or milk each week, we see up to a 50% lift in average order value,” Barad says.

He adds that for many retailers, securing those repeat fresh-item purchases is the key to building long-term loyalty.

Consumers’ growing comfort with AI-assisted shopping, combined with their stress over grocery bills, is accelerating a new kind of grocery economy: one where affordability, personalization and freshness converge.

Grocery / Fresh Price Trend Data, 2025

Overall groceries (food at home)

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the food at home index (grocery store purchases) rose 2.7% over the 12 months ending August 2025.
More broadly, food (all food including home + away) increased ~3.2% year over year as of the same period.

Produce (fruits & vegetables / fresh produce)

The BLS index for fruits and vegetables rose 1.3% year over year in September 2025.
Earlier, for the 12 months ending August 2025, the fruits and vegetables index rose 1.9%.
On the retail side, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) reported that in the first six months of 2025, retail prices for fresh vegetables fell about 2% compared to a year earlier.

Meat (beef, overall meats and poultry)

For the broader category “meats, poultry, fish, and eggs,” the BLS reports a +5.2% year-over-year increase in September 2025.
Beef and veal retail prices rose 2.7% from July 2025 to August 2025, and were 13.9% higher in August 2025 than in August 2024.
Also, herd supply remains tight, which contributed to upward pressure on cattle/beef supply.

Dairy

The BLS reports dairy and related products’ prices at grocery stores were up 0.7% year over year in September 2025.
In August 2025, the dairy and related products index rose about 1.3% over the prior 12-month period.

Ahold Delhaize to Build State-of-the-Art Distribution Center in Burlington, N.C.

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:13:42 GMT

Grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA and its distribution and transportation companies, ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation, will build an $860 million state-of-the-art distribution center in Burlington, N.C.

The new facility will grow the supply chain network, which serves Ahold Delhaize USA’s omnichannel grocery brands on the East Coast, including Food Lion in North Carolina. The new facility will add over 1 million square feet of additional distribution infrastructure, delivering fresh and frozen grocery items to Food Lion stores, according to a news release.

“The investment into this facility is an investment into the customers who trust our brands to nourish their families,” says JJ Fleeman, CEO for Ahold Delhaize USA. “Through the new distribution center, ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation will expand their capacity to support Food Lion’s growth in the state, along with bringing new jobs. We’re excited to locate this facility in North Carolina and continue to grow our presence in a state where our companies have done business for more than 65 years.”

Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in 2026, with an anticipated start of operations in 2029. Over time, the site is expected to employ over 500 associates. To maximize efficiency, the site will leverage proven supply chain automation technology, the company says.

“At ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation, we pride ourselves on being an employer of choice and providing excellent service for the grocery brands we support,” says Sanja Krajnovic, chief supply chain officer, and executive vice president for ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation. “We appreciate the support of the City of Burlington, Guilford County and the State of North Carolina in working with us on this project. We look forward to starting construction on the site soon, expanding our presence in the state and welcoming new associates as we prepare for the opening of the facility.”

The company says the local brands of Ahold Delhaize USA comprise one of the largest grocery retail groups on the East Coast, and the five omnichannel grocery brands continue to achieve significant growth within their markets, including more than 50 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth at the Food Lion brand. The supply chain network has one of the largest fleets on the East Coast with more than 8,000 assets, logging approximately 125 million miles annually, the company says. In addition to the new facility, ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation operate three other distribution centers in North Carolina in Salisbury, Butner and Dunn.

Festival Foods, Hometown Grocers, Schnuck Markets Unite Under New Holding Company

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 18:33:47 GMT

Todd Schnuck, chairman and CEO of 1939 Group, Inc., confirmed the completion of the purchase of Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers. The completed transaction brings the new family of companies’ store footprint to 164 stores. In Wisconsin, Festival Foods operates 42 stores and Hometown Grocers operates nine stores. Schnuck Markets operates 113 stores in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

Festival Foods, Hometown Grocers and Schnucks will continue operating under their existing banners — guided by shared values, community engagement and an unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional experiences for every guest, according to a news release.

By joining forces, powered by strong legacies, the family-owned companies — Festival Foods, Hometown Grocers and Schnucks — are poised to accelerate growth and set a new standard for what it means to be a regional grocer, the release says. Fueled by the strength of 1939 Group, the family of companies can look forward to continued investment and innovation amid a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

As chairman and CEO of Schnuck Markets and 1939 Group, Todd Schnuck assumes the role of chairman and CEO for Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers — continuing the legacy of departing CEO Mark Skogen, whose servant leadership and deep commitment to treating every customer as a valued guest have long defined the company’s culture, the release says.

“As we celebrate today’s milestone, we also recognize that our teams are entering the busiest season of the year,” Schnuck says. “Our top priority remains clear — keeping Festival Foods, Hometown Grocers and Schnucks’ teammates focused on serving and delighting our guests.”

September E-Grocery Sales Surge to New High, Up 31% Versus Year Ago

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:46:31 GMT

U.S. online grocery sales surged to a new high of $12.5 billion in September, marking a 31% increase over the previous year and the second consecutive month a record was set, according to the Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey, sponsored by Mercatus.

Driven by a record-setting number of monthly active users, sustained gains in order frequency and solid increases in average order value, online spending for September captured its highest share since very early during the pandemic, according to a news release.

The overall base of e-grocery MAUs hit a new high during September, up nearly 13% year over year. The vast majority of the increase came from re-engaging less frequent customers who most recently bought groceries online two to three months prior. All three receiving methods posted gains in their respective MAU bases versus last year, with delivery setting a new high as well. In addition, all age groups reported more MAUs YOY, with the 60-plus group contributing almost half of the YOY gains.

The average number of online orders per MAU during the month climbed 9% versus year ago, marking 13 consecutive months of YOY gains in frequency. This increase was fueled by a jump in the share of MAUs completing three or more online orders during September. Small metro markets posted the strongest relative gains in frequency, climbing at a rate nearly twice that of the other market types.

The share of weekly grocery spending that went online in September 2025 jumped 400 basis points versus last year, ending the month at nearly 19%. This is the second-highest contribution level recorded for e-grocery behind only May 2020.

The combined AOV for delivery and pickup grew by almost 8% YOY. Gains were recorded across supermarket, mass and dollar, along with larger surges in spending at hard discounters and club. In addition, ship-to-home’s AOV finished up by nearly 11% YOY, driven primarily by Amazon’s pure-play services and the firm’s ongoing expansion of same-day fresh grocery.

The share of weekly grocery spending that went online in September 2025 jumped 400 basis points versus last year, ending the month at nearly 19%. This is the second-highest contribution level recorded for e-grocery behind only May 2020. Online growth continues to negatively impact in-store performance. From January through September 2025, in-store sales growth YOY slowed to under 1.5% compared to 3% during the comparable period in 2024.

“A sign of the growing challenges facing regional grocers is the sharp increase in the share of Grocery MAUs that also completed at least one e-grocery order with mass during September versus the two prior years,” says David Bishop, partner for Brick Meets Click. “The results reveal cross-shopping rates with Walmart continued to expand significantly in 2025, and the rate for Target also increased YOY, even though it remains significantly lower than Walmart.”

The Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopping Survey is an ongoing independent research initiative created and conducted by the team at Brick Meets Click and sponsored by Mercatus.

As Dollar Stores Expand Fresh Offerings, Traditional Grocers Feel the Pinch

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 21:12:59 GMT

As consumers continue to chase value in a still-inflationary economy, Dollar General is carving out a stronger foothold in the grocery landscape, according to a new Placer.ai report .

Elizabeth Lafontaine, director of research for Placer.ai says the shift toward Dollar General as a grocery destination reflects both consumer priorities and the chain’s own investment in food.

“We’ve really seen over the past few years this shift of Dollar General gaining steam in the grocery category,” she says. “They’ve made a true investment in grocery and want to be seen as another option for consumers in the market. At the same time, consumers are laser-focused on value; that’s the No. 1 lens they’re using to make purchasing decisions.”

According to the report, fresh produce rollouts, expanded frozen assortments and a focus on “everyday essentials” have helped shift its positioning from an occasional convenience stop to a more frequent shopping destination.

Foot traffic trends align with this shift. From Q2 2019 to Q2 2025, Dollar General’s share of grocery visits — across both traditional and value chains — rose consistently, while traditional chains like Kroger and Albertsons lost nearly four percentage points, the report shows. Value grocers, meanwhile, (i.e. Aldi) remained stable through 2022 before gaining ground themselves , suggesting that Dollar General has primarily pulled shoppers away from traditional supermarkets even as other budget-oriented grocers strengthened.

Placer.ai data shows Dollar General gaining momentum in grocery.

(Image courtesy of Placer.ai)

“As Dollar General continues expanding its footprint and grocery offerings, its impact on how — and where — Americans shop for food is poised to keep growing. By capturing short-visit traffic and offering a broader grocery selection, the chain is reshaping the competitive landscape and prompting both traditional and value grocers to adapt,” the report says.

That alignment is paying off. Placer.ai’s report shows that visitors to traditional grocers such as Kroger are increasingly cross-shopping with Dollar General, and that cross-visitation with Aldi is also on the rise.

“Consumers now view Dollar General as another option in their grocery Rolodex,” Lafontaine says.

While value-driven consumers remain Dollar General’s core base, the retailer is also attracting new visitors outside its traditional demographic.

“We’re seeing interest from customers who might not have typically been your value-based shopper before,” she says. “All consumers now are looking for as much value as possible.”

Much of Dollar General’s success continues to come from rural markets, where the chain remains dominant. But the data suggests its reach is broadening, fueled by convenience, low prices and increasingly, expanded food offerings — including fresh produce and perishables.

(Image courtesy of Placer.ai)

Fresh Offerings Add Competitive Pressure

As Dollar General and other dollar chains remodel and expand their grocery selections, traditional supermarkets are facing more competition from multiple directions.

“The grocery category has become more saturated,” Lafontaine says. “We’re seeing competition not just from traditional grocers or value-based chains, but also from superstores and dollar stores.”

She adds that while this competition is intense, consumers today are also more likely to shop multiple stores — curating their own mix of retailers for the best assortment and deals. That means traditional grocers can still hold their ground by offering specialized products, local produce or a differentiated experience.

Closures and Growth: The Dollar General Balancing Act

Earlier this year, Dollar General announced plans to close about 100 stores as part of an optimization effort, while simultaneously preparing for hundreds of new openings in 2026. According to Placer.ai data, that strategy appears to be working.

“Dollar General continues to grow its visits throughout 2025,” Elizabeth says. “Visits per location are becoming more productive over time. That really signals that the changes they’ve made to their store fleet have benefited them; they’re engaging customers more effectively and attracting new ones.”

Even as Dollar General fine-tunes its footprint, it remains firmly in growth mode. Its continued investment in store upgrades, expanded food options and value messaging suggests dollar stores will remain an increasingly powerful competitor in the grocery, and fresh produce, space.

In the Year of the Cooperative, Rural Grocers Find Power in Partnership

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:35:46 GMT

As 2025 marks the United Nations’ International Year of Cooperatives , communities across the U.S. are spotlighting how cooperative models can sustain local economies and strengthen food systems. That mission was front and center during a recent Rural Grocery Initiative webinar that unveiled findings from a two-year project on local sourcing in rural grocery stores.

Led by Rial Carver, program director for RGI at Kansas State University, the project was designed to identify innovative ways to help small-town grocers connect with local producers — and, in doing so, keep grocery access alive in communities often bypassed by large retail chains.

“Rural grocery stores are anchor institutions,” Carver says in an RGI webinar. “Without them, communities lose out on economic, health and cultural benefits.”

Yet these stores operate on razor-thin margins of just 1% to 3%, he says, making it difficult to reinvest or compete with dollar stores and national chains.

The RGI research identified five models that exemplify creative, community-rooted sourcing and ownership strategies: Farm Runners in Colorado, Rolling Grocer in New York, In Her Shoes in Mississippi, Farm to Freezer in Michigan and Ball’s Food Stores in Kansas and Missouri. Each of these demonstrates a different approach to connecting local growers with grocers — and together, they offer a road map for resilience.

Each RGI case study tackled a distinct pain point in the rural food supply chain.

In Colorado, Farm Runners began when two farmers recognized that local growers spent more time driving to markets than tending crops. By creating a local aggregation and distribution business, they gave more than 100 farmers access to over 500 wholesale customers — proof that even small-scale logistics can yield big community gains.

New York’s Rolling Grocer took another approach, using a sliding-scale fair pricing model that allows all income levels to access fresh, local and organic food. Roughly 60% of customers pay subsidized prices, helping the store maintain equity and inclusion as core values rather than marketing strategies.

And in Mississippi, the In Her Shoes initiative trained new farmers while opening retail channels through its Farmacy Marketplace and mobile grocery. Even after the brick-and-mortar store closed, its mobile market continues to serve food deserts and assess sustainable retail models for the future.

Ball’s Food Stores in Kansas City built its own central warehouse to aggregate local produce from more than 100 growers.

(Image courtesy of RGI)

Meanwhile, Michigan’s Farm to Freezer extended the local growing season by freezing regional produce for year-round sale, and Ball’s Food Stores in Kansas City built its own central warehouse to aggregate local produce from more than 100 growers, paying out $4 million to local farmers in 2024 alone.

Across all five examples, Carver says, “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Each community uses its own assets, partnerships and business structure to build a model that works locally.”

Why Cooperatives Matter in 2025

The UN’s theme for 2025 recognizes cooperatives as a means to “build a better world.” That message resonates in the U.S., where rural food access depends increasingly on collaboration.

Many of the RGI models, and similar ventures nationwide, embody cooperative principles, whether or not they’re formally structured as co-ops. They emphasize shared ownership, local investment and collective benefit, often bridging the gap between producers, processors and consumers.

“Efficiency matters,” Carver says, “but what really drives resilience are the direct relationships between grocers and producers. Those partnerships allow these models to withstand challenges that would otherwise shut stores down.”

Building on RGI’s findings, cooperative models in other parts of the country are showing how shared ownership can stabilize rural food supply chains. The Packer met with two such co-ops at Groceryshop 2025 in Las Vegas.

Cassie Michael, founder of the Food and Meat Co-Op, at Groceryshop in Las Vegas.

(Photo: Jill Dutton)

Cassie Michael, founder of the Food and Meat Co-Op in Utah, launched the business in May 2020 to bypass the retail supply chain and provide direct access to local producers. The co-op, which is 85% meat, offers significant savings (20% to 50% over grocery stores) and freshness by cutting out middlemen, Michael says. They operate in Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming, with 50 pickup locations and home delivery in Utah. The co-op plans to expand to Arizona, Oregon and Washington by 2026 and aims to cover the entire West by 2028. They also cater to the gluten-free community and support local farmers by handling distribution and marketing.

Marty Thomas, founder of Kakadoodle, at Groceryshop in Las Vegas.

(Photo: Jill Dutton)

Marty Thomas, founder of Kakadoodle in southwest Chicago, shared his journey from buying cheap eggs to founding a tech-driven marketplace for local, chemical-free food. Initially serving friends and family, the platform now works with over 30 local farmers, delivering to 550 families, generating $42,000 monthly. Thomas highlighted the challenges of reaching modern consumers and the impact of the bird flu, which reduced their flock from 3,000 to 1,500. They’ve pivoted to value-added products, such as egg bites, selling out at farmers’ markets and attracting interest from local grocers. The goal is to maintain a decentralized food system, supporting small, regenerative farms.

These real-world examples illustrate how co-ops are evolving, blending digital innovation, member networks and mission-driven retail to meet the needs of today’s rural and suburban shoppers.

A Collaborative Future for Local Food

As the Rural Grocery Initiative continues to expand its Local Sourcing Innovations Catalog, communities are encouraged to contribute their own cooperative solutions. The goal: to keep building knowledge around models that make local sourcing viable for independent grocers.

In the spirit of the International Year of Cooperatives, these efforts show shared ownership and collaboration aren’t just survival strategies, they’re the foundation of a more resilient rural food system.

Stemilt Offers Merchandising Tips to Kick Off Apple Season

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 20:34:17 GMT

Stemilt Growers says it’s going to be a good year for Rave apples, with a 40% increase in volume over last year.

Rave is also one of the first apples of the season hitting stores, and Brianna Shales, marketing director for the Wenatchee, Wash.-based grower, packer and distributor of pears, apples and stone fruit, offers tips to help retailers to jump-start the apple category.

Shales says Rave provides an opportunity to drive momentum ahead of those resets. Offering a bright fuchsia color and refreshing zing, Rave helps retailers signal the start of apple season to shoppers with early-season promotions offering something new and exciting to try, she says.

“Rave apples are the ultimate season starter,” Shales says. “They bring vibrant color, crisp juiciness and bold flavor to produce departments weeks before other varieties. With volume up and quality exceptional as we’re wrapping up harvest, this is the year for retailers to lean in on Rave.”

Shales says retailers can maximize the early-season apple opportunity with simple, impactful tactics such as:

School lunch and snacking tie-ins — Shales recommends positioning Rave as a staple school snack, using its messaging to help shoppers “rave” about what’s in their lunchbox.
Eye-catching displays — Build large, vibrant displays using bright pink Rave boxes, signage and POS to draw attention.
Highlight freshness — Promote Rave as the first fresh-off-the-tree apple of the season, reminding consumers of apples because they aren’t always top of mind in summer.
Snack pairings — Cross-merchandise bagged Rave apples with kid-friendly items like grapes, citrus or cheese sticks to inspire easy lunch and snack ideas.

“Retailers who feature Rave this season will not only delight shoppers but also set the stage for strong apple category performance as fall varieties roll in,” Shales says. “There are great opportunities on bagged Rave apple promotions to help drive volume with shoppers seeking convenience.”

Stemilt offers Rave in 2- and 4-pound pouch bags, poly bags and its sustainable EZ Band pack for larger fruit. Shales says retailers can use the fruit’s signature pink boxes for high-impact, stackable displays.

“Rave is available from August through October, with a juicy, tangy-sweet flavor profile that pairs perfectly with fall favorites like caramel, cheese and cider, giving consumers a versatile snacking apple,” she says.

Ideal summer growing conditions have helped Rave apples have come off the tree with outstanding color, size and flavor balance this year, according to Stemilt.

“Rave is grown in three staple regions of the U.S. to help retailers promote local and high-flavor fruit simultaneously,” Shales explains. “Stemilt, Applewood Fresh, and Yes! Apples work together to create Rave-worthy experiences at the point of sale to take advantage of these standout seasonal apples.”

Artificial Intelligence Joins The Fight Against Weeds, Insects And Disease

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 13:53:42 GMT

The crop protection industry needs a reboot, according to Tony Klemm.

As CEO of Enko, a crop-protection startup, he says the company is taking a different approach to solving one of agriculture’s biggest problems – developing safe, effective and sustainable crop protection products that can be brought to the marketplace faster and more economically.

Traditional discovery pipelines for herbicides, fungicides, insecticides are not keeping pace with real challenges farmers face, such as resistance issues, he told Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk on Thursday.

A 2024 study funded by Crop Life International reports the costs associated with bringing a new active ingredient to major U.S. and European markets now top $300 million. In addition, the survey says the average lead time between the first synthesis of a new crop protection molecule and its subsequent commercial introduction is now over 12 years.

Part of the long development time required is related to regulatory hurdles. “There’s just increasing demand for meeting environmental safety needs, rightfully so,” Klemm says.

A Paradigm Shift
Enko, based in Mystic, Conn., is using artificial intelligence (AI) and a machine learning discovery platform to guide the company’s research and development efforts. Klemm describes the strategy as a paradigm shift from the current industry practices for how small molecule crop protection discovery has been done.

“We use DNA-encoded libraries, and these libraries allow our scientists to explore this massive, diverse chemical space in a very targeted, automated and expansive way,” he says.

The technology allows Enko scientists to look at billions of molecules and screen them for safety and efficacy and, in the process, develop them faster and more economically.

“We still have to take the regulatory journey that, right now, no one’s figured out a way to expedite,” he notes. “But getting to that regulatory queue faster and better on the front side is really what’s bringing us that cost savings, that efficacy and is going to allow for more products to be put into the regulatory queue in a faster manner.”

Progress To Date
So far, Klemm says Enko has delivered about 50 active programs that cover all facets of weeds, insects and disease. Many use novel or new modes of action that Klemm believes will help farmers fight resistance issues, such as herbicide resistance in Palmer amaranth and pigweed.

“We’re really working on how we can bring new modes of action to farmers, give them fresh tools to win that fight. And our chemistries work using fewer active ingredients, from perspective of the load on the acre, so we’re designing safer chemistry for the future,” he says.

Specifically, Klemm says Enko recently announced a new grass herbicide is in the pipeline for the European cereals market for control of black grass. The company also has conducted field trials for corn and soybean products in the U.S. that he anticipates are five to 10 years away from market launch, depending on how long they take to move through regulatory channels.

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