Instacart has acquired Caper AI, a leading AI-powered shopping cart and checkout technology platform, expanding Instacart’s retailer enablement platform. With this acquisition, Instacart aims to help retailers unify the in-store and online shopping experience for customers, supporting their businesses no matter how customers choose to shop.

For retailers, Caper’s smart cart technology provides them with a plug-and-play solution, requiring little capital expenditure. Caper’s technology enables brick-and-mortar retailers of all sizes to quickly and easily deploy this technology in their stores

Studies show a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of obesity, glycemic disorders, cancers and cardiovascular diseases.  Produce company D’Arrigo California is partnering with Candice Walker, foodie influencer of Proportional Plate, to host a virtual and interactive cooking class featuring Andy Boy produce.

“D’Arrigo California is thrilled to get into the kitchen with Candice Walker of Proportional Plate to ‘Cook for a Cure’ benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a 22-year long partner of our company,” said Claudia Pizarro

Organic grocery retailer Natural Grocers reached another milestone in its commitment to its good4uSM Crew, announcing pay increases for hourly store Crew members across its 162 stores in 20 states. All current hourly store Crew members received a $1 per hour pay increase, which raised the company-wide average hourly pay for full-time employees to $18.43.

The company is increasing the starting wage for new hourly store employees, effective this week, boosting the hourly pay rate for entry-level positions to a range of $14–18.

"Competitive pay, helping provide our crew members a wage and

Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, northern Pennsylvania and Vermont, partnered with Pandol Bros. to honor U.S. veterans.  Now through Veterans Day you can find specially packaged red, black and green grapes in participating Tops Friendly Markets stores that will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.

“Tops has always proudly supported our Veterans with many programs including supporting the Wounded Warrior Project, Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight missions, our annual 11 percent Veterans Day Discount, which has saved Veterans over $576,000, and most

Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that delivers fresh fruits, vegetables and nutrition education resources directly into families’ hands, announced DMA Solutions, a full-service marketing agency serving the fresh food and floral industry, as its agency of record.

Beginning in January of this year, DMA Solutions has worked with Brighter Bites through public relations efforts, marketing support in various campaigns, and social media consultation. DMA Solutions has provided opportunities for Brighter Bites to partner with brands within the fresh produce industry to further expand its

Whole Foods Market global buyers and experts unveiled their top 10 anticipated food trends for 2022 in the retailer’s seventh-annual Trends predictions. Ultraurban farming, buzz-less spirits, yuzu, Reducetarianism and functional beverages made with prebiotics and botanicals are among the food influences expected to rise in popularity in the next year.

Each year, a Trends Council of more than 50 Whole Foods Market team members, including local foragers, regional and global buyers, and culinary experts compile trend predictions based on decades of experience and expertise in product sourcing