SALISBURY, NC - Twelve more stores are gaining access to Food Lion’s convenient Food Lion To Go grocery pickup service, bringing the pickup or home delivery program to a total of 1,108 stores across the retailer’s 10-state footprint.

“We continue to offer Food Lion To Go at additional stores to help our customers spend more time on what matters most to them,” said Evan Harding, Director, Digital and E-Commerce. “We want to give neighbors the option to shop however they prefer, whether in-store or online, while ensuring they have access to fresh groceries at affordable prices.”

With the expansion of this service, customers at the 12 Food Lion stores can confirm availability and place orders through the Food Lion To Go website or the Food Lion To Go app with just the click of a button. The program allows shoppers to place an order, pick up their groceries on the same day, and experience the same low prices and fresh food items they have come to expect without ever leaving their car, a press release shared.

In addition, Food Lion customers can link their MVP savings loyalty card to their account, utilizing digital coupons and redeeming their “Shop & Earn” MVP rewards program savings. As the release went on to note, shoppers can also view their accumulated Shop & Earn rewards on their checkout screen and see which clipped digital coupons will be applied to their order.

Food Lion continues to expand its To Go service across the towns and cities it serves, making it more broadly accessible across its vast retail footprint.

How will the retailer continue to drive shopper loyalty through the promise of convenience?

ANUK will report on the latest moves.

NEW ZEALAND - Extended periods of clear skies, plentiful sunshine, consistently stable temperatures, evenly distributed rainfall, and minimal frosts contributed to strong and healthy growing conditions for the New Zealand avocado season. Now, the export season begins.

“We are optimistic about the export season and the opportunities available,” said Brad Siebert, Chief Executive Officer at New Zealand Avocado. “Our growers work tirelessly to produce fruit that is not only delicious and nutritious but that also adheres to stringent quality control measures.”

Despite facing record levels of rainfall, flooding, and cyclones in previous seasons, growers have demonstrated remarkable resilience in overcoming adversity, a press release stated.

“We are very happy with how our crop is looking this year in New Zealand and we are hopeful and confident for a good harvest and higher volumes to meet our key international markets,” says Anna St George, avocado grower, and Vice Chair of the New Zealand Avocado Growers Association (NZAGA).

Globally there are increasing concerns around product sourcing, food safety, and environmental sustainability, so delivering quality avocados to a variety of international markets is a focus for the New Zealand avocado industry. Just as importantly is delivering avocados with an emphasis on sustainability and responsible growing practices.

“As an industry, New Zealand is committed to providing consumers with quality avocados and after the favorable growing period that we have just had, the outlook for the season has all the right ingredients to be promising,” added Siebert.

With New Zealand avocados hitting shelves, keep reading the latest from ANUK.

YAKIMA, WA - Living in tune with Mother Nature is a coveted skill in our industry—one that Superfresh Growers® has successfully mastered as it pushes further toward its sustainability goals. In a double-feature video release, the supplier invited viewers to explore its orchards, diving into the company’s use of beneficial insects and shade cloth to mitigate environmental challenges.

In the first video, Battling Pests with IPM, Director of Sustainability and Packaging Tyler Weinbender visits an orchard block struggling with aphid issues. While observing the release of ladybugs and lacewings—two beneficial insects that naturally combat pests—Weinbender discusses how Integrated Pest Management (IPM) can be more effective than insecticides, particularly when dealing with aphids. As a press release explained, ladybugs and lacewings prevent damage caused by aphids in a way that can be more cost-effective than chemical treatments.

Giving us a look at another element of its sustainability efforts, the July Orchard Update with Horticulturist and Proprietary Variety Developer Dave Gleason explores strategies for managing potential climate threats, specifically by mitigating light intensity with shade cloth.

While the desert environment in Central Washington is ideal for apple cultivation, it also poses significant risks due to high solar intensity, a press release explained. Sunburn can damage apple skin, diverting apples straight to the processor.

Superfresh ensures the success of its orchards by integrating nature’s allies into its pest management strategies and adapting to the challenges posed by climate change. The provider’s exclusive video features offer an up-close look at the company’s commitment and approach to cultivating high-quality apples, pears, cherries, and blueberries in the Pacific Northwest.

Stay tuned as ANUK continues to cover the latest releases from Superfresh!

BENTONVILLE, AR - New innovations and partnerships are fueling operational efficiency and reducing food waste at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. A new program called Zero Depack removes expired food—which is destined for the waste stream—from its packaging.

“Every Walmart facility has a part to play in operating more sustainably by making meaningful choices that increase efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve the experiences for our associates and customers,” RJ Zanes, Vice President of Facility Services for Walmart U.S., wrote in an announcement. “For our customers, sustainability comes to life through the services and products we offer, while our associates experience it through our improved ways of working. As an operator for almost 25 years, I've seen how integrating more sustainable practices across our operations can drive this and help infuse a sense of pride among our associates.”

Located in the back of the store, the new technology and simplified processes aid associates in more efficiently “de-packaging” food waste. The program aims to create cleaner waste streams, happier associates, and a host of potential sustainability opportunities.

To support the program, Walmart is partnering with Denali to install de-packaging technology. Denali's experience and expertise made it an ideal choice to help launch the program in more than 1,400 Walmart stores and Sam's Clubs as of July 2024, the announcement stated.

“At each of these locations, the associates’ role in sustainability has become more efficient: They just toss the item in the receptacle, and Denali’s technology separates the food from its packaging material with impressive accuracy,” Zanes commented. “The company says the new machines can separate as much as 97 percent of all trash from organic food waste. This means our associates will spend less time supporting the recycling process and more time doing what they’re best at—helping our customers and members.”

For more from the announcement, click here. And keep reading ANUK for more retail updates like this.