CINCINNATI, OH & SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Kroger Co., America's grocer, and Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, announced an expanded relationship to continue to innovate the customer digital shopping experience. Through improved efficiency, increased access to Express Delivery and new, agentic shopping experiences, the companies are finding new ways to provide customers the fresh food, exclusive Our Brands products, and pantry staples they want when and how they want to shop.

The expanded relationship reaffirms Instacart as Kroger's primary delivery fulfillment partner across Kroger.com and the Kroger app, powering fast, accurate, and flexible delivery from nearly 2,700 stores across more than 20 banners nationwide. Together, the companies will also open new opportunities for CPG companies to reach customers with messages and offers through innovative engagement and retail media options.

Introduces agentic shopping experiences to customers across the U.S.

Kroger will be one of the first retailers to offer customers access to Instacart's AI Assistant - Cart Assistant, which it will offer to customers shopping on the Kroger iOS mobile app. Combining Kroger's deep passion for food with Instacart's leading AI technology, Cart Assistant helps customers find meal inspiration, build carts faster with favorite items, and plan meals more easily - all through a personalized, embedded experience.

"Agentic shopping has the potential to change the way American families shop and eat," said Yael Cosset, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer for Kroger, in the recent release. "Interacting with an AI agent makes shopping and meal planning as simple as a conversation, helping customers build their basket or offering meal suggestions, truly understanding what matters most to them. This is one more way Kroger and Instacart are making grocery shopping easy and fun for families across the country, saving them money and time."

Improves customer experience with increased efficiency that improves order quality

As Kroger's primary delivery fulfillment provider across all Kroger digital properties, including Kroger.com, Instacart collaborates with Kroger to further elevate the customer digital shopping experience through improved quality and efficiency. Together, the companies are fulfilling more orders from stores – and fulfilling those orders faster and more reliably than ever before. Using AI-centric capabilities, Instacart and Kroger continue to innovate, improving both the experience for the customer and operational efficiency and reliability, in turn driving value back to the customer.

Offers faster delivery to increasingly more customers

Customers are looking for broader and faster access to the products they love, with solutions that save them time, money and understand what matters most to them. To make mealtime easier and support last-minute shopping needs, Kroger and Instacart are increasing access to Express Delivery on Kroger.com, bringing fresh food, last-minute ingredients, and ready-to-heat meals to more customers in as fast as 30 minutes. Kroger Express Delivery adoption continues to rapidly grow, proving how the relationship delivers convenience and speed while capturing new customer trips.

"For more than a decade, we've helped grocers compete with enterprise-grade technology and fulfillment capabilities built specifically for the grocery industry," said Chris Rogers, CEO of Instacart. "Kroger is one of our most deeply integrated partners, and they've doubled down on Instacart as their primary fulfillment and delivery provider across all Kroger's digital properties, including Kroger.com, because we enable consistent, fast, and high-quality grocery delivery at scale. We couldn't be more excited about the next chapter of our partnership, as Instacart powers the new AI capabilities that will shape the future of how Kroger customers shop. Together, we're making shopping more personalized, intuitive, and efficient for millions of families across the country."

Since 2017, Kroger and Instacart have delivered some of the biggest innovations in grocery, with first-of-its-kind services and launches, from nationwide delivery and Express Delivery to advanced marketing solutions, fuel-points integration across both companies' apps, and AI-powered Caper Carts. The ongoing relationship continues to enhance the customer experience, drive more traffic to Kroger stores, and create new opportunities to reach customers with relevant offers on the products they love.

COCHISE, AZ - The Plant Grow Harvest (PGH) team took home the Best First-Time Exhibitor Booth Award at the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show, earning standout recognition for its engaging booth experience, product innovation and cohesive brand approach that unites both baby and big-sized potatoes under one bold identity.

IFPA marked the official launch of Big! Digs, PGH’s new line of full-sized potatoes designed to complement Tasty Little Digs mini potatoes. Together, the two products represent a streamlined approach to the potato category, reducing label pollution on the shelf with consistent and instantly recognizable branding. The combined lineup gives retailers and consumers a clear, connected choice of sizes, simplifying the shopping experience and strengthening shelf impact.

The booth invited attendees into a full sensory experience, illustrating PGH’s story across five vibrant quadrants:

• A mini greenhouse, highlighting Plant Grow Harvest’s seed-breeding expertise
• Lush potato foliage to represent its growing operations
• A display of potatoes being harvested straight from the soil, capturing the freshness of the field
• Back-to-back Euro tables anchored the display—Big! Digs on one side and Tasty Little Digs on the other demonstrating the company’s full product lineup and cohesive category approach
• Cooking and serving delicious creamer potatoes - A depiction of mini potatoes in home, at the table, emphasizing how the brand connects farm to family

For a brand making its first appearance at the IFPA show, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Throughout the event, the booth drew a steady stream of visitors eager to sample freshly cooked potatoes and explore PGH’s full array of eye-catching products. Attendees commended PGH for “cleaning up the shelf” with its modern, colorful packaging, vibrant visual identity and engaging in-booth sampling experience. The approachable brand tone and consumer-first messaging helped bring the Digs story to life and set it apart from more traditional displays.

“We’re deeply honored to receive the Best First-Time Exhibitor Award at IFPA,” said Dave Yeager, chief sales officer at Plant Grow Harvest, in the recent release. “This recognition reflects the collective dedication of our team throughout the launch of Digs and reinforces our mission to elevate the potato category through innovation, quality and consistency. We’re excited by the momentum this brings and are proud to be part of such a collaborative and forward-thinking industry that continues to champion progress and partnership across the supply chain.

“For Tasty Little Digs, and Big! Digs that made its first debut, being a first-time exhibitor was all about visibility—getting out there, showcasing the look and feel of the brand and making connections,” Yeager said. “The energy and feedback we received validated everything we set out to do. We are excited for everything that follows.”

The show provided an opportunity for the team to establish connections within the produce community. Interactions with retailers and other growers at IFPA resulted in discussions and potential partnerships that may contribute to future expansion and collaboration as the brand grows in the coming months.

EDMONTON, CANADA - The Little Potato Company, the number one little potato brand in North America, is celebrating the holidays with its third annual A Little Holiday Happiness Is… campaign and sweepstakes. During the busy holiday season, the company continues to bring Little Moments of Happiness and relief to families with its popular line of easy to prepare Little Potatoes. Running through early January 2025, the annual digital brand campaign and in-store POS and online sweepstakes offer families several chances to win grocery prizes and bring a little ease and happiness to the busyness of the holidays.

“This campaign has become a beloved annual tradition that our consumers and retail partners look forward to, and we truly love spreading holiday happiness every year,” says Angela Santiago, CEO and co-founder of The Little Potato Company, in the recent release. “As a family-fun business, we know the holiday season can be busy, and time with loved ones matters. Our campaign and sweepstakes aim to make getting dinner on the table during the holiday season easier to create more little moments of happiness for families.”

Families also have the chance to win $1,000 in groceries from a choice of retailers by simply entering online at www.thelittleholidayhappiness.com or in-store by scanning the QR code on the Little Holiday Happiness point of sale materials. From now until January 7, 2026, 15 consumers in the U.S. and 15 in Canada will win. In addition to the sweepstakes, the integrated brand campaign will run across all owned, third-party digital channels, and media via PR activities.

A year-round staple, The Little Potato Company’s line of easy to prep, ready-to-cook bagged Little Potatoes and Microwave Ready Little Potato kits bring a smile to families around the dinner table, especially for convenient and delicious weeknight meals during the holiday season. Little Potatoes come pre-washed, require no peeling, and are small enough that they don’t need to be cut – meaning less time in the kitchen, and more time enjoying mealtimes and the holidays with family.

To learn more about The Little Potato Company and the A Little Holiday Happiness Is… Campaign, please visit www.thelittleholidayhappiness.com or follow @LittlePotatoCo on social media for updates and inspiration to add a little happiness to the holiday season.

YAKIMA, WA - FirstFruits Farms, the exclusive grower of Opal apples, is excited to announce the kickoff of the highly anticipated Opal season. Known for its signature bright yellow skin, naturally non-browning flesh, and tangy yet sweet flavor, Opal continues to deliver an eating experience unlike any other apple.

This season, shoppers will see new packaging that highlights Opal’s bright color and crisp, sweet flavor, while making it pop out on the shelf. The refreshed design reflects FirstFruits’ focus on giving consumers a fresh look and a high-quality experience.

Adding to the excitement, Opal is partnering with a leading nutritionist to debut a new collection of recipes that showcase Opal’s versatility in everyday meals and snacks. This collaboration reinforces Opal’s position as both a delicious and health-forward choice for families.

Opal has several exciting plans to connect with consumers throughout the season. From celebrating National Opal Apple Day on December 9th to launching a nationwide social media and Hulu campaign, the brand is bringing more visibility and fun to the Opal experience. Opal will also host an influencer brand trip designed to share the story behind the apple and highlight what makes it one of a kind

As the #3 top-selling club variety in the U.S., Opal continues to capture strong consumer demand. This season, FirstFruits is anticipating excellent quality across the crop, backed by a forecast showing significant production growth: conventional volumes up 69% and organic volumes up 121% compared to last year.

“Opal Apples represent more than just a snack; they’re an experience,” said Emily Cox, Marketing Manager at FirstFruits Farms, in the recent release. “This season, we’re not only bringing consumers high-quality fruit but also fresh ways to enjoy it, from new packaging to nutritionist-driven recipes. With strong production and growing demand, Opal is positioned to shine brighter than ever in produce aisles across the country.”

As Opal returns to stores nationwide, FirstFruits Farms continues its mission to provide fruit that delivers both great taste and a healthier choice for families. Consumers can expect to see Opal apples back in grocery stores nationwide in the coming weeks. For more information about availability or to connect with the team, please reach out to a FirstFruits representative.