News Briefs

Reflecting the growth and potential of the fresh meals category, meal solution provider FreshRealm has created and filled a new position of chief strategy officer. The company revealed that Amazon vet Rob Law will serve in that role, spearheading design and expansion plans and overseeing product innovation across private label and branded fresh meal solutions.

As he steers FreshRealm’s strategy, Law will leverage his background in channel development, product marketing and platform development. In his most recent role at Amazon, he helped lead the e-tailer’s home meal replacement business unit and build Amazon Kitchen’s fresh meals business. Law also was a core member of strategic teams at Starbucks Coffee and Brooks Running.

"Rob is a transformative leader with a track record that proves an unparalleled ability to create offerings that disrupt the status quo and meet untapped consumer demand," said Michael Lippold, FreshRealm’s founder and CEO. "The fresh and prepared meals category is undergoing astounding growth, and, with the appointment of Rob to our leadership team, FreshRealm continues to be best-positioned to help retailers create Fresh Meals destinations based on what consumers want today."

Law, for his part, said that he is looking forward to help expand FreshRealm’s business of providing end-to-end fresh meal retail solutions. "Not only is the fresh meals category seeing tremendous expansion, but FreshRealm itself is also experiencing incredible momentum as an organization, making it a thrilling time to join this industry-leading team," he remarked.  

Founded in 2013 in Ventura, Calif., FreshRealm is in a strong position for expansion, recently completing a $200 million round of capital funding.

The GlobalG.A.P. IFA (Integrated Farm Assurance) Standard has become the third-party certifier for Walmart U.S. pollinator health commitments.

The retailer noted on its website that it will source 100% of the fresh produce and floral it sells in its produce departments from suppliers that adopt integrated pest management practices, as verified by a third-party, by 2025.

According to Walmart U.S.’s new pollinator health commitments, the company has embedded biodiversity requirements into its supply chain policies. To meet these requirements, Walmart and the Madison, Wis.-based IPM Institute of North America are working with GlobalG.A.P. to ensure the suitability of the globally applicable IFA standard. 

“GlobalG.A.P. was pleased to have achieved acceptance of the IFA standard into Walmart’s biodiversity benchmark in 2021,” said Portland, Ore.-based GlobalG.A.P. North America Inc., a subsidiary company dedicated to serving the needs of the U.S. and Canadian markets. “With the recent release of GlobalG.A.P. IFA v6 for Fruit and Vegetables and for Flowers and Ornamentals, the updated IFA is also recognized by Walmart. Fruit and vegetable farmers supplying Walmart U.S. and choosing GlobalG.A.P. IFA with GFSI recognition meet Walmart’s food safety and biodiversity requirements with a single audit and certificate.”   

Early adopters, including farms with GlobalG.A.P. IFA certification, will already be in compliance with Walmart U.S.’s new requirement to have IPM practices verified by a third party by 2025.

More than 200,000 producers are under GlobalG.A.P. certification in 134 countries. 

Each week, approximately 230 million customers and members visit Walmart’s more than 10,500 stores and numerous e-commerce websites under 46 banners in 24 countries. The Bentonville, Ark.-based company employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

Sendik's Food Market, a family-owned legacy grocer in the Milwaukee area, has officially opened its latest store in the town of Oconomowoc, Wis.  On the northwest outskirts of Milwaukee, the 60,000-square-foot store at 1450 Olympia Fields Drive is the 18^th location for the independent retailer. The grocer entirely revamped the space, which used to house a Kmart store.

A highlight of the new Sendik’s is an in-store garden, where fresh leafy greens will be harvested for use in the self-service salad bar. The latest location also features a wide variety of made-in-Wisconsin products – a Sendik’s hallmark – as well as a broad selection of meats, seafood, gourmet cheeses, wine and spirits, and grocery staples.

To mark the grand opening, Sendik’s is offering a special sweepstakes contest and will host live music performances, Halloween festivities and pet adoptions, among other activities, over the next weeks and months.

“Oconomowoc is a beautiful and growing area. We are very excited to join this community and look forward to serving its citizens.” said Ted Balistreri, a third-generation co-owner of Sendik’s, which was founded in 1926.  “We are proud to bring true food innovation to the area and offer new food experiences to customers.”

In addition to its Sendik’s Food Market banner, the retailer operates smaller-format Fresh2GO c-stores in the Milwaukee market. 

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage went public to see what shoppers think of its private label products. The natural food retailer is out with the winners of its second “Best of the Best” customer survey, which polled consumers about their favorite store brand items.

Customers got to pick their favorites across several categories, including grocery staples, health products and fresh foods. This year’s winners include the following Natural Grocers branded products:

• Overall product (excluding bulk and supplement items): Organic Dark Chocolate Bar with Sea Salt
• Bulk product: Fresh-Ground Almond Butter
• Supplement: B 100 Complex
• New product: Organic extra virgin coconut oil

[Read more: "Natural Grocers Launches New Own-Brand Coconut Oil"]

In addition, Natural Grocers queried shoppers about their favorite fresh foods. The overwhelming fresh produce winner for the second year in a row: organic Hass avocados. For the favorite organic product in general, shoppers chose the retailer’s organic pasture-raised eggs.

"From our sales information, we know which products do well in stores, but this survey opens a direct conversation with our customers. That was how our first 'Best of the Best' customer survey originated — we wanted to hear directly from our communities,” said Raquel Isely, VP of marketing. "Last year we enjoyed the dialogue this survey encouraged so much, that we decided to make it an annual practice at the end of each fiscal year."

Founded in 1955, Natural Grocers currently operates 164 stores in 21 states. The company is No. 95 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

GrubMarket has grabbed another food business. The San Francisco-based food technology company announced that it is acquiring produce distributor and wholesaler Rainfield Marketing Group of Vernon, Calif. As GrubMarket expands its supply chain e-commerce reach, it will leverage the acquisition to offer more exotic fresh produce, including Asian specialty items.

Rainfield procures its fruits and vegetables from suppliers across the U.S., Mexico and Korea, among other global locations. The company sells items like Okinawa sweet potato and enoki mushrooms to major grocery retailers as well as foodservice operators and wholesale companies.

[Read more: "GrubMarket Acquires IOT Pay"]

In turn, Rainfield Marketing Group will use GrubMarket's software suite to improve its financial management, sales and ordering, inventory management, lot traceability and automated routing and logistics, among other functions.

Rainfield owner Richard Choe said that the move benefits both companies and their respective customers. “We are thrilled to join the GrubMarket team, who shares our goals and embodies the qualities needed to build a thriving food business. We are also excited to access GrubMarket's impressive grower network and leverage their e-commerce and technology-enabled platform to continue bringing high-quality fresh produce and specialty items to GrubMarket's end customers," he remarked.

Added Mike Xu, GrubMarket’s CEO: "Richard and his team have done a wonderful job scaling the company to double-digit, year-over-year revenue growth while maintaining a sterling reputation in food safety, having received most of the top food safety certifications. This acquisition enables GrubMarket to further strengthen our presence in California and expand our global sourcing power."

FMI – The Food Industry Association will hold the FMItech Pitch Competition to turn the spotlight on food retail technology startup solutions. After contestants provide a three-minute video to be reviewed by the FMItech at Midwinter Advisory Council, six top-scoring startups will compete for first place at the FMI Midwinter Executive Conference, in Orlando, Fla., presenting their solutions to industry leaders and a panel of judges.  

“Retailers were accelerating their investments across a wide range of technologies even before the pandemic began – and many of those initiatives paid off by enhancing overall capabilities,” said Doug Baker, VP, industry relations at Arlington, Va.-based FMI. “Technology solutions are warranted, as 83% of our members expect their technology expenses to increase this year, with nearly one-third citing significant increases.”

In their pitches, startups will share their expertise in such areas as process automation and robotics; AI-targeted loyalty and shopper behavior monitoring; digital receipts; and coupons, all with the aim of helping retailers achieve business outcomes and meet consumer expectations. 

“This competition aligns with our members’ needs for creating operational and financial efficiencies in addition to enhancing the grocery shopping experience for their consumers,” noted Baker.

The 2023 FMItech Pitch Competition is open for submissions through Nov. 7. Eligible companies with less than $3 million in funding must provide a three-minute video pitch for the judges. Ultimately, six finalist companies will receive one FMI Midwinter registration, one FMItech private meeting tabletop and a five-minute speaking slot at FMItech.