BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - As the produce industry gathers in Montreal to celebrate 100 years of CPMA, WINDSET FARMS® is excited to showcase its latest sustainable growing and fresh produce advancements. From expanding its Delta, BC greenhouse facility to launching an innovative lineup of new products, Windset remains committed to delivering high-quality, flavorful produce to consumers year-round.

Founded in 1996 by brothers John and Steven Newell, Windset Farms has become one of North America's leading greenhouse produce suppliers. With a goal to feed our communities, Windset Farms recently added LED lighting powered by renewable hydroelectric power to 48 acres of its Delta greenhouse facility, enabling local, year-round production of tomatoes and cucumbers.

This investment ensures Canadian consumers have access to fresh, high-quality produce while reducing food miles. To make it easier for consumers to choose local, Windset introduced a "Proudly Grown in Canada" logo on all BC-grown products.

Beyond expansion, Windset is focused on bringing innovative new products to market that meet the evolving needs of consumers. At CPMA 2025, the company will unveil several exciting additions to its lineup, combining sustainability, convenience, and exceptional flavour.

• LIVING LETTUCE: A fresh take on leafy greens, this greenhouse-grown lineup features four flavourful varieties: JAZZ Green Leaf, INDIE Red Leaf, COUNTRY Burger Lettuce, and CLASSIC Butter. Packed in recyclable paper sleeves, these BC grown lettuces bring freshness, sustainability, and flavour together in perfect harmony.
• Greenhouse PARTY TRAY Dip has joined the party – Combining convenience and flavour, Windset's Greenhouse PARTY TRAY is now available with a shelf-stable, creamy homestyle ranch dip. Designed for easy merchandising and even easier snacking!
• ON THE VINE Tomato Line This vibrant family of exclusive flavours includes BRAVO® Grape Tomatoes, AMORE® Sweet Plum Tomatoes, and CAMEO® Cherry Tomatoes in red, gold, and tri-colour options. These tomatoes deliver exceptional taste and variety, ideal for snacking, salads, and cooking.

"CPMA is an incredible opportunity to connect with the industry and celebrate fresh produce," said Ryan Cherry, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Windset Farms, in a recent press release. "We can't wait to share what's next for Windset as we continue expanding our sustainable growing operations and developing innovative new products."

Visit Windset Farms at booth #1807 to experience the latest in fresh produce and sustainability. And stay tuned; big things are on the horizon.

BRONX, NY - Baldor Specialty Foods, the premier distributor of premium fresh produce and specialty foods in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, announced the appointment of industry veteran David McInerney as its new President. McInerney, former CEO and co-founder of FreshDirect, brings over 30 years of experience in food retailing, operations, and supply chain innovation to Baldor. McInerney’s joining comes at a pivotal moment in Baldor’s growth, as it continues expanding its product offerings and geographies served.

McInerney was selected for his deep alignment with Baldor’s principles, having spent two decades at FreshDirect leading with a people-centric, results-driven approach. TJ Murphy will continue as CEO, focusing on future initiatives with McInerney.

“Dave and I have known each other for years, and I couldn’t be happier for him to join Baldor,” said Baldor Owner and CEO TJ Murphy, emphasizing the strategic importance of McInerney’s appointment in a recent press release. “We both love great food, and we have a shared view of what quality means in sourcing and service. Our strengths complement each other—while I love long-term innovation, his passion and expertise is bridging the present with the next several years and ensuring executive excellence. I’ll continue looking 10 years ahead, and Dave will start from today; we’ll meet in the middle.”

“There are so many parallels between Baldor’s business and my background—the emphasis on tight relationships with growers, the focus on serving discerning customers, and the care for doing right by both sides. This feels like such a natural fit,” stated David McInerney. “I am honored to join this team and look forward to building on its legacy, harnessing the power of great people and good food.”

McInerney co-founded FreshDirect in 2000 and played a key role in revolutionizing the online grocery industry. As CEO, he led a team that drove record revenue growth, customer retention, and operational efficiency. He also served as “Chief Food Adventurer,” traveling across the globe to source the highest-quality ingredients and forging deep relationships with top producers. His expertise in food sourcing and supply-chain management will be instrumental in helping Baldor further enhance its distribution capabilities and expand its product offerings.

Prior to FreshDirect, he trained as a cook under chefs like Bernard Loiseau in Burgundy and David Bouley in New York City, so McInerney also brings a practitioner’s understanding of the foodservice industry to the role.

Baldor Specialty Foods remains committed to its mission of delivering quality ingredients, innovative solutions and seamless experiences to ensure the success of its partners. The company looks forward to a dynamic future under McInerney’s leadership.

KEASBEY, NJ – ShopRite is excited to mark Earth Month by introducing an “Earth Month Challenge” for stores – encouraging ShopRite associates to explore new ways to reduce their store’s environmental impact and help communities served by ShopRite stores.

The friendly competition – taking place throughout April – challenges ShopRite stores to explore new ways to help the environment. From cleaning up local parks, planting trees and flowers or educating shoppers about sustainability best practices – ShopRite associates are doing their part during Earth Month to protect the planet through local action. The top three ShopRite stores that take the most actionable steps this April to reduce their environmental impact will be recognized with special store celebrations.

ShopRite stores have long been committed to reducing food waste, bolstering recycling efforts and increasing energy efficiency, and many stores have launched successful initiatives, including composting programs, solar technology, natural refrigerants and electric vehicle charging stations. ShopRite also partners with many different local organizations and environmental non-profit groups to help support the communities where ShopRite stores operate. Those volunteer efforts have included beach cleanups, community garden harvesting and tree plantings, to name a few.

“At ShopRite, we believe it’s important to treat every day like Earth Day. Our family-owned stores remain committed to championing new ways to protect the environment and make our communities more sustainable,” said Alexandra Emery, manager of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility for ShopRite, in a recent press release. “We hope the Earth Month Challenge inspires team members to consider new and innovative ways to do that.”

Just in time for spring cleaning season, shoppers can also look this month for special promotions on ShopRite’s popular private label line of Paperbird Blue products including Paperbird Blue Dishwasher Detergent Pacs, Paperbird Blue Free & Clear Liquid Dish Soap and Liquid Hand Soaps. Paperbird Blue Dishwasher Detergent Pacs use safer choice EPA bio-based ingredients and Paperbird Blue Free & Clear soaps are plant-based, allergen-free and free of dyes, fragrances, parabens and phthalates, and packaging is made from 100% recycled content.

For over 50 years, ShopRite has supported and advanced a wide range of initiatives to reduce food waste, boost recycling and increase energy efficiency.

• Reducing Waste – Since opening our material recovery facility in the 1980s, ShopRite has diverted over 3.1 million tons of material from landfill. ShopRite’s family-owned stores also composted more than 22 million pounds of food waste in 2024, and donated six million pounds of fresh food to food banks and pantries that help people in need.
• Supporting Conservation Groups – ShopRite supports Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (E-NGOs) at the state and local level that are committed to creating cleaner, more sustainable environments including The Audubon Society, Clean Ocean Action, The Greater Newark Conservancy and America’s Grow-A-Row.
• Reducing Energy Consumption – A growing number of ShopRite stores are using natural refrigerants that decrease energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from refrigeration. Some family-owned ShopRite stores are also flipping the switch to solar-powered energy.
• Rolling Out EV Charging Stations – To help customers live sustainably, participating ShopRite locations provide EV charging stations for customers while they make their weekly grocery store run. Drivers can find public EVgo fast charging stations at the ShopRite of 1st State Plaza in Delaware and New Jersey’s Brookdale ShopRite, ShopRite of Flemington, ShopRite of Carteret, ShopRite of Glassboro, ShopRite of Williamstown and other locations.
• Associate Green Teams – ShopRite associates make up store Green Teams that work together to explore new ways to make stores and facilities more sustainable. They also partner with community organizations to volunteer and help support local environmental efforts. We have Green Teams covering more than 150 stores, and the number keeps growing!

HOUSTON, TX - Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, is proud to announce the release of its 2024 Annual Impact Report. The report highlights the nonprofit’s achievements, milestones, and the transformative work it has done over the past year in changing health outcomes of communities across the country.

The 2024 Annual Impact Report shares the impact of Brighter Bites’ programming, showcases the positive effect made in the 12 programming cities, and highlights the value of the work on the families participating. Through strategic partnerships, community engagement, and innovative health initiatives, Brighter Bites has helped improve the lives of over 220,900 individuals in the last year alone.

“We are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made in improving the health and well-being of our communities,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites, in a recent press release. “This report not only reflects our commitment to making a meaningful difference but also highlights the generosity of our donors, the dedication of our staff, and the passion of our volunteers who make all of this possible.”

Key highlights from the 2024 Annual Impact Report include:

• A retail value totaling $21,708,305 of fresh produce distributed
• 222,923 students, teachers, & families impacted
• 48,872 volunteer hours
• 20,914 nutrition education lessons taught

The report also provides an overview of the nonprofit’s financial health and the efficient allocation of resources to maximize its impact. With continued support from donors, partners, and volunteers, Brighter Bites is poised to make an even greater difference in the coming year.

The full report is available for download on Brighter Bites’ website at https://www.brighterbites.org/our-impact/, or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or YouTube.

ORANGE COUNTY, CA - Zespri anticipates an early start again this year with the first shipment of SunGold™ Kiwifruit arriving in the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Philadelphia by mid-April. Green Kiwifruit will arrive by early May. Following favorable growing conditions, the 2025- 26 harvest is projected to see an increase to over 200 million trays across varieties to be sold worldwide. As North America retailers eagerly plan for another successful Zespri Kiwifruit season, they can track shipments here to watch in real-time the shipping vessels arriving at their East and West Coast destinations.

With the season set to get underway, kiwi is the #1 fastest growing fruit in the fruit bowl and Zespri is the #1 selling kiwi brand in the category, more than five times the next best-selling brand. Demand is strong due to Zespri’s ongoing retail partnerships, successful in-store displays, and the introduction of their brand characters, the Zespri KiwiBrothers.

“Last season, we took our consumer campaign ‘Taste the Obsession’ to new heights through the introduction our KiwiBrothers brand characters in paid media and sampling activations,” explains Darren LaMothe, Zespri’s General Manager, North America, in a recent press release. “The campaign surpassed key metric targets and engagement benchmarks, reinforcing the strength and impact of our characters driving the consumer connection. This season we are adding a strong retail component to the marketing mix to drive sales.”

The KiwiBrothers have been helping lift sales and driving category growth across 19 markets globally for the past nine years. As the KiwiBrothers take on America for the second season, they will continue their mission to spread the Zespri Kiwifruit obsession by playfully attempting to be movie stars. Through a suite of Hollywood-style trailers and cinematic campaign assets, consumers can join the KiwiBrothers and taste the obsession for themselves. Additionally, the KiwiBrothers will be front and center at retail with a full suite of eye-catching touchpoints, including new packaging, shippers, pole toppers, shelf talkers, and digital assets.

“Our robust marketing initiatives expand the reach of our KiwiBrothers by bringing them in-store and through shopper programs to drive conversion,” states LaMothe. “Consumers view the KiwiBrothers’ characters on packaging as unique, creative and fun, and it helps the brand stand out on shelf, which drives purchase.”

Zespri shipped over 50K display units nationwide last season as retailers recognize their power in driving incremental sales. Key retailers are seeing an average sales lift of 110% during promotions featuring displays. Moreover, Zespri-branded kiwifruit is preferred by shoppers and including SunGold and Green Kiwifruit varieties in the set drives incremental growth. When both varieties are merchandised together, sales increased by 32% compared to another green kiwi brand. When SunGold and Green Kiwi organic varieties are included in a display, there is an automatic halo effect of favorable consumer perception.

SunGold Kiwifruit continues to be the main driver of growth for the brand, with dollar sales in the U.S. increasing +42% and volume sales +36% versus a year ago. To build on their success, Zespri is expanding its portfolio with a soft introduction of the RubyRed Kiwifruit in the U.S. The new variety will bring a unique flavor experience with a naturally sweet berry flavor, which is a differentiator from the SunGold Kiwifruit. RubyRed Kiwi is high in antioxidant vitamin C and includes anthocyanins which are natural plant nutrients that give it its vibrant red color.

“There’s a lot of excitement from consumers for our new variety,” explains LaMothe. “We have a pilot program for three weeks for West Coast retailers at the start of the season. This trial period will help Zespri gather key insights, refine logistics, and optimize support before a nationwide expansion.”

Consumers are eagerly anticipating the season to start enjoying Zespri’s sweet and tasty SunGold, Green and for a limited time, RubyRed Kiwifruit—each with a unique flavor profile. Retailers can tap into the largest dollar growth and share of the kiwi category with customized programs by reaching out to their account representative. With disruptive marketing communications, displays and packaging, the KiwiBrothers will continue to spread the Zespri obsession and drive demand to the fruit aisle this season.