CARLISLE, PA - The GIANT Company, known locally as GIANT and MARTIN’S, announced that its new Parkesburg, Pa. store, located within The Shoppes of Sadsbury at 880 Nova Way, will officially open its doors on Friday, Nov. 6 at 8 a.m. The new 60,000 square foot store will operate 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

“There's nothing better than opening the doors to a new GIANT and welcoming customers into a store built with their needs in mind,” said John Ruane, president, The GIANT Company. “Just in time for tonight’s dinner and the holiday season, customers will find that our new Parkesburg store has everything they need to make everyday meals easier and celebrations more memorable, all delivered with the value, freshness and kindness that define The GIANT Company.”

Mike Smith, a 31-year grocery veteran, has been named store manager. Team members and community leaders will gather for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 6 prior to opening.

“There's a lot of excitement among our team as we prepare to celebrate our grand opening and welcome the Parkesburg community to their new GIANT,” said Smith, Parkesburg GIANT store manager. “With the freshest food, services designed to make life a little easier, and friendly service from our team members, we're proud of what we've built and look forward to helping our neighbors make every shopping trip a great experience.”

Parkesburg customers will find GIANT’s signature fresh departments with a wide product assortment across the store, including a large, market-feel produce department with dedicated space for organics and exotic global items, meat and seafood featuring a smoked salmon case, service deli with pre-sliced meats and cheeses, dairy, and bakery offering a variety of breads, cakes, desserts, along with donuts made daily in-store. The new store’s full-service floral features ready-to-take bouquets and arrangements in addition to customer orders, and the large beer and wine area includes ready-to-drink wine slushies. For convenient meal solutions, the Parkesburg store also features a hot bar which includes freshly prepared foods, pre-packed salad offerings in the deli, specialty cheeses, and an in-store sushi chef. In addition to filling prescriptions, the new in-store pharmacy offers an immunization room for client privacy.

The Parkesburg store will also offer GIANT Direct. Designed to serve customers when and how they want to shop, GIANT Direct gives busy families the opportunity to order their groceries online for easy curbside pick-up at giantdirect.com.

The Parkesburg store marks the 14th GIANT store in Chester County.

NEW ZEALAND - Zespri has welcomed the entry into force of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement - a significant milestone that will support long-term growth in one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing consumer markets.

The FTA will deliver meaningful tariff relief for New Zealand growers, with the tariff on kiwifruit exports into India removed on up to 15,000 tonnes per year, and the tariff on all volume above that halved to 16.5 percent, down from 33 percent. 

Zespri CEO Jason Te Brake says in the recent release that India is a strategically important market for Zespri, with growing consumer demand for healthy, premium fruit and significant opportunities to expand the kiwifruit category over time.

“While interest in kiwifruit continues to grow, high tariffs have historically constrained sales and limited investment in market development. The FTA provides greater certainty to invest in building demand and grow the category in India over the long term.

"The entry into force of this agreement marks an important moment for the New Zealand kiwifruit industry and for our relationship with India. We have strong confidence in India as a future market and are investing to build the market from next year. This New Zealand sales season is coming to an end, and growers will benefit from reduced tariffs from the 2027 season, as work continues on the New Zealand industry-funded support program for Indian green kiwifruit growers.

"India is home to more than 1.4 billion people and is one of the world's fastest-growing large economies. We see enormous potential to bring premium, healthy kiwifruit to more consumers while delivering strong value back to New Zealand growers.

"The improved market access provided through the FTA gives us the confidence to continue investing in the market, strengthen partnerships with our customers and distributors, and increase awareness of kiwifruit among Indian consumers.”

Alongside this, the Kiwifruit Action Plan has been launched as a key deliverable under the FTA. The KAP is a five-year program focused solely on green kiwifruit, funded by New Zealand kiwifruit growers and delivered by the Bioeconomy Science Institute to support the development of the Indian kiwifruit industry and grow overall consumer demand for kiwifruit in India. The program is based on the complementary nature of the two industries, with Indian-grown and New Zealand-grown kiwifruit available at different times of the year.

The program involves working alongside Indian kiwifruit growers in rural communities to support improved production and supply chain performance. A key focus is the establishment of Centers of Excellence, or model orchards, in key growing regions, demonstrating best practice and providing training tailored to Indian conditions. The first two Centers of Excellence are under establishment in Nagaland and Uttarakhand.

“The Centers of Excellence demonstrate the industry's commitment to ensuring the benefits of the agreement are shared by growers and communities in both countries,” says Mr Te Brake.

"This partnership is about creating value on both sides. We believe that by working together we can create lasting benefits for growers, consumers and communities in both countries."

Zespri also acknowledges the efforts of the New Zealand and Indian governments, negotiators and officials whose work helped secure the agreement and strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

“Trade is critical to New Zealand’s prosperity. New opportunities like this will enable New Zealand exports and support jobs and communities. We have strong confidence in India and expect the deal to deliver significant benefits over time.”

BOISE, ID - Albertsons® Companies, Inc. recently announced the appointment of Harmit Singh to the company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Singh brings more than 40 years of global financial, operational, and strategic leadership experience across some of the world's most recognized consumer, retail, and hospitality brands. The board has now expanded from 14 to 15 members.

“We continue to strengthen our board with capabilities that support Albertsons’ next phase of growth,” said Meg Whitman, Executive Chair of the Albertsons Companies Board of Directors. “Harmit’s experience improving performance and creating value at complex, consumer-facing companies will be an important asset as we advance our strategy and strengthen execution.”

Singh currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Growth Officer of Levi Strauss & Co., and after a planned transition will retire from the company on November 30, 2026. In this role, Harmit leads finance, the transformation office, investor relations, information security, strategic sourcing, real estate and franchise expansion, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and global talent hubs. He also leads the company’s global productivity initiative, focused on improving structural economics to drive growth and profitability. During his tenure, he helped lead the company’s return to the public markets in 2019 and the expansion of its global retail footprint.

“Harmit is an accomplished executive whose experience spans finance, strategy, operations, technology, real estate and global consumer brands,” said Susan Morris, CEO of Albertsons Companies. “His track record of accelerating growth, improving business performance, scaling store and franchise networks and guiding public companies through complex transformations will bring valuable perspective to our board as we create long-term value for all stakeholders.”

In addition to his executive leadership experience, Singh serves on the boards of Planet Fitness, Inc. and Sutter Health, a not-for-profit, community-based health care system. He previously served on the boards of The AZEK Company, OpenText Corporation and Buffalo Wild Wings, including service on audit and compensation committees.

Prior to joining Levi Strauss & Co., Singh served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where he led the company’s initial public offering and supported its global growth initiatives. Earlier in his career, he spent 14 years at Yum! Brands in global leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer of Yum! Restaurants International and Pizza Hut, with responsibility across finance, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain and technology. He also held financial leadership positions at American Express and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"I am honored to join Albertsons’ Board of Directors," said Singh. "Albertsons has a strong legacy, a portfolio of trusted brands and a clear commitment to serving customers and communities. I look forward to working with my fellow directors and the leadership team to support the company's continued growth and strategic priorities."