Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. reported net sales for the third quarter of 2020 were $1.6 billion, a 9.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2019. Net sales growth was driven by continued demand from the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to a 4.2 percent increase in comparable store sales and strong performance in new stores opened.

“Sprouts continues to prioritize the wellbeing of our team members and customers through our safe store operations and the wholesome foods we offer,” said Jack Sinclair, chief executive officer of Sprouts Farmers Market. “Our strong financial performance in

The Produce Marketing Association announced the Best of Show awards last week, a Fresh Summit tradition of recognition that celebrates innovation and creativity in marketing and product promotion.  This year’s event featured virtual Marketplaces where exhibiting companies could customize and share their own digital space to promote and showcase their products and engage with buyers and event attendees.  The award winners were selected using a variety of inputs, including feedback from guests and platform engagement data.  

“We’re excited to celebrate this year’s Best of Show winners,” said

Smith’s Farm, a leading East Coast grower-shipper of broccoli, cauliflower and potatoes marketed under the Stag brand, announced the hiring of Peter Hallowell as chief financial officer. Hallowell’s established career in finance and the ag industry makes him a perfect fit for the Smith family businesses.

Hallowell, who grew up on a seed potato farm in northern Maine, has an MBA with a concentration in economics and finance from the University of Maine. He started his career in banking in the early 1990s and managed the Northern Maine Region for Farm Credit East, ACA for 23 years. He serves as

Opal apples, a naturally non-browning, non-GMO apple grown in the U.S., announced the launch of its Crave the Crunch campaign to officially kick off Opal season. The nationwide campaign, which rolls out this month, will seek to highlight Opal’s distinctively crisp and crunchy texture, which fans of Opal have come to know and love.

As part of the new Crave the Crunch campaign, Opal Apples will continue its partnership with Registered Dietitian Cynthia Sass to raise brand awareness through recipes, eating tips, social media messaging and as the company’s official spokesperson. Under the

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc., one of North America’s leading marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, launched its newest product, the Petit Pinkglow pineapple, exclusively in the Dallas market. A mini version of the product that took the internet by storm earlier this month, the Petit Pinkglow is a novel pineapple with a pink interior, uniquely grown by Fresh Del Monte. This adorable pink pineapple is unique to the market, and will be available for purchase and same day delivery throughout the Dallas area beginning today only at www

Albertsons Cos. Inc. announced that Mary Beth West has been appointed to its board of directors.

West has a proven track record of innovation and transformation across myriad facets of retail. She began her career at Kraft Foods, and over the course of 21 years of working on some of the food industry’s most iconic brands like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Oreo and Maxwell House coffee, she was named chief marketing officer in 2007.

When Kraft Foods spun its snack foods division off in 2012, West went with the new company, Mondelez International Inc., and served as executive vice president