Harps Food Stores will deploy SmartMeals, AWG's AI-powered shopping assistant powered by Breez AI, across its network of more than 150 stores.

Harps is one of the largest operators in the AWG network, and this decision to deploy SmartMeals at scale sends a clear message to independent grocers everywhere: AI is already shaping where customers shop. The question is whether our stores are part of that conversation.

The SmartMeals deployment at Harps will integrate directly with the company’s existing digital infrastructure, including Birdzi, Harps’ customer loyalty platform, and Webstop, its

In honor of Farmworker Awareness Week, Windset Farms is celebrating its farmworkers and its over 10-year partnership with the Equitable Food Initiative.

For over a decade, Windset Farms has worked alongside EFI to build a more transparent, responsible and people-first approach to greenhouse agriculture. This milestone reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to continuous improvement in worker well-being, food safety and communication across all levels of the organization.

“Windset is a leader whose commitment to social responsibility shines through in their everyday work,” said LeAnne

The International Fresh Produce Association will present The Pulse of Retail: IFPA’s 2026 State of Retail at The Retail Conference & Golf Tournament, April 27–29, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ, delivering a forward-looking analysis of the trade shifts and consumer trends shaping the future of fresh. Registration for the event is now open.

Designed as a fast-paced, insight-driven session, The Pulse of Retail will provide retailers and suppliers with a concise snapshot of the market. This year’s program places particular focus on the shifting expectations of younger shoppers and the growing tension between

Taylor Farms has acquired Equinox Growers, a state-of-the-art leafy greens greenhouse in Louisa, VA, from Generate Capital. As the leading global producer of salads and healthy fresh foods, this strategic move complements Taylor Farms’ commitment to delivering an assured supply of the freshest, highest quality produce to consumers.

The facility is one of the largest commercial greenhouses in the Mid-Atlantic and features cutting-edge technology that grows a wide variety of high-quality greens. The controlled-environment agriculture facility will be managed by the team of Equinox Growers while

The Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” report once again villainizes safe, healthy and affordable fruits and vegetables by misrepresenting U.S. Department of Agriculture pesticide data.

In its usual approach, EWG overstates the risk of consumer pesticide exposure by leaving out a key detail: more than 99 percent of the commodities sampled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its annual Pesticide Data Program (PDP) report (the source material for the EWG report) have residues well below the stringent safety standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

As USDA reports have

Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. has moved its AI-powered meal planning and shopping assistant — SmartMeals — from pilot to wide-scale deployment.

 “This is an exciting year for AWG as we celebrate our 100th Anniversary,” said Dan Funk, AWG’s president and CEO.  “We’re proud to offer to our members a solution that addresses one of the biggest opportunities and risks they are facing — the impact of AI on their relationship with their customers. In partnership with the folks at Breez AI, we created SmartMeals to provide independent retailers with a safe, reliable and highly personalized AI