WASHINGTON, DC - How can produce marketers discover the best ways to communicate the appeal of fruits and vegetables to boost sales and grow consumption? Only at the Consumer Connection Conference, where produce marketers will network and learn from dozens who influence consumers’ purchasing decisions every day. Hosted by The Foundation for Fresh Produce, the Consumer Connection Conference will be held April 28-30, 2025 in Dallas, TX.

“The Consumer Connection Conference provides an unmatched opportunity for produce marketers to learn, share and collaborate on ways to foster deeper connections with consumers in an ever-evolving marketplace,” said CarrieAnn Arias, President and CEO, Pear Bureau Northwest and Director, Foundation for Fresh Produce in a press release. “This event is essential for anyone who is passionate about driving consumer demand to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.”

Attendees will hear from experts in consumer behavior, gain insights into trends that are shaping food choices, and network with influencers across retail, foodservice, nutrition, and lifestyle media. The conference’s speakers and sessions are laser-focused on the consumer—what they think, how they feel, and how to reach them in a meaningful way that drives true behavior change.

The education lineup is headlined by the session: “Unlocking Consumer Trends: Shaping the Future of Produce Demand.” Partnering with Russell Research, IFPA will unveil key insights into health and wellness priorities, shifting demographics, and their impact on consumer choices. Attendees will gain practical strategies to align with these trends and position their business for success in 2025 and beyond.

Attendees will enjoy several networking opportunities including an Opening Reception, Networking Breakfasts and Lunches, Have a Plant® Social Soiree—the main culinary experience where produce-centric cuisine takes center stage, creating inspiration for everyone to take back to consumers both in real-time, outside of the conference walls on social media and beyond.

“With a variety of engaging and informative education sessions presented by industry leaders and opportunities to collaborate with key communicators, attendees will leave with actionable strategies to connect with today’s health-conscious consumer,” said Katie Calligaro, Director, Marketing and Communications, The Foundation for Fresh Produce.

Click here to register for The Consumer Connection Conference. Seats are limited, so anyone interested in a deeper understanding of consumer outreach should register soon!

BUXTON, ND - NoKota Packers announced the celebration of the company’s 45^th anniversary as they closed out a successful year and the official launch of a new logo on January 1, 2025.

Founded in 1979, NoKota Packers shipped 220,000 hundred weight of potatoes and employed 18 employees in their first season. Forty-five years later, the company has more than doubled in size—working with nine different growing operations, shipping over 600,000 hundred weight of potatoes.

“For 45 years, we have been known to provide the best spuds in our area. We decided that celebrating this important milestone is the right time to reveal a new logo that reflects the new ownership and the advancements NoKota Packers has made,” noted Carissa Olsen, President and Chief Executive Officer of NoKota Packers. “We simplified the look and added Buxton, ND, to honor our location in the Red River Valley. The maroon/red color honors the tradition of our red potatoes, the green signifies the plant and sustainability, and the updated font gives it a modern look and feel.”

According to a press release, 2024 was a pivotal year for NoKota Packers, as the company completed significant projects, allowing them to produce more finished products each day while expanding their capacity for improved efficiencies, grower opportunities, and profits. The projects include updating a 20-year-old packaging line, adding a robotic stacker to the end of the two main packing lines, and updating the optical sorter on the wash line.

To continue growing and maintaining a supply of quality potatoes, NoKota plans to invest in technology and automation while exploring opportunities for possible expansion in the future.

In addition to the success of these projects, NoKota reported that 2024 was an ideal growing season in the Red River Valley, with average and above-average yields and quality after several dry years.

MARLBOROUGH, MA & LOUISVILLE, KY - BJ’s Wholesale Club announced that its club in Louisville, Kentucky, will open on January 31, 2025.

The club, located at 4807 Outer Loop, near the Jefferson Mall, is BJ’s first club in Kentucky and marks its 250^th location. It will have an on-site BJ’s Gas location with everyday low fuel prices and potential extra savings through BJ’s Fuel Saver Program.

“Our growth is the result of delivering unbeatable value and convenience to families for more than 40 years,” said Bill Werner, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Development, BJ’s Wholesale Club. “As we celebrate this milestone, I want to thank the team members who serve our members every day as well as those who bring our new clubs to life. We look forward to building on our momentum and bringing clubs to more new communities in 2025 and beyond.”

BJ’s offers unmatched value on everyday essentials in a convenient one-stop shop. As a press release noted, members can save on fresh foods, produce, full-service deli items, fresh bakery goods, household essentials, home décor, pet supplies, toys, tech, and more. BJ’s members love the true treasure-hunt shopping experience, finding new and exciting items with every visit.

“We’re looking forward to taking care of the families who depend on us and serving our newest members in the Louisville community,” said Samuel Walters, Club Manager, Louisville BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We can’t wait for our members to enjoy savings of up to 25% off grocery store prices every day.”

BJ’s has a longstanding commitment to nourishing its communities. For over 15 years, it has worked with Feeding America and its network of food banks, providing more than 125 million meals for those in need. In the Louisville community, BJ’s is partnering with Dare to Care Food Bank by donating unsold produce, meat, dairy and more every week.

Additionally, BJ’s Charitable Foundation has granted Dare to Care more than $57,000 to support its South Louisville mobile pantry program, helping to get quality food directly into the hands of those who need it.

“We’re excited to collaborate with BJ’s Wholesale Club as a new community partner in Louisville,” said Vincent James, President and CEO of Dare to Care Food Bank. “This partnership will help deepen our mission of providing pathways to end hunger in our community.”

BJ’s members can choose from several time-saving options whether shopping online or in-club. Curbside pick-up, in-club pick-up, same-day delivery, and standard delivery are available on BJs.com, while members shopping in-club can use ExpressPay through the BJ’s mobile app to scan products as they shop and skip the checkout line.

Additional member perks include:

• Unbeatable grocery store prices: Members can save up to 25% off grocery store prices every day
• A risk-free membership: Shoppers can try BJ’s risk-free with the company’s 100% money-back guaranteed membership
• BJ’s coupons + manufacturers’ coupons: Members can combine BJ’s coupons with many manufacturers’ coupons for maximum savings
• BJ’s Gas: Members can fill up at any BJ’s Gas®location at low prices. Plus, members can save even more throughBJ’s Fuel Saver Program

Local shoppers can join the new club now with limited-time exclusive offers. New members can sign up for The Club Card Membership at $55 for 1-year membership with BJ’s Easy Renewal® and get a $40 welcome reward or The Club+ Card Membership at $110 for 1-year membership with BJ’s Easy Renewal® and get an $80 welcome reward. The Club+ Card Membership holders receive 5¢ off/gal. at BJ’s Gas and earn 2% back in rewards on most BJ’s purchases.

All BJ’s memberships are subject to BJ’s current membership terms, ask in-club or go to BJs.com/terms.

BRAMPTON, ON - Savvy Loblaw shoppers coast-to-coast have saved more than $50 million in 2024 on groceries—and over $238 million in the past 5 years!—simply by shopping on the Flashfood app. Flashfood is a marketplace that connects customers to great deals on fresh groceries and is available in 850 Loblaw grocery stores across Canada.

With the Flashfood app, shoppers save up to 50 percent off everyday essentials that are nearing their best-by date or where the store has excess inventory, including meats, dairy, seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables, prepared foods, and more. Purchases are made directly through the app and customers simply pick up their order from the Flashfood Zone located inside their participating Loblaw grocery store, a press release stated.

Since initiating its partnership with Flashfood in 2019, Loblaw has diverted nearly 86 million pounds of potential food waste from landfill through the program—a major milestone, as Loblaw aims to send zero food to landfill by 2030.

“With the rising cost of living, Canadians are looking for more ways to save money. Last year alone, customers purchased more than 900,000 boxes of fresh produce at our stores through the Flashfood app,” explained Jonathan Carroll, SVP, Superstore Operations and head of Loblaw’s food waste reduction initiatives. “This partnership allows us to offer incredible value to our customers while taking meaningful action to reduce food waste. It’s a win-win for our customers, our business, and the environment.”

“Loblaw’s commitment to sustainability and its expansive network of stores have been instrumental in the success of our partnership and our impact on Loblaw’s communities,” said Nicholas Bertram, CEO of Flashfood. “Together, we continue to deliver on our mission to connect families with more affordable groceries in Canada and reduce the amount of food going to landfills.”

Launched at Maxi in 2019, Flashfood is now available in 850 Loblaw grocery stores and franchise locations across Canada, including select No Frills, Maxi, Real Canadian Superstore, Real Atlantic Superstore, Loblaws, Real Canadian Wholesale Club, Zehrs, Your Independent Grocer, Provigo, and Dominion stores.