AUSTIN, TX - Consumers love convenience, and Whole Foods Market is answering the call for a quick shopping experience with its latest format. Called Whole Foods Market Daily Shop, the new stores will provide shoppers in urban neighborhoods with smaller, more convenient stores where they can stock up on fresh, high-quality offerings.

“At our new store formats, we’re tailoring every square foot to the unique, fast-paced needs of urban lifestyles. We’re excited to introduce a new way for our customers to quickly pick up their Whole Foods Market favorites—from grab-and-go meals to that last-minute dinner ingredient—making the early morning or after work grocery trips more efficient and enjoyable,” said Christina Minardi, Executive Vice President Growth and Development, Whole Foods Market and Amazon. “Expanding our footprint with Whole Foods Market Daily Shop is key to our growth, fostering deeper customer connections, and advancing our purpose to nourish people and the planet.”

Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will initially launch on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, New York, with more locations in New York City to follow, a release explained. The first store, located at 1175 Third Avenue, is expected to open this year.

These quick-shop stores range from 7,000–14,000 square feet, about a quarter to half the average footprint of the retailer’s usual 40,000 square foot locations. This paves the way for more expansion in dense, metropolitan areas.

Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will provide a convenient option for grab-and-go meals and snacks, weekly essentials, and a quick, easy destination to pick up ingredients to complete a meal. All items will meet the company’s rigorous quality standards.

Though smaller, the stores will still offer Whole Foods Market favorites, including an ample selection of fresh, seasonal produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods like sandwiches and pre-packed meals, bread, alcohol, and supplements, as well as a handpicked range of local specialties.

To learn more about this new format, click here.

When will we see this format popping up nationwide? Stay tuned to ANUK for updates.

DENVER, CO - The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) opened registration for the 15^th Annual Research Symposium. This year, the event will take place June 18–19 at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado.

According to an announcement from the organization, the first 50 registrants will receive $50 off their registration fee. Plus, all sponsor levels are available; click here to find out more about these opportunities. Current sponsors include the International Fresh Produce Association, Western Growers, and more.

CPS is a charitable organization focused exclusively on providing the produce industry and government with open access to the actionable information needed to continually enhance the safety of produce. The upcoming Research Symposium promises to do just that.

To register for the event, click here. And for more information, keep coming back to ANUK.

BENSON, NC - February was a busy month with Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, a Leap Year, and National Sweetpotato Month! In honor of the produce-centric celebration, the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission (NCSPC) rolled out an influencer campaign and mat release launch to promote sweetpotato purchases and consumption in key markets across the country.

“National Sweetpotato Month is all about showcasing how our beloved vegetable is great for any reason, any season,” stated Michelle Grainger, Executive Director of the NCSPC. “Sweetpotatoes truly are a person’s best friend and make the perfect addition to any plate. Through our digital marketing efforts consumers can get more recipe inspiration that will encourage them to incorporate this vegetable into their daily meal regime making any meal a moment to remember.”

The campaign highlighted food influencers who span a wide range of categories and was meant to attract both Gen-Z and Millennial consumers. Creators included mothers, dietitians, college students, authors, recipe developers, and more, each of whom created unique and eye-catching content.

So far, the campaign has garnered over 184,000 impressions and counting.

Additionally, a TV segment featuring National On-Air Food & Nutrition Expert Mia Syn aired live on ABC Tampa. The segment highlighted fun and easy recipes for Valentine’s Day meal preparations using sweetpotatoes. It also showcased this popular vegetable’s health benefits and paired it with complementary foods.

“As we dive deeper into the digital world, it is vital that we continue to make connections with consumers in different ways,” continued Grainger. “We know that online shopping will continue to grow; with traditional platforms offering recipe content and shoppable links, we can become instrumental in the way consumers incorporate sweetpotatoes into their diets when we offer more digital resources.”

A video mat release featuring a fan-favorite breakfast dish circulated around media outlets across the country, too.

“Our goal is to show the versatility of sweetpotatoes to all generations, ethnicities, and palates,” concluded Grainger. “By working with a diversity of content creators, we are driving awareness to create digital and in-store impulse purchases during National Sweetpotato Month—a period dedicated to bragging all about our state vegetable and its delectable flavor and attributes—and beyond.”

Click here to read more about NCSPC's promotional efforts.

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