CARLISLE, PA - The GIANT Company, known locally as GIANT and MARTIN’S, announced it has entered into a purchase agreement with Bob and Joe Appleby to acquire Everett Foodliner and Saxton Market, two grocery stores located in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The transaction includes both the real estate and related grocery and fuel business assets. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“GIANT’S story began more than 100 years ago when two brothers opened our very first store in Carlisle, Pennsylvania,” said John Ruane, president, The GIANT Company, in the recent release. “We are honored that the Appleby Family has placed their trust in us and chose us to continue their legacy of serving families in Everett and Saxton.”

The Everett Foodliner is located at 250 West Main St., in Everett, and the Saxton Market is located at 509 Main St., in Saxton.

“While it was a difficult decision to make, we are pleased by the care GIANT has shown for our business, employees, and customers,” said Bob and Joe Appleby. “We know our family business is in good hands with GIANT and we can’t wait to celebrate with them when the stores reopen later this year.”

Upon completion of the sale, GIANT will temporarily close both stores for a remodel. Additional details on amenities, hours, and opening dates will be shared at a later date. Employees of Everett Foodliner and Saxton Market will have the opportunity to interview for positions with GIANT.

“Expanding in existing markets is a key element of GIANT’S strategic growth plan,” continued Ruane. “We look forward to working closely with Bob and Joe on the transition, welcoming our new team members, and delivering value, freshness, and kindness to our new customers.”

The company currently operates four MARTIN’S stores in the Altoona-Johnstown market, employing nearly 600 team members.

ORANGE COUNTY, CA - The 2025 season outperformed previous sales periods, with a retail sales increase of +46% year over year. This reinforces Zespri’s role as the #1 selling kiwi brand. To further build on this momentum, retailers and tradeshow attendees can learn more about what Zespri has in store for another exciting season, including a preview of a new consumer campaign and marketing programs, when they stop by Zespri’s booth #825 during the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure (SEPC) trade show in Orlando, Florida, February 26 – March 1, 2026.

“2025 was a milestone season for Zespri in the U.S., not just in terms of sales, but in how kiwifruit is performing within the fruit bowl,” said Darren LaMothe, Zespri’s President, North America, in the recent release. “We saw exceptional results driven by expanded distribution, brand-led programs, and strong in-store execution. Zespri Kiwifruit continues to deliver a solid combination of volume growth and value retention, and that’s meaningful for retailers looking to drive both margin and momentum in the produce department.”

Zespri boosted both awareness and purchase through continued strong retail partnerships, standout in-store displays and packaging featuring the Zespri KiwiBrothers,™ along with robust marketing programs, which created a highly successful season for Zespri Kiwifruit. Distribution of 1,500 new stores and an earlier start to the season added to the success. Additionally, expanded distribution of Zespri Green and Organic; the West Coast trial of Zespri RubyRed™ Kiwifruit; and strong consumer demand for Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwifruit; all helped support the strong performance at retail. Kiwifruit is the fastest-growing fruit category in the department, posting +34% dollar growth versus year ago, with Zespri leading the category.

“As we look to the 2026 season, our focus is on building from that foundation,” LaMothe added. “Coming off a record year and launching a new consumer campaign, we see significant opportunity to continue growing the category and delivering incremental value at retail.”

Shoppers love the taste of Zespri’s Kiwifruit. There’s a flavor profile for every occasion. “From Green to SunGold and now RubyRed, our variety of kiwifruit is packed with both nutrition and flavor, which fulfills what consumers want as they prioritize health-forward, high-value fresh produce,” explains Bianca Fiedler, Zespri’s Trade Marketing Director, North America. “Entering the new season, we’re excited to reinforce what makes Zespri unique in produce: our kiwifruit ranks among the most nutritionally dense fruits, giving shoppers an easy and delicious way to boost their nutrition.”

Zespri is gearing up for a bold new campaign that taps into what consumers need most today: real nourishment in a world crowded with empty-calorie snacks and empty promises. As the nutrient-dense choice, the Zespri KiwiBrothers are on a mission to show shoppers there’s a better way to fuel their full, fast-paced lives. Their impact was unmistakable in 2025, driving one billion digital impressions, two million samples, and 50,000 in‑store displays that contributed to a +21% sales lift for SunGold Kiwifruit. Coupled with positive NewZealand growing conditions and consistent product quality, these efforts strengthened shopper demand and repeat purchases. Carrying this enthusiasm forward, Zespri is poised to bring even greater energy and growth to the 2026 season.

Zespri invites all attendees and industry friends to connect at SEPC at booth #825 to preview the new campaign and learn more about the merchandising shippers and bulk bins. Enhanced point-of-sale material, including headers, wobblers, pole toppers, and cutouts, will be rolled out in the new season. Retailers can meet with Zespri representatives at the booth for detailed information. “We are excited to meet with retail partners to plan for the upcoming season and build on our continued momentum,” states LaMothe.

Zespri is planning another exciting season, including a new consumer campaign, marketing programs, and merchandising shippers. Retailers can learn more by stopping by Zespri’s booth #825 during the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure (SEPC) trade show in Orlando, Florida, February 26 – March 1, 2026.

CORAL GABLES, FL - During its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call with investors, Fresh Del Monte detailed its strategic shift and progress toward acquiring select Del Monte Foods assets. The following includes an excerpt from the call and comments from Chairman and CEO Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh:

Fiscal 2025 marked a clear inflection point for Fresh Del Monte. It was not just a year of performance. It was a year of preparation.

Our results this quarter underscore a fundamental shift in our approach for the past two years: we have moved from a broad-market strategy to a relentless focus on our core strengths.

By streamlining our portfolio and divesting from non-core distractions, we’ve ensured that our best-performing categories receive the capital and focus they deserve. This strategic narrowing is supported by a culture of rigorous financial discipline and accountability. Rather than pursuing scale indiscriminately, we have prioritized operational efficiency and high-return investments. Together, those choices strengthened our balance sheet, expanded margins, and generated the cash flow needed to preserve flexibility and reinvest for long-term leadership.

Those choices were deliberate. They were about focus. They were about discipline. And they were about ensuring that when the right moment arrived, we were ready to act from a position of strength. That moment is now!

As many of you have been following, we are in the process of acquiring select assets from California-based Del Monte Foods through a court-supervised bankruptcy process. Earlier this month, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved Fresh Del Monte as the purchaser of the global Del Monte® brand, along with select core assets. With that approval, we moved meaningfully closer to closing. We expect the transaction to close before the end of the first quarter subject to customary regulatory approvals, including HSR Anti-Trust clearance and remaining closing conditions.

This decision is not about expansion for expansion’s sake. It is about alignment. For nearly forty years, the Del Monte brand has existed across separate platforms. Today, we have the opportunity to reunify that brand under a company with deep agricultural roots, global operating scale, and decades of experience managing complex food systems across geographies and categories.

There is a strong sense internally that this feels like a reunion. For me, this moment is deeply personal. Bringing Del Monte back together has been a long-held conviction of mine, and it is coming to fruition on the thirtieth anniversary of when I acquired Fresh Del Monte in 1996.

I truly believe that uniting fresh and shelf-stable food under a single strategy honors the Del Monte legacy while positioning the brand for continued relevance and growth. It allows us to show up more consistently for consumers and to build a stronger, more flexible platform focused on efficiency, innovation, and long-term value creation.

Del Monte is a 140-year brand, and one of the most recognized names in food worldwide, built on trust, quality, and longevity.

These are established businesses with experienced teams, strong customer relationships, and products that consumers know well. Our first priority is continuity. As we move through the remaining regulatory reviews and closing conditions, our focus is on stability for customers, retailers, partners, and employees. Post-closing, the acquired businesses will function as a dedicated unit, ensuring immediate operational continuity while we take a measured approach to integrating capabilities. By utilizing a 'light-touch' integration strategy, the foods division will retain its autonomy to preserve its agility and customer focus. We will serve as a growth accelerator, empowering the unit with our capital resources, supply chain scale, and logistics infrastructure.

Our Foods division teams, both commercial and production across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East will work hand in hand with our Foods division in North America to expand and leverage on the capabilities of each other.

Fresh Del Monte has spent decades operating at global scale across fresh and value-added categories. That experience gives us confidence—not just in completing this transaction, but in managing what comes next. We see a clear opportunity to build a more unified platform that supports durable, long-term value creation.

As we look ahead to 2026, our priorities remain clear: disciplined decision-making, thoughtful capital allocation, and execution anchored in our core strengths. We will share additional detail as we progress toward closing and complete the remaining approvals.