SAN FRANCISCO, CA & KANSAS CITY, KS - Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) and Instacart are partnering to help independent grocers embrace innovation while navigating the digital space. Expanding their partnership, the pair is offering member grocers e-commerce and same-day delivery solutions—including Caper Carts.

"We've witnessed the tremendous value Instacart brings to many of our local independent grocers, making innovation, growth, and deeper customer engagement possible. That's why we're partnering to streamline access to the technology and service our retail partners need to grow via a proven e-commerce offering,” said Shelly Moore, AWG's Chief Information Officer. “By partnering with Instacart, we’re making it even easier for our member retailers to bring the convenience of e-commerce to life and ultimately drive business growth.”

With more than 800 AWG member retailer locations currently using Instacart, this extended collaboration simplifies access for an additional 2,300 member retailer locations to join Instacart’s technology suite, a release stated.

In addition to offering same-day delivery, Instacart also equips retailers with in-store technology solutions like Caper Carts, which use computer vision and AI to automatically identify items as they are placed in the cart. AWG members will deploy these smart carts to transform the traditional checkout experience, allowing customers to bag items as they shop and make payments from anywhere in the store. Customers will also be able to link their loyalty account to the carts, gaining access to personalized promotions and savings as they shop.

"Our joint effort with AWG is more than a partnership; it’s a dedicated effort to empower independently owned grocers to navigate the digital landscape," said Nick Nickitas, General Manager of Local Independent Grocery at Instacart and Founder of Rosie. "Through this collaboration, AWG’s retailers now have access to convenient, cost-effective solutions that allow them to easily bring their stores to their customers' doors. We're excited about what we can achieve together.”

To read more about this growing partnership, click here.

For more updates on grocery innovation, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

NEW ZEALAND - Tariff relief will soon be impacting growers who export kiwifruit from New Zealand. According to Zespri™, the fast-tracked implementation of New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreement with the European Union is a significant boost for the kiwifruit industry as a whole.

“It delivers tariff relief at a time when the industry is resetting after a very challenging period and consumers are also facing rising living costs,” Dan Mathieson, Chief Executive Officer, says. “In the last two seasons, growers have dealt with a significant labor shortage and resulting quality challenges which coupled with poor growing conditions and rapidly rising costs has put many under real pressure.”

The NZ-EU FTA Legislation Bill received Royal Assent earlier this week, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of the agreement with it to come into force earlier than expected on May 1, 2024. The deal will see the immediate removal of the 8.8 percent tariff on New Zealand kiwifruit exports from then.

In a press release from Zespri, Mathieson states that the removal of the tariff will support efforts to grow exports to Europe, supplying consumers with more of the world’s best kiwifruit and returning more value back to growers and partners.

“This year, the industry is poised to rebound strongly with more volume and a quality reset which has us ready to deliver a strong season in [a] market where demand continues to grow off the back of our ongoing investment,” he says.

Around 90 percent of Zespri’s exports to Europe this season arrive after May 1, though the removal of the tariff has been factored into the start of the season.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the efforts of all those who helped to make this agreement happen and who helped get it into place so quickly including Trade Minister Todd McClay and former Trade Minister Damien O’Connor,” Mathieson adds. “We’re looking forward to delivering the world’s best kiwifruit to more consumers and creating ongoing value for our industry and our partners and communities in Europe and New Zealand.”

We look forward to seeing what this change means for the kiwifruit industry as a whole!

WATSONVILLE, CA - I eat blueberries with breakfast every morning, so California Giant Berry Farms’ recent update caught my attention. The berry grower forecasts significant volumes of domestic blueberries ahead, touting high yields and exceptional quality as consumer demand persists.

“We’re forecasting a strong harvest of domestic conventional and organic blueberries in the immediate months, from several different growing regions including California, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. This will all be followed by a large blueberry crop coming from the Pacific Northwest growing regions in early July,” shared Thomas Smith, Director of Sales.

Conventionally grown Florida blueberries have just begun harvesting, and California Giant expects peak volumes by mid-to-late April. Georgia production is forecasted to start in early April as well and will hit peak production in early May. Concurrently, the North Carolina growing region will add to volumes that bolster the southeast season, a press release noted.

Promotable volumes from the opposite side of the states—California’s Central Valley—will provide ample supplies of fresh blueberries from mid-May through mid-to-late June. California Giant has been harvesting its Oxnard, California, organic blueberry crop since early 2024 and will hit peak production volume in early April, before a steady decline in May. The Central Valley organic blueberry crop will begin peak production in late April with production continuing through May.

“We’re on the right track to have a very good supply of high-quality blueberries throughout the domestic season,” added Smith.

Through the shared industry goal to drive significant increases in blueberry consumption, California Giant continues to provide a year-round supply of sustainably grown fresh berries that represent the highest standards for quality and consistency.

For updates on blueberries and more, you know where to find us.

DELTA, BRITISH COLUMBIA & SANTA MARIA, CA - This week, we honor the hardworking men and women who tirelessly bring fresh produce to consumers’ tables. In celebration of National Farmworkers Awareness Week, WINDSET FARMS® is paying tribute to these key industry members by spotlighting its ongoing commitment to its workforce.

Windset Farms always finds fun and meaningful ways to appreciate and celebrate its farmworkers throughout the year. This includes bringing in food trucks for lunches, monthly raffles, and holiday giveaways and events! In Delta, British Columbia, Windset partners with a local church organization that comes to the facilities to teach foreign workers how to read, write, and speak English, a release explained. Most recently, they’ve also launched a program to help foreign workers complete their annual taxes, providing support during and after the process.

“It’s important that we teach our employees these vital life skills. We educate them on everything from computer skills to WorkSafe BC responsibilities. We talk to them about what is expected of us and what we expect from them in return. You see a great sense of ownership and pride when employees have the tools and resources to succeed,” Tony Pacheco, Windset Farms Operations Manager, said. “We recently hosted a dinner to celebrate the first planting of the season and thank the farmworkers who assisted with this milestone.”

Similar initiatives take place at Windset’s Santa Maria, California, facility. The Champions of the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) Leadership Team recently worked with EFI on a waste reduction project that was implemented across the Santa Maria facility. These initiatives and growth opportunities aim to support Windset employees' mental well-being so they can flourish in their roles and lives.

Windset was one of the first greenhouse vegetable companies to adopt the EFI in 2017, and all of its facilities are EFI-certified. This independent certification program is centered around employee well-being and sustainable practices, including Employee Health and safety, Food Safety, and Pest Management. Being an EFI-certified farm builds on Windset’s existing employee wellness programs, providing employees with added trust that the company is putting their needs first.

To learn more about what Windset is doing to support its workers, click here.

Cheers to those farmworkers behind the scenes making sure fresh fruits and vegetables make it to shelves worldwide!