IMMOKALEE, FL - Lipman Family Farms, the largest open-field tomato grower in North America, is proud to announce a new partnership with Florida-based West Coast Tomato to sell and market their round and Roma tomato crop for the upcoming fall and winter seasons.

This agreement strengthens Lipman’s domestic supply chain by securing access to a reliable, locally grown tomato crop. As a result, customers can expect increased consistency and quality throughout the colder months when supply is traditionally more limited.

“This deal aligns with our ongoing commitment to delivering fresh produce year-round while supporting regional growers and ensuring supply chain continuity,” said Elyse Lipman, CEO at Lipman Family Farms, in a press release.

West Coast Tomato has strong roots in Florida agriculture. Led by Dan McClure, 5th generation of family leadership, the company has farmed in Florida for 80 years. The company now owns farming and packinghouse operations in Palmetto and Immokalee, Florida.

“We’ve had a longstanding connection with Lipman as long-term growers in Florida, and we look forward to the next chapter for both teams to partner at this level,” explained Bob Spencer, President of West Coast Tomato.

The collaboration reflects Lipman’s continued focus on strategic growth, regional partnerships, and delivering trusted products to its customers 365 days a year. This deal follows Lipman’s acquisition of Jones & Church farms in 2024 and Shelton & Sons Farms in 2025, both field tomato farms in Tennessee.

CHESAPEAKE, VA - Dollar Tree, Inc. announced the completion of the previously announced sale of its Family Dollar business segment to Brigade Capital Management, LP and Macellum Capital Management, LLC for an aggregate base purchase price of $1,007.5 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments. Net proceeds from the sale are estimated to total approximately $800 million comprised of $665 million paid at closing and approximately $135 million as a result of the monetization of cash prior to closing through a reduction of net working capital. The Company now expects the economic impact of tax benefits from losses on the sale to be approximately $375 million. These amounts are subject to final adjustment approximately 90 days after the closing date.

“The completion of this transaction marks a defining moment for Dollar Tree,” said Mike Creedon, Chief Executive Officer of Dollar Tree, Inc., in the recent release “With a singular focus on our core business, we are doubling down on what we do best – delivering value, convenience, and discovery to our customers every day. Now more than ever before, we are poised to accelerate our growth, innovate faster, and unlock our full potential as a category leader in value retail.”

As a standalone company, Dollar Tree will continue to grow through compelling initiatives like its expanded assortment, new store growth, and attracting new customers. Since the company’s founding nearly 40 years ago, Dollar Tree has grown to a 9,000-strong store footprint, reflecting its strength as one of the most powerful value retailers in North America.

As previously disclosed, with the closing of this transaction, Dollar Tree will begin a Transition Services Agreement (TSA). The Company will be reimbursed for the cost of providing these services. The company expects an offsetting reduction to SG&A, resulting from a combination of this reimbursement of TSA expenses and a reduction in headcount expenses because of employees who will now be employed by Family Dollar.

The transaction was announced on March 26, 2025, and concludes Dollar Tree’s review of strategic alternatives for the Family Dollar business segment, which began in June 2024.

WASHINGTON - I recently had a discussion with Jen Lessner, Senior Manager, Shopper Marketing & Insights at T&G Global, to explore the opportunities and challenges that exist for retailers promoting the apple category. From Jen’s perspective, there are several things category buyers can do to support suppliers on both fronts:

• Optimize Shelf Strategy: Prioritize high-performing, premium brands in limited shelf space. This matters because it streamlines the assortment, reduces shopper confusion and boosts per SKU performance
• Invest in Clear In-Store Communication: Use branded POS, shelf talkers and comparison charts to educate shoppers on flavor, use and health benefits. This helps reduce decision fatigue and drives confident purchasing. Include QR codes linking to videos, recipes, or grower stories for deeper engagement
• Promote Year-Round Relevance: Merchandise premium apple brands with complementary seasonal items (i.e. summer salads, cheese boards, or baking displays). This helps keep apples relevant, even when seasonal produce dominates
• Support Premium Value in a Value-Focused Market: Communicate the value of quality: longevity, flavor and reliability over time. Premium shoppers spend more and expect more during their trips
• Enhance Digital Presence: While digital shelves are limitless, shopper attention is not. Prioritize high-performing brands in homepage banners, top picks and seasonal content
• Collaborate on Shopper Education and Storytelling: Work with brand partners to co-create content—social campaigns, in-store events or influencer partnerships. Shoppers love a story and remember an experience

For more insights on this category and more, stick with ANUK.

HART, MI - Todd Greiner Farms Packing, LLC. (TGF), a leading grower/packer/shipper of Michigan produce, proudly announces the beginning of its 2025 sweet corn season, with shipping set to begin the week of July 20th and peak volume expected the week of August 17th, just in time for Labor Day promotions.

This season, TGF will be offering premium bi-color sweet corn, commonly known as "butter and sugar" corn, celebrated for its vibrant color contrast and sweet, juicy flavor. With the company’s recent expansion into full-scale sales and marketing services, retail partners can expect enhanced support, consistent communication, and seamless order fulfillment.

“Todd Greiner Farms is excited to bring another season of high-quality Michigan sweet corn to our retail customers,” said Blake Hansen, National Sales Manager, in the recent release. “With our expanded sales team and marketing capabilities, we’re better positioned than ever to support retailers with a product that’s both a consumer favorite and a strong summer promotional driver.”

While TGF has long been recognized as a national leader in asparagus, Michigan’s reputation as an agricultural powerhouse extends well beyond. The state ranks second only to California in agricultural diversity and is a top-10 producer of sweet corn, supporting strong seasonal supply programs for retailers nationwide.

According to Tastewise, sweet corn enjoys a long seasonal conversation with over 400,000 consumers engaging on the topic, peaking in both social media buzz and sales between May and October. Its versatility, nostalgic appeal, and summer-friendly preparation make it a reliable staple for produce departments throughout the season.

“We understand what sweet corn means to consumers in the summer months,” said Steve Rudat, Account and Supply Chain Manager. “It’s more than just produce—it's tradition, backyard barbecues, and family memories. Our goal is to help retailers meet that demand with a high-quality product, shipped fresh and on time.”

The expansion into sales and marketing, announced earlier this year, reinforces TGF’s commitment to not only growing and packing quality products but also offering end-to-end retail solutions. This initiative allows the company to represent more Michigan-grown produce while building year-round category strength and promotional opportunities for its partners.

For orders, pricing, or to schedule sweet corn promotions, please contact Blake Hansen, Steve Rudat or the Todd Greiner Farms sales team at (231) 873-2828 or [email protected]

ISSAQUAH, WA - Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $26.44 billion for the retail month of June, the five weeks ended July 6, 2025, an increase of 8.0 percent from $24.48 billion last year.

Net sales for the first 44 weeks were $227.46 billion, an increase of 8.0 percent from $210.55 billion last year.

Costco currently operates 907 warehouses, including 624 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 109 in Canada, 41 in Mexico, 37 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 20 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, two in France, two in Sweden, and one each in Iceland, and New Zealand. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia.

See the full report here.