UNITED KINGDOM - They’ve made a name for themselves in vacuums. In recent years, they’ve taken the hairdryer market by storm. Technology titan Dyson’s next expanding area of focus seems to be agriculture, as evidenced by its award-winning strawberry operation.

“Sustainable food production, food security, and the environment are vital to the nation’s health and the nation’s economy; there is a real opportunity for agriculture to drive a revolution in technology and vice versa,” said Sir James Dyson, Dyson Farming Founder, in a statement on the company’s website. “Efficient, high-technology agriculture holds many of the keys to our future. Dyson Farming strives to be at the forefront of this.”

In a collaborative effort with Dyson Technology engineers, Dyson Farming has optimized UK strawberry farming with a Hybrid Vertical Growing System (HVGS) that delivers more than double the growing space in the same footprint. According to the company’s website, “each wheel hosts ten rows and, by slowly rotating, each plant has access to sunlight at periods throughout the day, supplemented by LED lights—perfect for growing out of season strawberries with exceptional quality.”

 

 

 

 

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The UK farming operation includes a variety of tech-driven advantages:

• AI-powered decision support software, smart sensors, and robotic harvesters allow the company to optimize growing conditions and improve efficiency
• UV and nanobubble treatments reduce chemical use
• Vertical farming systems increase yield in the same amount of space
• LED lights simulate sunlight on darker days, working alongside climate-control and supplementary CO₂ dosing systems to grow premium out of season strawberries
• AI forecasting and precision farming ensures strawberries are picked at peak ripeness and quality

 

 

 

 

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Next door to the indoor strawberry operation, the company operates an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant that transforms crops grown on the farm and waste from the glasshouse into energy, which is then delivered to the glasshouse as electricity to power LED lights and heat. Completing this circular system, waste from the AD in the form of digestate is used as fertilizer on Dyson Farming’s fields; this results in a closed-loop system that helps reduce the operation’s carbon footprint while creating the ideal environment for its crops to thrive.

Dyson Farming has received various recognitions for its ag innovation, including the title of Technology Champions at the 2025 FPC Fresh Awards, and gold in the 2025 Great British Food Awards.

FULLERTON, CA - Spring 2027 may still be months away, but the California Avocado Commission (CAC) isn’t waiting for the season to arrive before getting down to business. Heading into the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Global Produce & Floral Show, the organization is putting early crop conversations and retail planning front and center.

With peak California avocado availability landing in the spring and summer, the show gives CAC an early chance to sit down with retail partners, look toward the 2027 crop, and begin developing programs to support the peak period of the season.

“Our message at IFPA is really about looking ahead and helping our retail partners get an early start on planning for the 2027 California avocado season. With our peak availability occurring in the spring and summer, this is an important time to begin conversations about the crop and how we can work together to build demand and drive sales when California avocados are at their strongest availability,” Ken Melban, President, shared.

Building the Calendar Early

Those conversations will go well beyond an early crop look.

CAC plans to discuss customized retail marketing and promotional opportunities spanning merchandising and point-of-sale resources, advertising, digital and social efforts, and other strategies built around California avocados’ quality, freshness, and USA-grown positioning.

“We’ll be sharing an early look at the 2027 crop and discussing customized retail marketing and promotional opportunities that can be tailored to individual retailers and their shoppers to drive demand during the season,” Melban explained. “Our goal is to work collaboratively with retailers to develop programs that make sense for their stores and help them maximize the California season.”

That customized approach is an important piece of the equation. Rather than bringing the same strategy to every customer, CAC works with individual retailer partners to develop programs that will work for their stores and customers specifically—and the organization has some compelling numbers behind the California avocado story.

Over the past three years, markets with broad California avocado availability averaged 8 percent higher weekly unit sales and 14 percent higher dollar sales during the California season compared with the non-season, according to CAC.

“California avocados have a very distinct story to tell. They are responsibly grown by approximately 3,000 growers throughout the Golden State, and that connection to California, our growers and the care they put into nurturing the crop gives retailers an authentic story that resonates with shoppers,” Melban shared.

“But it’s not just a good story; California avocados can deliver meaningful results at retail.”

Connecting the Story to the Shopper

With retailers navigating a crowded marketplace, differentiation remains part of the challenge. CAC sees origin as one way the California crop can earn attention, with CAC merchandising resources noting that 65 percent of shoppers say knowing the origin of the fruits and vegetables they purchase is very or extremely important.

At the same time, the organization is working to connect its marketing investment more closely to what shoppers actually do.

“This season, for example, we expanded retailer-specific media and programs that reached consumers closer to the point of purchase, including retailer-tagged video and digital advertising,” Melban shared.

One Instacart campaign generated a 6.67x return on ad spend and more than $151,000 in attributed sales based on early results, giving the organization another set of learnings to carry into its 2027 planning.

“Those are the types of learnings we can build upon as we strive to create value for our retail partners and our growers in 2027.”

See You in Orlando

For retailers already thinking ahead to spring and summer, CAC’s team will be waiting at Booth #3342 in Orlando.

“Our California Avocados team, including members of our retail marketing team who work directly with customers on customized programs, will be in our booth. We encourage retailers and industry partners to stop by and talk with us about the outlook for the 2027 crop and, importantly, start planning how California avocados can fit into their spring and summer promotional calendars.”

For CAC, that head start is really what IFPA is all about: understanding what individual customers want from the season and putting plans in motion long before peak availability arrives.

“Whether they already have a strong California avocado program or are looking for ways to expand their participation next season, we want them to leave our booth knowing that our team is ready to work with them to make the most of the California avocado season in 2027 and beyond.”

The calendar may still say 2026, but California avocado season planning is already looking firmly toward next year. ANUK will be watching as CAC takes those early conversations from the show floor into the 2027 season.

RHOME, TX - What’s next in the dip aisle? ¡Yo Quiero! is bringing it to Booth #1705 at this year’s IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show. From protein-enhanced guacamole and bold Mexican-inspired flavors to creamy dips, queso, salsa, bean dips, and more, ¡Yo Quiero! is helping retailers keep pace with what shoppers are craving through one fresh, trend-forward portfolio.

Leading the innovation lineup is ¡Yo Quiero!’s new Guacamole with Greek Yogurt, which pairs fresh avocado with 0% fat Greek yogurt to deliver more protein in a familiar, craveable format. The new line delivers 10 grams of protein per 8-ounce tub and 3 grams per 2.5-ounce single-serve cup, bringing together two recognizable ingredients as shoppers increasingly look for protein-forward foods, convenient formats, and satisfying snack options.

The new line will be available in four varieties:

• Original Guacamole with Greek Yogurt – 8 oz. tub and 4-count pack of 2.5 oz. mini cups
• Chunky Guacamole with Greek Yogurt – 8 oz. tub and 4-count pack of 2.5 oz. mini cups
• Chunky Spicy Guacamole with Greek Yogurt – 8 oz. tub and 4-count pack of 2.5 oz. mini cups
• Avocado with Greek Yogurt – 8 oz. tub and 4-count pack of 2.5 oz. mini cups

“Protein-boosting guacamole with Greek yogurt is a smart and innovative way to meet consumers’ demand for convenient, nutrient-dense snacks made with simple, wholesome and recognizable ingredients,” said Amy Davis, RDN, in the recent release. “It’s especially relevant as GLP-1 medications continue to reshape the way people eat, with nutrition density of each eating occasion mattering more than ever.

Blending guacamole with nonfat Greek yogurt increases the protein content while decreasing the calorie content. Avocados provide fiber and heart-healthy unsaturated fats, while Greek yogurt adds high-quality protein that avocado naturally lacks. Together, they create a satisfying combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats that fits naturally into a balanced snack or meal, whether someone is on a weight-loss journey or simply looking for more nutrition from their snacks.”

Protein may be one of the biggest conversations in food right now, but it’s far from the only trend shaping the dip aisle. ¡Yo Quiero! is also leaning into shoppers’ growing appetite for bold, globally inspired flavors with an expansion of its popular Mexican Inspired line.

Following the launch of its Mexican Inspired collection earlier this year, ¡Yo Quiero! is expanding the line with Mexican Inspired Queso Blanco, Salsa con Queso and Mexican Street Corn. The additions build on the momentum of the existing collection and give retailers more options for shoppers looking to bring authentic, craveable flavors home.

“The response to our Mexican Inspired line has been off the charts, so expanding the collection was a natural next step to satisfy shoppers’ appetites while giving our retail partners even more opportunities to capitalize on that demand,” said Tara Murray, Vice President of Marketing at ¡Yo Quiero! Brands.

And if all that innovation hasn’t fed your appetite already, the brand will also introduce Mashed Avocado with Sea Salt, available in 8-ounce tubs and convenient 2-ounce cups. Made with mineral sea salt to naturally enhance flavor, the new variety takes one more step out of avocado prep by seasoning it right in the package, creating a simple, ready-to-eat option that can be enjoyed straight from the container or easily incorporated into meals and snacks.

“We want retailers to think of ¡Yo Quiero! as their one-stop shop for what’s happening in dips,” added Murray. “Being the Ultimate Dip Destination™ means we’re constantly looking at what shoppers want next and finding ways to bring those trends to life across the entire category. Whether that’s guacamole, queso, salsa, bean dips, creamy dips or something completely new, we want to give our partners more ways to keep the dip aisle fresh and exciting, drive incremental purchases and ultimately increase basket ring.”

Global Show attendees can taste the innovation for themselves at Booth #1705, where ¡Yo Quiero! will be sampling its newest products alongside pork tacos and nachos, giving attendees the opportunity to experience firsthand the craveability, convenience and versatility that make ¡Yo Quiero! the Ultimate Dip Destination™.

For more information about ¡Yo Quiero!’s products, to place an order or to connect with the team at IFPA Global Show, contact Jay Alley at [email protected].

KEASBEY, NJ - Wakefern Food Corp. supermarket banners ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market are inviting job seekers to explore exciting career opportunities during a series of walk-in hiring fairs on Saturday, September 26.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., participating store locations across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island will host in-store recruitment events for full-time, part-time and management positions. According to the recent release, no advance registration is required — candidates can simply stop by to speak with hiring teams and learn more about available opportunities.

Open positions include general clerks, front-end associates, inventory and grocery department team members, among others. Associates enjoy competitive benefits and opportunities to grow within a dynamic, customer-focused retail environment. Many roles offer on-the-job training, flexible scheduling and access to a unique game-based learning platform designed to help team members build skills and advance their careers.

In addition to professional development, eligible team members may receive tuition and entertainment discounts, scholarship opportunities and the chance to contribute to meaningful community initiatives, including hunger relief and sustainability efforts. Wakefern is a retailer‑owned supermarket cooperative made up of family‑owned supermarkets that independently own and operate their stores.

GOODLETTSVILLE, TN - Dollar General (DG) is pleased to announce two leadership updates in the Company’s supply chain and legal departments.

Braden Anderson was promoted to vice president, global inventory management, overseeing strategies that optimize inventory investments, improve product availability and support operational excellence across the enterprise. Serving Others since 2014, Anderson has progressed through roles of increasing responsibility within DG’s logistics and transportation functions. He joined the Company as a demand chain management analyst and most recently served as senior director, transportation, where he led DG’s Transportation Operations Center (TOC) operations, advanced routing and return transportation initiatives.

Alisha Cieslak has joined Dollar General as vice president, chief compliance officer where she will lead Dollar General’s compliance and ethics function, supporting the business in operating with integrity and accountability for DG customers, employees, shareholders and communities. Cieslak brings nearly two decades of legal executive experience leading enterprise compliance, ethics, governance and regulatory programs at food service distribution, manufacturing and private practice organizations. She most recently served as chief legal and risk officer for Gordon Food Service, a leading North American food service distributor where she provided oversight for legal, enterprise risk, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance and other key corporate functions.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA & ISSAQUAH, WA - Costco Wholesale Corporation and DoorDash, a global leader in local commerce, announced the launch of Costco on the DoorDash Marketplace across the U.S. The partnership brings Costco’s distinctive assortment to members through DoorDash, giving them greater flexibility in how they shop. The U.S. launch marks the latest expansion of DoorDash and Costco’s global relationship, which already spans Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland and Puerto Rico.

Costco ranked among the most-searched retailers not yet available on DoorDash. DoorDash and Costco are meeting that customer demand: Costco members can now order groceries, pantry staples, household essentials, electronics, seasonal merchandise, Kirkland Signature products and more from all Costco warehouses nationwide through DoorDash for same-day delivery.

“Costco members have been asking for Costco on DoorDash, and today we’re delivering,” said Mike Goldblatt, Vice President of Enterprise Partnerships at DoorDash, in the recent release. “By pairing Costco’s quality, value and selection with DoorDash’s reach and local delivery network, we’re giving members more flexibility in how they shop. The U.S. launch also marks the next chapter in a global partnership already serving Costco members around the world.”

With Costco on board, DoorDash now partners with 8 of the 10 largest food retailers in North America, according to Progressive Grocer’s PG 100.

How It Works

Costco members in the U.S. can open the DoorDash app, search for Costco and select their local warehouse, where they can shop more than 4,000 products. When prompted, they can link an active Costco membership and complete their order. Consumers who are not yet Costco members can follow a link to Costco.com to purchase a membership, then return to DoorDash and link their new account.