CINCINNATI, OH - The Kroger Co. announced leadership changes in several key roles across the company.

Kroger appointed Ed Oldham to Head of Sourcing. Oldham joins Kroger from PetSmart, where he was Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer. He led the company's distribution and transportation strategy across North America, overseeing an international distribution network and 2,500 associates. Oldham brings more than 25 years of experience in retail, CPGs, and consulting, where he led planning, buying, replenishment, operations and sourcing decisions across multi-billion-dollar categories. Before joining PetSmart, Oldham held multiple leadership roles at Petco, Walmart, Ernst & Young, and Walgreens. He will join Kroger on August 4.

"Ed brings a wealth of knowledge from his time working at and supporting a variety of different retailers," said Ron Sargent, Chairman and CEO of Kroger, in a press release. "Sourcing plays a critical role in making sure we can provide lower prices to our customers every day. We look forward to Ed bringing his unique experience to this role and helping us improve the customer experience."

Kroger named Ann Reed, currently president of the Cincinnati-Dayton division, as group vice president of Our Brands beginning on August 4. Reed began her career as a co-manager in the Central Division in 1993. Since then, she held a number of leadership positions including store manager, category manager, Deli/Bakery merchandiser, director of Deli/Bakery, and director of Fresh Ready Meals. Reed was promoted to vice president of Merchandising at Fry's in 2010, followed by vice president of Merchandising at Fred Meyer in 2013. She was named vice president of Customer 1st Promise in 2015, promoted to Louisville division president in 2017, and named Cincinnati-Dayton division president in 2022.

"Ann has deep experience across our organization, and she understands what our customers want to buy," continued Sargent. "She worked in divisions throughout the country getting to know how our customers want to shop and what they want to buy. Ann is bringing a great perspective on the ways we can better take advantage of the significant growth opportunities Our Brands represents for Kroger."

Kroger appointed Jake Cannon, currently president of the Louisville division, to replace Ann Reed as president of the Cincinnati-Dayton division beginning on August 1. Cannon has more than 20 years of retail experience, beginning his Kroger career as a Produce clerk in the Smith's division in 1999. He held various leadership roles, including assistant store manager, store manager, lead HR coordinator, Key Retailing special assignment, Customer 1st Promise manager, district manager, and division Meat merchandiser. Cannon was named director of Operations for the Cincinnati-Dayton division, vice president of Freshness & Standards for Retail Operations, then served as vice president of Operations for the Cincinnati-Dayton division, and was named Louisville division president in 2022.

"Jake is a great merchandiser and leader who understands the Cincinnati-Dayton division that Kroger calls home," continued Sargent. "He knows how to run successful stores that our customers love, support his associates and invest in our communities. We look forward to the great things that Jake will bring to Greater Cincinnati."

Kroger named Josh Harpole, currently vice president of Deli, Bakery and Prepared Foods, to succeed Jake Cannon as Louisville division president. Harpole joined the company as a courtesy clerk in the King Soopers division in 1994. He held a variety of leadership positions in the division, including Bakery, Customer Service, and General Merchandising manager, store manager, operations coordinator, assistant merchandiser, and district manager before being promoted to vice president of Merchandising for the Louisville division. Harpole was appointed to his current position in 2020.

"Josh knows how to lead great teams," continued Sargent. "He has deep experience across our company as well as spending time leading our strategy in categories we know are important to our customers. Josh makes selling fun, and he will be a great addition to our team of division presidents as well as an asset to the Louisville community."

DANVILLE, VA - AeroFarms, an indoor vertical farming company and the leading supplier of microgreens to the U.S. retail market, announced that the company’s Micro Broccoli, Rainbow Mix, Micro Kale and Super Mix can now be found in Harris Teeter stores chainwide, including 20 locations within 90 miles of the AeroFarms location in Danville, Virginia.

Today, most leafy greens in the U.S. are grown in California or Arizona and transported to the eastern United States. On average, fresh produce travels approximately 1,500 miles from farm to plate, and today, about 31% of the U.S. food supply is lost in transport, storage, and beyond, according to the USDA. AeroFarms’ supply of microgreens to Harris Teeter’s Mid-Atlantic store locations from its farm in Danville, Virginia, not only reduces the risk of food loss but also secures year-round access to these nutrient-packed greens for Harris Teeter shoppers.

“The adjacency of our farm in Virginia to Harris Teeter’s distribution centers translates to longer shelf-life, shorter transportation routes, and, ultimately, more time for shoppers to use and enjoy our microgreens,” said Dane Almassy, SVP of Sales & Marketing at AeroFarms, in a recent release. “With Harris Teeter, we now offer the power of locally grown microgreens to the communities in which we live, play, and farm.”

With an industry-leading shelf life of 18-to-23 days and the proximity of AeroFarms to Harris Teeter stores, shoppers will enjoy microgreens that stay fresh in their home for up to 2 weeks. Because AeroFarms does not grow its plants in soil or use pesticides, consumers can also enjoy the convenience of a ready-to-eat, no-wash-required format. In addition to this unparalleled freshness and convenience, AeroFarms microgreens offer 4-to-40x the nutrition of the mature vegetable counterparts of specific vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

AeroFarms microgreens’ diverse taste and versatility allow Harris Teeter shoppers to boost nutritional meals in an endless variety of ways, using great-tasting recipes that combine AeroFarms microgreens with other Harris Teeter-branded products.

Harris Teeter shoppers can now find AeroFarms microgreens in all Harris Teeter locations in Virginia, Washington D.C., Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. To find AeroFarms Micro Broccoli, Rainbow Mix, Micro Kale, and Super Mix at a Harris Teeter store nearby, visit www.aerofarms.com.

FOLSOM, CA - Blueberries have long been known and appreciated for their health benefits, and now it’s time to shine a spotlight on blueberries in a big way. The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) announced the launch of an exciting marketing campaign with two new ads that celebrate how the small and simple blueberry packs huge benefits in each bite or handful. “Blueberries GO BIG” demonstrates an emotional connection to the fruit in two different but equally captivating scenarios, showcasing the big things that can happen when you grab a boost of blue.

The two ads can be viewed on Youtube.com/@eatblueberries:

• A Better Way - Up your “coolness” factor and shake up your post-workout recovery.
• Next-Level Snacks - Blueberries come in clutch for your kid’s team at halftime.

“Blueberries GO BIG” is debuting via a comprehensive paid media campaign directed to a targeted audience of 18 million blueberry consumers, which includes programmatic display, online video (OLV), audio, connected TV (CTV), paid social, paid search and more. According to a press release, a TikTok TopView campaign on July 29, reaching millions of users, showcases a thumb-stopping behind-the-scenes look at one of the ad’s big stunts. USHBC is also partnering with influencers to demonstrate how blueberries “go big” for content creators in their own ways.

“Our new campaign illustrates the many benefits of blueberries, including health as foundational message, while also giving more air time to attributes like the great taste and easy-to-eat benefits that we know are important to our consumer but are not always focused on as much,” said Kevin Hamilton, USHBC vice president of global marketing and communications. “‘GO BIG’ helps us tell a story that connects to our consumer more emotionally, and highlights the better-for-you snacking opportunities around our fruit.”

USHBC works to increase demand for blueberries across all channels through marketing promotions, research and resources, all while empowering the industry to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit. Working with Schafer Condon Carter (SCC), USHBC’s partner agency for brand and consumer marketing, the GO BIG platform is the next phase in the continuous evolution of blueberries as a brand.

To learn more about the strategy and work behind the campaign, as well as USHBC’s comprehensive marketing and promotions programming, blueberry industry stakeholders are invited to attend The Blueberry Convention, October 8-10, in Seattle.

IMMOKALEE, FL - Lipman Family Farms, North America’s largest vertically integrated source for fresh tomatoes and vegetables, is proud to announce the opening of its newest fresh-cut facility in Manteca, California. You’ll hear from the team on their latest operations and check out their fresh-cut services at the IFPA’s Foodservice Conference, taking place August 1, 2025, in Monterey, California.

“As we continue to deepen our partnerships across the foodservice space, IFPA’s Foodservice Conference is an ideal setting to collaborate and share what’s next for Lipman,” said Elyse Lipman, CEO of Lipman Family Farms, in the recent release. “Our newly opened facility in Northern California is an example of our strategic expansion in the fresh-cuts segment, aligned with the overall growth we’re seeing in the industry.”

The fresh-cut facility, specializing in sliced tomatoes, complements Lipman’s true vertical integration model, offering transparency and control of the product from farm to processing to plate.

Its strategic location supports Lipman’s ability to service just-in-time deliveries of freshly sliced and diced vegetables. Now with eight fresh-cut facilities spread across North America, Lipman services national distribution with guaranteed freshness.

“We are driven to provide a consistent, reliable supply of fresh produce that is accessible to all,” Lipman shared. “Our fresh-cut operations and the teams that manage the supply are best in class, and the newest facility and teams on the West Coast prove that we are primed for steady growth in value-added capabilities.

With the demand for consistency, stability, and food-safe products being more prominent than ever, Lipman’s state-of-the-art fresh-cut operations ensure reliable, ready-to-eat tomatoes and vegetables.

Visit Lipman Family Farms during the IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey, CA, July 31–August 1, 2025, to learn more about the company’s fresh-cut capabilities and its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer success.