ENCINO, CA - With multiple wildfires continuing to spread in Southern California, many industry members on both the buy- and supply-sides are doing what they can to maintain operations and support each other. Ryan Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gelson’s Markets, recently released the below statement:

The wildfires affecting our region have brought devastating loss and disruption to our communities. With a heavy heart, we share that our Palisades store has been completely lost to the fires. This store was more than just a place to shop—it was a cornerstone of the community, and we grieve this loss alongside the team members, customers, and neighbors who called it their own.

Now that mandatory evacuation has been lifted in La Cañada, our La Cañada store is open to serve our community. We are deeply grateful to all the first responders who bravely fought against the Eaton fire, ensuring the safety of our community and our store. Additionally, we are extraordinarily thankful to report that our Calabasas store has reopened and is ready to serve our community.

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these tragedies. We are committed to supporting our employees during this challenging time, ensuring they have access to resources and aid as they navigate their own hardships.

As a company deeply rooted in the communities we serve, we are committed to exploring every avenue to assist in recovery efforts. We will stand with our neighbors, supporting and working together to rebuild what has been lost.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate this difficult time. Your support means everything to us, and we are hopeful for the future as we work together to rebuild and recover. We will keep you updated as the situation evolves.

Our thoughts are with all of those who are facing these challenging times.

BOISE, ID - Albertsons Companies reported results for the third quarter of fiscal 2024, which ended November 30, 2024.

"We delivered solid operating and financial performance in the third quarter of fiscal 2024 in an environment where the consumer remains cautious," said Vivek Sankaran, Chief Executive Officer, in a release from the retailer. "Investments in our Customers for Life strategy drove increased digital engagement across our platforms, evidenced by strong growth in our digital sales, pharmacy operations, and membership in our loyalty program. We want to thank our teams for their ongoing commitment to serving our customers and supporting the communities in which we operate, especially during the holiday season."

Third Quarter of Fiscal 2024 Highlights

• Identical sales increased 2 percent
• Digital sales increased 23 percent
• Loyalty members increased 15 percent to 44.3 million
• Net income of $401 million, or $0.69 per share
• Adjusted net income of $420 million, or $0.71 per share
• Adjusted EBITDA of $1,065 million
• Increased quarterly common stock dividend by 25 percent to $0.15 per share

Sankaran added, "As we look ahead to the balance of fiscal 2024 and beyond, we are energized about our plans to accelerate growth through our Customers for Life strategy, leveraging investments to enhance digital engagement and omnichannel revenue growth, improve our value proposition with customers, and drive digital media growth. At the same time, we expect our robust productivity agenda to provide fuel to invest in the business. We look forward to driving growth and providing value to our customers and returns to our stockholders."

For more information from the report, click here.

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WOODLAND, CA - Syngenta Vegetable Seeds and Apricus Seeds announced the signing of a global licensing agreement that will provide Syngenta exclusive access to Apricus’ best-in-class germplasm and breeding pipeline in watermelon, melon, and squash. The addition of this cucurbit germplasm complements Syngenta’s existing cucurbits portfolio.

“We’re thrilled to embark on this partnership with Apricus Seeds and explore opportunities to innovate together and deliver the best seed genetics to growers,” said Matthew Johnston, Global Head of Vegetable Seeds and Flowers at Syngenta. “Industry collaboration is essential to serving growers of every type around the world. No single company has all the solutions, and we’re proud to partner across the industry to help bring more solutions to our customers.”

Apricus Seeds was founded in 2020 on a foundation of advanced germplasm, according to a press release. Located in Woodland, California, where it maintains research fields and core breeding programs, the company currently sells both open-pollinated and proprietary hybrid seeds across North America, South America, Europe, and the Middle East.

“Partnering with Syngenta is a natural next step in the evolution of Apricus,” said Larry Fernandez, Chief Executive Officer of Apricus Seeds. “We’ve quickly built a strong portfolio of high-quality seeds, and this partnership will allow us to get our seeds into the hands of more growers around the world. We look forward to continuing to innovate together in the years to come.”

Syngenta was one of first companies to breed vegetable varieties more than 150 years ago, and today is the most global organization in the industry with Vegetable Seeds teams operating in more than 60 countries and shipping seeds to 124 countries.

For more information on Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, please visit www.syngentavegetables.com.

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