IRVINGTON, NY - BrightFarms, a national leader in the indoor farming industry, announced a campaign with Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, to deliver free salad kits* following Quitters Day. Noted as the day when most people abandon their New Year's resolutions, Quitters Day is typically recognized as the second Friday in January.

To keep the spirit of healthful resolutions alive longer, BrightFarms and Instacart offered free Crunch Kits™ before the month ended on Thursday, January 23. Consumers can head to the Instacart website or app to redeem this offer with their Instacart order and select an eligible Crunch Kit™ of their choosing while supplies last. *Delivery, sales tax, and other fees will still apply.

"We're committed to bringing our customers the crispiest, crunchiest, and freshest lettuce imaginable. Our partnership with Instacart takes that promise even further, ensuring that you can enjoy produce that's not just better for your plate but better for the planet too," said Jessica Soare, Senior Director of Marketing at BrightFarms. "We at BrightFarms are excited to help make healthy eating a bit easier at a time when it's hard to consistently work toward wellness goals. We hope that we can help turn Quitters Day into a celebration of fresh beginnings, fueling our customers with fresh and locally-grown greens delivered directly to their doors."

As a leader in the indoor farming industry that makes fresh, responsibly-grown produce, BrightFarms offers a robust line of fresh lettuce and herb options, from classic greens to crunchy mixes.

According to a press release, as part of the Quitters Day promotion, Instacart customers can choose to redeem one of the following fan-favorite salad kits:

• Mediterranean: a vegetarian-driven salad featuring bright and robust Greek flavors, feta cheese, roasted lentils, herbed flatbread, and a feta vinaigrette
• Southwest Chipotle: a perfect blend of heat and smoke with tangy, bold flavors featuring fire-roasted corn, cotija cheese, tortilla strips, and chipotle ranch dressing
• Chickpea Caesar: a delightful twist on a culinary classic. This kit starts with fresh BrightFarms Sunny Crunch greens, topped with crispy chickpeas, organic quinoa, shaved parmesan, garlic crouton crumbles, and paired with a vegan Caesar dressing
• Sunny Bacon: a savory salad topped with uncured bacon bits, shredded white cheddar cheese, sunflower seeds, crispy onions, herb croutons, and paired with a vegan Ranch dressing

For more information, visit www.brightfarms.com or www.instacart.com.

SEATTLE, WA - Worldwide Amazon Stores CEO Doug Herrington recently sent the following message to the company:

I’m excited to share that Jason Buechel will take on an expanded responsibility leading Worldwide Grocery Stores (WWGS) while maintaining his current role as CEO of Whole Foods Market (WFM), joining the Stores Leadership Team and reporting to me. I think you all know Jason, but you may not be familiar with his background. He has been with WFM since 2013. Prior to his role as CEO, he served as COO, providing operational leadership over all WFM physical stores, and overseeing the company’s technology, supply chain and distribution, store real estate and design, and HR functions. In his time as CEO, Jason has unlocked our ability to make high-quality natural and organic groceries more affordable and accessible to customers, helping WFM achieve record sales growth and expand to over 535 locations. Claire Peters and Anand Varadarajan will report to Jason moving forward.

Since creating a single WW Grocery Stores organization in 2022, we have made notable progress in our vision to make grocery shopping simpler, faster, and more affordable for customers. We’ve taken steps to integrate our huge grocery selection across our broader logistics network, and create a more seamless experience for customers, especially Prime members. This work will continue under Jason’s leadership. I am incredibly energized by our momentum in grocery. Our new Grocery Subscription is getting fantastic response from customers. We continue to be focused on great selection and value at Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and Amazon Go. We’re getting great feedback on our new and redesigned Amazon Fresh stores. We’re also excited by new experiments, like in Phoenix, where customers can shop tens of thousands of grocery items—including fresh groceries—alongside millions of Amazon.com products, and have them delivered, together, in hours.

Jason will be a fantastic leader to take the team forward and deliver on the solid 2025 plans the team has built. Claire will continue in her role leading Amazon Fresh, Amazon Go, and Grocery Partnerships, and Anand will continue to lead all of product and technology for WWGS. I’m thankful for their support through this transition.

Please join me in congratulating Jason. I’m excited for the year ahead.

IRVINE, CA - The 2025 California avocado harvest is now projected to be in the range of 375 million pounds, which is the largest crop estimate for the locally grown fruit since 2020. Recent extremely high winds in California slightly dampened very early season projections, but the industry is still optimistic for a particularly good season. Investment by California avocado growers who have increased the planting of new trees and improved average per acre yield are contributing to this optimism. Fruit sizing and the actual harvest total will be influenced by natural factors, and growers are hoping for beneficial rain and sunshine to come. Meanwhile, some growers are size-picking now in time to support Big Game promotions with retailers. Peak availability of California avocados is expected to occur from spring through summer this year.

Starting in spring, the California Avocado Commission will launch the latest evolution of its What’s Inside a California Avocado creative campaign through advertising and social media. The creative takes consumers straight into California avocado groves to communicate key messaging of the fruit’s locally grown, sustainably farmed, and ethically sourced attributes while reminding them how delicious and high-quality California avocados are. These ads were filmed in beautiful California avocado groves in San Diego, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties. Consumer media will include streaming and connected TV, audio, outdoor, and custom digital partnerships. There also will be hyper-local media outreach in key markets for the brand.

“The Commission is in full gear implementing marketing support programs for the quickly approaching California avocado season,” said CAC Vice President of Marketing Terry Splane. “In addition to media and social media activity, customized marketing programs for retailers and foodservice operators who partner with the Commission are a cornerstone of CAC’s trade support.”

In many cases, priority communications for California avocados dovetail with strategic priorities for retailers, such as supporting local farmers, sustainability, and ethical sourcing. The Commission often supports customers’ own initiatives with unique materials featuring local California avocado growers. Programs can include traditional merchandising support such as point-of-sale materials, display bins, sales contests, demos, and more. CAC also supports customer-sponsored advertising, social, and consumer public relations activities.

“This season, with additional volume projected compared to the last few years, we are excited to provide continued support to loyal partners and reach out to more customers whose strategic priorities and shopper profiles align with ours,” said Splane. “We’re looking forward to heightened creativity in our customer programs and our consumer marketing support.”

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA - The Raley’s Companies (TRC), a purpose-driven food company, announces two new leadership appointments to continue accelerating its strategic vision and growth trajectory.

Jen Warner has been promoted to TRCs’ Chief Growth and Transformation Officer. In this newly created role, Warner will focus on propelling the long-range plan for the organization to keep TRC at the forefront of innovation in the grocery industry.

“We were the first to combine food and general merchandise into one store, the first to have a health shop within the store, and the first to offer a shelf guide to assist customers in making healthier and more informed food choices,” said Mike Teel, Chairman of the Board, The Raley’s Companies. “We were also an early adopter of eCommerce and a leader in customer loyalty—all of this thanks to a legacy of innovators that our newly appointed leaders will no doubt continue to advance.”

In that same spirit of growth and innovation, Warner will work closely with stakeholders across the TRC organization to continue driving smart, bold moves and meaningful transformation to position the company as a super-regional market leader in the Western United States.

“Jen is a proven and visionary leader who will continue to enhance our already strong team. As we enter this next chapter of growth and transformation, I am confident our senior leadership team has the knowledge, skill, and courage to achieve our objectives and meet the demands of consumers who are looking for healthier options to enhance their lives,” said Keith Knopf, President and CEO, The Raley’s Companies.

In her new capacity as Chief Growth and Transformation Officer, Warner will continue to report to Knopf as well as continue to work closely with TRC’s Chief Financial Officer, Tiffanie Burkhalter to drive growth, a press release explained.

As a further step toward commitment to growth and innovation, Levi Wingo has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Product and Merchandising Innovation for TRC, reporting to Jen. In this new role, Levi will lead product innovation with a focus on quality, health, creativity, and consistency. He will oversee all product innovation functions and related strategies, private label development, and centralized manufacturing operations.

“Levi deeply understands every aspect of our business. He is a bold, creative, and futuristic leader who knows how to shape outcomes and inspire our teams. Levi will work alongside our TRC leadership team and our Operating Division Presidents to deliver impactful change that will elevate our brands and position us to exceed the expectations of the communities we serve,” said Warner.

With these strategic leadership changes, TRC is poised to achieve new milestones in its journey toward becoming a regional market leader and a trailblazer in the food industry.

“Our purpose to change the way the world eats, one plate at a time’ is driving our actions and is in line with our long-range plan built on a commitment to transform not only our company but also the food industry through our courage, vision, and commitment to helping people live healthier and more vital lives. I am certain Jen and Levi will be a key part of advancing our mission and our strategic plan,” said Knopf.

Jen’s successor, the President of Raley’s Operating division, will be announced in the coming days.

PELION, SC - WP Rawl, the leading grower, processor, and shipper of leafy greens in the U.S., celebrated its 100^th year in business this past weekend.

On Saturday, January 25, Walter P. Rawl and Sons, Inc., also known as WP Rawl, marked its centennial. The company hosted a fun-filled celebration and ribbon-cutting event on Thursday to unveil the newly expanded Busy Bee Farm exhibit at the EdVenture Children's Museum in Columbia, SC. The event was attended by team members, long-time vendors, customers, family, and community friends.

According to a press release, the exhibit was updated and doubled in size from its original design which was built five years prior. Featuring more hands-on activities for children, including educational displays, and interactive elements designed to inspire curiosity and understanding of the operation from seed to delivery. Upon departure guests received a commemorative cookbook, compiling 100 recipes from Rawl family members and those gathered throughout the company's 100 years.

Following the ribbon-cutting, WP Rawl hosted a Community Day at EdVenture, offering free admission to the museum for the first 100 visitors on Sunday, January 26. Attendees had the chance to meet and learn from WP Rawl team members, who shared insights into their roles, the company's operations, their products, and career opportunities available within the industry. The museum welcomes over 170,000 children at the Columbia location, and about 230,000 children across both locations each year.

In addition to the external celebrations, WP Rawl organized internal cake-cutting celebrations for each department to recognize the company milestone and highlight the hard work and dedication of each team. For their over-the-road drivers, the company partnered with a gourmet custom cookie decorator who created beautifully designed cookies with their commemorative 100-year logo. The company will celebrate throughout the year with additional events.

"We proudly partnered with the EdVenture Children's Museum again to expand the Busy Bee Farm exhibit," said Ashley Rawl, VP of Sales, Marketing, and Product Development at WP Rawl. "Our team, in collaboration with the EdVenture team, has poured their hearts into creating this new exhibit. Five years ago, we opened our first farm exhibit here at EdVenture, and has now expanded to showcase the full scope of WP Rawl’s operations. We are excited about the educational experience this exhibit will provide for the children who visit. A huge thank you to the team who helped make all of this possible."

This milestone would not be possible without the dedication and support of our vendors, customers, and, most importantly, our WP Rawl family of employees.

The company also highlighted the momentous occasion with a short video.

ST. LOUIS, MO - Save A Lot, one of the country’s largest discount grocery chains, is launching a national golden sweepstakes through its loyalty app, Save A Lot Rewards. Over the next six weeks through March 9, three lucky winners per week will receive a $250 Save A Lot gift card. To enter, download the Save A Lot Rewards app and register. Then clip the reward for the golden sweepstakes.

Visit savealot.com/terms/goldensweepstakes for official rules.

Save A Lot debuted its Save A Lot Rewards loyalty program in October 2024, which offers points or “dots” for shoppers to redeem for rewards at over 650 participating Save A Lot locations. The app also features exclusive coupons and deals to deliver additional value for Save A Lot shoppers. In the last half of 2024, Rewards users have saved over half a million dollars by using the app at checkout.

“We’re thrilled to kick off the New Year with our golden sweepstakes, offering our shoppers weekly opportunities to win a $250 gift card through our loyalty app,” said Katie Kobus, VP of Marketing at Save A Lot. “We know how important value is to our shoppers, which is why our loyalty program helps them find the best deals and promotions all year round.”

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes begins on January 27, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. CT and ends on March 9, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT. Open only to legal U.S. residents (excluding Rhode Island) who are 18 years of age or older and reside in the contiguous United States.

See Official Rules at www.savealot.com/terms/goldensweepstakes for complete details. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited.