AGRIC AND FOOD : View Posts

AUSTIN, Texas – Whole Foods Market opened the application process for its 2024 Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP) today, seeking 10 innovative food brands not yet sold in Whole Foods Market stores to join the program’s Early Growth cohort. Launched in 2022, LEAP advances Whole Foods Market’s core value of creating win-win partnerships and its longstanding support of local and emerging suppliers by creating mentorship opportunities for cohort participants with Whole Foods Market experts accompanied by months of tailored educational programming.

Selected participants for the Early Growth cohort will undergo a 12-week educational curriculum, and, once complete, will be considered for placement on the grocer’s shelves in their home city or area. They will also be eligible to be considered for a $25,000 equity investment from a donor-advised fund managed by the Austin Community Foundation, with proceeds benefiting Whole Foods Market’s private operating Foundations.

“Whole Foods Market deeply values the connections to local and emerging brands, enriched by the LEAP program,” said Alyssa Vescio, Senior Vice President of Merchandising at Whole Foods Market. “By equipping emerging brands with the necessary tools, education, and access, we’re not just fostering their growth – we’re cultivating a dynamic platform for creativity, innovation, and positive change that resonates with our purpose to nourish people and the planet.”

ON THE VERGE 2024 COHORT REVEALED
In 2023, Whole Foods Market introduced a second LEAP cohort, On the Verge, to deepen relationships and foster growth with local and emerging suppliers currently carried in select Whole Foods Market stores. These brands demonstrate serious growth potential, have a finger on the pulse of trends, and align with Whole Foods Market’s values and priorities.

On the Verge participants have officially been selected for 2024 after being nominated by Whole Foods Market Merchants and Foragers. Selected suppliers include Dare Vegan Cheese, Evergreen, Funky Mello, Moku, Myles Comfort Food, Painterland Sisters, The Organic Pantry Co., Shar, Sinto Gourmet and Uncle Waithley’s.

“Our 2024 On the Verge cohort participants have truly impressed the Whole Foods Market team with their innovation, dedication and vision, and we’re thrilled to help them explore the next phase of their brand growth,” said Kelly Landrieu, Principal Planner for Local & Emerging Brands. “Mentoring these brands-to-watch is one of the most exciting and personal ways we can be hands-on with emerging producers and uplift them in our stores. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.”

LEAP SUPPLIER SUCCESSES
Jaju Pierogi, founded by two sisters using their grandfather’s Polish pierogi recipes, launched in select Whole Foods Market stores in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire and Rhode Island in December 2023 after completing the 2023 Early Growth LEAP Cohort.

“The LEAP program reinforced the foundation of our relationship with Whole Foods Market and gave us insider access to leaders in the CPG space and a great network of other emerging suppliers,” said Vanessa White, Co-Founder of Jaju Pierogi. “The relationship with Whole Foods Market feels like a real partnership – not just words on paper. We can be transparent about any questions, doubts or dilemmas we’re having with our Forager, and work through them together.”

Nguyen Coffee Supply, founded in 2018 by Sahra Nguyen, is America’s first specialty Vietnamese coffee company. Nguyen Coffee Supply launched nationally at Whole Foods Market after completing the inaugural LEAP On the Verge cohort in 2023.

“The LEAP organizers were so kind, thoughtful and caring. They listened to our concerns and it was apparent they designed the program to deliver real value to founders navigating retail and offered specific and tactical advice for us to leverage,” said Sahra Nguyen, Founder and CEO of Nguyen Coffee Supply. “Entering retail and executing on everything from inventory planning, route to market and promotional strategy can be very overwhelming for first time founders/brands. With LEAP, it felt like we were truly cared for and were provided a safe space to ask questions and accelerate our learning on everything from marketing to execution, as well as provided mentors and peers to support along the way.”

Brands seeking more information on the LEAP application process can visit the Information for Potential Suppliers page on Whole Foods Market’s website.

About Whole Foods Market
Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer and the first certified organic national grocer in the United States. Part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores, Whole Foods Market serves customers in more than 530 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.

HOUSTON, — Today, Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY), the world’s largest foodservice distributor, hosted its 2024 Investor Day at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to present an update on the company’s growth strategy and highlight initiatives that improve how the company serves its customers while delivering consistent financial performance.

Kevin Hourican, Sysco’s Chair of the Board and CEO, and other senior executives discussed how the company is driving core business performance through local case growth, and leveraging the scale of its merchandising and supply chain capabilities. In addition, Sysco shared the evolution of the company’s ‘Recipe for Growth’ strategy which initially launched three years ago to drive market growth through five pillars: Digital, Products and Solutions, Supply Chain, Customer Teams and Future Horizons.

“Today we outlined plans to improve core performance and advance our Recipe for Growth initiatives, helping fuel consistent growth as the leader in the large and growing food-away-from-home market,” said Hourican. “These plans include financial growth targets with significant top and bottom-line growth over the next three years to create sustainable long-term value for Sysco stakeholders. No one else can match the breadth and depth of our product range, nor our ability to meet customers’ needs through our portfolio of specialty companies, our international market growth and our investments in salesforce and supply chain.”

Sysco also provided a comprehensive financial outlook for the next three fiscal years based on the company’s new growth algorithm which focuses on delivering sustainable growth, operational excellence and balanced capital return, including:

Sales growth of 4-6% per year through both organic and inorganic initiatives;
Adjusted operating income growth of 6-8% per year which includes positive operating leverage;
Adjusted earnings per share growth of 6-8% per year; and
Total return to shareholders of 9-11% per year through a growing dividend.
“Sysco’s growth algorithm was built upon a balanced approach to capital allocation –maintaining our investment grade balance sheet and returning value to our shareholders all while investing in the business for the long-term,” said Kenny Cheung, Sysco executive vice president and chief financial officer. “These factors, combined with our actions to drive performance in the core of our business, will further position Sysco to deliver compelling financial results.”

Sysco also used its Investor Day to discuss how it plans to accelerate independent market share growth through Total Team Selling, which brings specialists and sales teams from Broadline and Specialty businesses together. “Our teams are collaborating, learning about each other’s capabilities and offering customer-focused solutions to win share,” said Hourican. He continued, “We’re also leveraging our global footprint to fuel local growth internationally. Our efforts include scaling merchandising strategies, including deeper penetration of Sysco Brand products, as well as customer-focused programs, like Sysco Your Way, which provide customers the flexibility they need to grow.”

The company also announced at the event the launch of Sysco Marketplace, a new offering that enables third-party suppliers to sell products on Sysco’s digital shopping platform, Shop, and ship products directly to Sysco customers.

“Through Marketplace, we’re able to streamline the shopping experience with a one-stop-shop solution that gives our customers access to over 15,000 niche products such as grocery, canned, and dry categories to help enhance their menus,” says Neil Russell, Sysco Chief Administrative Officer. “Marketplace complements our Broadline and Specialty offerings to fully serve our customers’ needs and enables us to support smaller suppliers so we can use our scale for good.”

About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 74,000 colleagues, the company operates 334 distribution facilities worldwide and serves approximately 725,000 customer locations. For fiscal year 2023 that ended July 1, 2023, the company generated sales of more than $76 billion. Information about our Sustainability program, including Sysco’s 2023 Sustainability Report and 2023 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report, can be found at www.sysco.com.

For more information, visit www.sysco.com or connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SyscoFoods. For important news and information regarding Sysco, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s Internet home page at investors.sysco.com, which Sysco plans to use as a primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. It is possible that the information we disclose through any of these channels of distribution could be deemed to be material information.

CHICAGO – ADM (NYSE: ADM) today released its 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report, highlighting an extensive array of accomplishments, initiatives and goals that are helping drive the company’s progress and growth.

“ADM’s global team of 42,000 colleagues once again delivered on a broad range of sustainability accomplishments in 2023,” said Board Chair and CEO Juan Luciano. “What is even more exciting is the opportunity ahead of us. From our expanding leadership role in the decarbonization of the industries in which we operate, to the potential for the bioeconomy to transform how we think about food, feed, fuel and industrial and consumer products, ADM is helping pave the pathway toward a better future for us all.”

The report details activities spanning three core focus areas: Feeding the World, Protecting Nature and Enriching Lives.

Feeding the World

Supporting the global food system is at the core of ADM’s business: Every day, the company uses its unmatched global asset base, unparalleled product portfolio, and indispensable expertise to ensure it is meeting global nutritional needs. ADM’s 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report details how the company is:

Working to increase and improve food access worldwide, including through its Sustainable Affordable Nutrition program, which provides high-quality, lower-cost ingredients to improve global access to nutrition;
Partnering with nonprofits, such as Concern Worldwide, which in 2023 helped improve food security and nutrition for more than 15,500 farmers in Tana River County, Kenya; and
Improving food quality and safety, including via its 315 Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-certified sites.
Protecting Nature

ADM firmly believes that it is possible to meet the world’s needs both for food security and protection of nature, and focused company efforts in 2023 on biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, climate, waste and freshwater. Highlights include:

Continuing progress on ADM’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction commitments, with reductions in Scope 1+2 and Scope 3 emissions over baseline by 14.7% and 7.7% respectively;
Expanding the company’s global regenerative agriculture program, with more than 2.8 million acres in 2023 that sequestered 263,700 metric tons of CO2 and emitted 310,000 fewer metric tons of Co2e;
ADM’s new goal for all of our direct supply chains to be free of conversion of primary native vegetation in defined high-risk areas by 2025, and indirect supply chains by 2027; and
The company’s support of the EO Wilson Biodiversity Foundation to champion research and education that will inspire next-generation innovation in conservation science.
Enriching Lives

From philanthropic work, to an unwavering commitment to human rights, to continued focus on fostering a workforce that encompasses diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, ADM works to make a positive and lasting impact in the lives of our colleagues, our partners and the communities in which we operate. 2023 highlights include:

Supporting sustainability, food security and health and well-being through more than $20 million in giving via the company’s corporate social investment program, ADM Cares;
Continuing to activate and advance new ways to build, strengthen and support an inclusive culture that cultivates innovation and growth, including the continued expansion of employee resource groups; and
Receiving recognition as a Financial Times Diversity Leader, being named for the 4th straight year in Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list, and inclusion for the 15th year on FORTUNE Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies List.
About ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re an essential global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. We’re a premier human and animal nutrition provider, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of ingredients and solutions from nature. We’re a trailblazer in health and well-being, with an industry-leading range of products for consumers looking for new ways to live healthier lives. We’re a cutting-edge innovator, guiding the way to a future of new consumer and industrial solutions. And we’re a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize the multiple industries we serve. Around the globe, our innovation and expertise are meeting critical needs while nourishing quality of life and supporting a healthier planet. Learn more at www.adm.com.

ATLANTA, May 16, 2024 – The Coca‑Cola Company announced today that its executives will speak at two investor events in June.

John Murphy, President and Chief Financial Officer, will present at the dbAccess Global Consumer Conference in Paris on June 6 at 11 a.m. CEST/5 a.m. ET.

James Quincey, Chairman and CEO, will present at the Redburn Atlantic and Rothschild & Co. Consumer Conference in London on June 20 at 1 p.m. BST/8 a.m. ET.

The company invites investors to join webcasts for these events at coca-colacompany.com/investors. Downloadable files, as well as transcripts, will be available within 24 hours after the events on the company’s website.

About The Coca‑Cola Company
The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca‑Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

HOUSTON, – Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY), the leading global foodservice distribution company, is taking action to improve the sustainability of product packaging. Earlier this year, the company introduced packaging guidelines to encourage all supplier partners to transition to materials and design principles that will collectively reduce our environmental footprint.

“We only have One Planet, and right now that planet is overwhelmed with plastic and packaging waste. This year’s Earth Day theme of ‘Planet vs. Plastics’ was a perfect opportunity to highlight how we are working with our suppliers and customers to reduce plastics and packaging waste,” said Neil Russell, Sysco’s Chief Administrative Officer.

For example, Sysco’s Earth Plus Brand Agave Straw is plastic-free and certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Upcycled from residual agave fibers leftover from beverage production, these straws not only mimic the feel and texture of plastic straws with incredible strength and durability, they are also commercially compostable in just 90 days. Customers can find this product as part of Sysco’s One Planet. One Table. assortment which includes products produced with the planet and people in mind.

In addition, Fresh Direct, Sysco’s produce business in Great Britain, recently collaborated with one of its suppliers and customers to transition berries to FSC-certified paper packaging, which will eliminate over 50 tons of plastic waste annually. Fresh Direct also introduced new buffet boxes for fresh produce. The boxes are made from 62% recycled cardboard, are fully recyclable and use less material, removing five tons of virgin cardboard from the supply chain each week and saving more than 1,000 pounds of carbon each year.

Sysco’s Gilchrist & Soames business reported a reduction of more than 168 million single-use bottles in FY2023 by helping customers transition into large bottle formats which included dispenser solutions for everything from shampoo and conditioner to body wash and more.

Neil continued, “We’re leveraging our position and global scale to make significant, positive shifts in sustainability across the end-to-end food supply chain. From working with our suppliers on transitioning to more eco-friendly and innovative packaging to driving demand for sustainable products in our One Planet. One Table. assortment and helping our customers switch to more planet-friendly alternatives.”

In the United States, Sysco has also started to transition its owned Brand exterior packaging from traditional white to kraft corrugate cases. The shift away from white corrugate saves up to 30% of the energy and up to 17% of the material needed to create these boxes while making them easier for customers to recycle.

During Earth Week, Sysco will host a sustainability summit exclusively for their suppliers to discuss how they can drive growth and support customers together by taking action on sustainability to protect the future of the planet and the resilience of the food supply chains.

Learn more about the actions Sysco is taking to protect the planet by visiting sysco.com/sustainability.

About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 72,000 colleagues, the company operates 334 distribution facilities worldwide and serves approximately 725,000 customer locations. For fiscal year 2023 that ended July 1, 2023, the company generated sales of more than $76 billion. Information about our Sustainability program, including Sysco’s 2023 Sustainability Report and 2023 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report, can be found at www.sysco.com.

For more information, visit www.sysco.com or connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SyscoFoods. For important news and information regarding Sysco, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s Internet home page at investors.sysco.com, which Sysco plans to use as a primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. It is possible that the information we disclose through any of these channels of distribution could be deemed to be material information.

CHICAGO — ADM (NYSE: ADM) today released its 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report, highlighting an extensive array of accomplishments, initiatives and goals that are helping drive the company’s progress and growth.

“ADM’s global team of 42,000 colleagues once again delivered on a broad range of sustainability accomplishments in 2023,” said Board Chair and CEO Juan Luciano. “What is even more exciting is the opportunity ahead of us. From our expanding leadership role in the decarbonization of the industries in which we operate, to the potential for the bioeconomy to transform how we think about food, feed, fuel and industrial and consumer products, ADM is helping pave the pathway toward a better future for us all.”

The report details activities spanning three core focus areas: Feeding the World, Protecting Nature and Enriching Lives.

Feeding the World

Supporting the global food system is at the core of ADM’s business: Every day, the company uses its unmatched global asset base, unparalleled product portfolio, and indispensable expertise to ensure it is meeting global nutritional needs. ADM’s 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report details how the company is:

• Working to increase and improve food access worldwide, including through its Sustainable Affordable Nutrition program, which provides high-quality, lower-cost ingredients to improve global access to nutrition;
• Partnering with nonprofits, such as Concern Worldwide, which in 2023 helped improve food security and nutrition for more than 15,500 farmers in Tana River County, Kenya; and
• Improving food quality and safety, including via its 315 Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-certified sites.

Protecting Nature

ADM firmly believes that it is possible to meet the world’s needs both for food security and protection of nature, and focused company efforts in 2023 on biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, climate, waste and freshwater. Highlights include:

• Continuing progress on ADM’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction commitments, with reductions in Scope 1+2 and Scope 3 emissions over baseline by 14.7% and 7.7% respectively;
• Expanding the company’s global regenerative agriculture program, with more than 2.8 million acres in 2023 that sequestered 263,700 metric tons of CO₂ and emitted 310,000 fewer metric tons of Co₂e;
• ADM’s new goal for all of our direct supply chains to be free of conversion of primary native vegetation in defined high-risk areas by 2025, and indirect supply chains by 2027; and
• The company’s support of the EO Wilson Biodiversity Foundation to champion research and education that will inspire next-generation innovation in conservation science.

Enriching Lives

From philanthropic work, to an unwavering commitment to human rights, to continued focus on fostering a workforce that encompasses diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, ADM works to make a positive and lasting impact in the lives of our colleagues, our partners and the communities in which we operate. 2023 highlights include:

• Supporting sustainability, food security and health and well-being through more than $20 million in giving via the company’s corporate social investment program, ADM Cares;
• Continuing to activate and advance new ways to build, strengthen and support an inclusive culture that cultivates innovation and growth, including the continued expansion of employee resource groups; and
• Receiving recognition as a Financial Times Diversity Leader, being named for the 4th straight year in Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list, and inclusion for the 15th year on FORTUNE Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies List.

About ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re an essential global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. We’re a premier human and animal nutrition provider, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of ingredients and solutions from nature. We’re a trailblazer in health and well-being, with an industry-leading range of products for consumers looking for new ways to live healthier lives. We’re a cutting-edge innovator, guiding the way to a future of new consumer and industrial solutions. And we’re a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize the multiple industries we serve. Around the globe, our innovation and expertise are meeting critical needs while nourishing quality of life and supporting a healthier planet. Learn more at www.adm.com.

The resilience of the entire McDonald’s System drives our ability to deliver delicious feel-good moments to our customers, with a laser focus on strong execution and a vision for long-term sustained growth. Through our Accelerating the Arches strategy, we are evolving to meet our customers’ needs and establishing strong platforms for long-term growth.

Culturally Relevant Marketing
We continue to maximize our marketing by further elevating creative excellence, scaling great ideas globally, and building meaningful relationships with our customers. In more than 30 markets around the world, we did just that, tapping into a new global community with a truly unique brand campaign – WcDonald’s, a fictional Anime restaurant we brought to life for our fans this quarter, creating passionate brand excitement and lifting Chicken McNugget category sales.

Affordable Core Equities
We continued to showcase our strength in beef with a consistent approach to improving fan favorites, and the progress we’ve made highlights what McDonald’s can achieve when we tap into the full power of our size and scale. In the U.S., we recently celebrated the full rollout of Best Burger, which is now deployed in over 80% of our restaurants globally and will be scaled to nearly all restaurants by the end of 2026.

Engaging Digital Experiences
Our digital capabilities continue to enhance our ability to know and serve our customers, combining the strength of our core equities with new and exciting digital experiences. The UK market drove strong loyalty results with the return of their Winning Sips digital experience, offering customers the opportunity to win prizes by scanning a QR code on their drink cup. This offering resulted in engagement from our loyalty members, with nearly 75% of our total loyalty user base in the UK active in the quarter.

Our global comparable sales growth in the first quarter marks 13 consecutive quarters of positive comparable sales growth with 30% growth over the last 4 years. As consumers are more discriminating with every dollar that they spend, we will continue to earn their visits by delivering leading, reliable, everyday value and outstanding execution in our restaurants. As we look to the rest of 2024 and beyond, we remain focused on leveraging the competitive advantages within our Accelerating the Arches plan and growing QSR market share to drive long-term growth.”
– CHRIS KEMPCZINSKI
McDonald’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Smithfield, Va., — Smithfield Foods released its 22nd annual sustainability impact report detailing sustainability goal achievements and renewed commitments that continue to drive the production of safe, wholesome and nutritious food responsibly.

“Despite the difficult industry environment our company and industry faced in 2023, Smithfield remained resilient and made significant progress on our sustainability journey,” said Stewart Leeth, chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods. “We have a clear path forward that builds momentum on our 22-year commitment of being good stewards, doing good work and producing good food.”

Highlights of Smithfield’s sustainability impact report include:

Good Stewards
Animal care: Smithfield farm operations had an average performance score of 95% for internal audits and 98% on third-party audits in 2023, while its processing facilities’ average score was 99.57% on third-party audits.

Creating clean, renewable energy: In 2023, Smithfield completed a $150 million renewable natural gas (RNG) project, the largest of its kind, installing manure-to-energy technology on nearly all company-owned hog finishing farms in Missouri. The company is on track to achieve its target to install biogas systems on 90% of finishing farms for U.S. company and contract locations by 2030.

Reducing emissions: By using alternative feed ingredients, Smithfield reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with feed by more than 100,000 tons from a 2010 baseline.

Reducing landfill waste: Smithfield reduced its production-weighted solid waste to landfills by approximately 60% compared with a 2010 baseline. Through its bakery upcycling program, the company produced 3,500 tons of bakery meal per week, diverting more than 179,000 tons of food waste from landfills in 2023 and more than 1.1 billion pounds since January 2021.

Reducing food loss and waste: Smithfield participates in USDA’s U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions initiative and has reduced food waste at its distribution centers by 30% through improvements to inventory management and product handling.

Good Work
Giving back: Smithfield donated more than 30 million protein servings to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs, made nearly $37 million in cash and in-kind contributions and awarded more than $969,000 in need-based educational scholarships globally.

Diversity, culture and engagement: In 2023, Smithfield’s production facility spending with minority-owned businesses topped $83 million.

Supporting farmers: All of Smithfield’s U.S. company-owned sow farms were converted to group housing several years ago, and the company supports contract farmers interested in converting their facilities to group housing. Currently 42% of U.S. contract farmers are operating group housing systems. The company’s agronomics program, SmithfieldGro, helps farmers in its supply chain reduce crop inputs and improve crop yields by investing in carbon reduction and conservation methods.

Worker safety: Smithfield achieved safety incident rates below industry averages again in 2023.

Good Food
Food safety: Smithfield’s U.S. facilities had zero product recalls in 2023.

Health and wellness: Smithfield remains on track to increase transparency of food nutrition through cleaner labels and is committed to reducing added sugars and sodium by 10% across its entire U.S. product line by 2025.

Smithfield was the first major protein company to adopt and publicly report sustainability efforts, beginning with its first sustainability impact report in 2001. The company’s sustainability program is guided by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, the IFRS Foundation’s SASB Standards (SASB) and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and is grounded in seven pillars organized according to its principles for doing good.

Smithfield’s 2023 sustainability impact report is available at smithfieldfoods.com/2023sustainabilityreport. To view Smithfield’s previous 21 annual sustainability impact reports, please visit smithfieldfoods.com/sustainability/resource-center/archive/.

# # #

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is a U.S. food company that employs more than 54,000 people in seven countries and partners with thousands of American farmers. As one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies, we are dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.®” to feed a growing world population. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in our U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30% across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs in all 50 U.S. states. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Gwaltney® and Nathan’s Famous®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads.

CHICAGO – ADM (NYSE: ADM) announced today that its global regenerative agriculture program expanded to more than 2.8 million acres in 2023, exceeding its 2 million acre goal. In addition, the company announced that it is targeting 3.5 million regenerative acres in 2024 and is increasing its 2025 goal from 4 million to 5 million acres globally.

“ADM is scaling up efforts to enhance the sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of the value chains in which we operate, and our leadership in regenerative agriculture is a key driver of that bold agenda,” said Greg Morris, president of ADM’s Ag Services and Oilseeds business. “We know that farmers are stewards of the land, and we offer an array of programs that meet their varied needs and empower each of them in the ways that work best for their individual situations. At the same time, we know that retail and CPG leaders understand the urgency of expanding regenerative agriculture to meet consumer demand, and we’re bringing those downstream customers together with farmers to ensure we’re meeting their needs. This collaborative approach, spanning the value chain, has demonstrated its value through our more than 2.8 million regenerative agriculture acres in 2023, and we’re excited to continue to expand our program and lead in this important global effort.”

ADM partnered with more than 28,000 growers of corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, cotton, sorghum, canola and barley in 2023 as it expanded its regenerative agriculture efforts globally, including the launch of new programs in Europe and Latin America. Participating farms again saw improvements in soil health and carbon footprint.

Last November, ADM issued its first-ever regenerative agriculture report, detailing priorities, goals, programs and achievements to date. The company expects to issue an updated detailed report later this year.

ADM defines regenerative agriculture as an outcome-based farming approach that protects and improves soil health, biodiversity, climate and water resources while supporting farming business development. Regenerative agriculture is adaptive to local physical conditions and culture, and is based on five principles of land management:

Minimizing soil disturbance
Maintaining living roots in soil
Continuously covering bare soil
Maximizing diversity with an emphasis on crops, soil microbes and pollinators; and
Responsibly managing inputs, including nutrients and pesticides.
ADM offers unparalleled capabilities to create value for the entire value chain by partnering to implement and scale regenerative agriculture, working with downstream customers like PepsiCo, Nestlé and Carlsberg; technology partners like Farmers Business Network; and conservation organizations like Practical Farmers of Iowa, Ducks Unlimited and American Farmland Trust. In addition, ADM participates in industry initiatives and coalitions such as Field to Market, Cool Farm Alliance and Sustainable Agriculture Initiative; works with diverse partners like the National Black Growers Council; and leverages funding opportunities to bring more value to farmers, such as through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as well as participation in USDA’s Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities. ADM’s regenerative agriculture programs feature direct financial support for farmers; easy processes and cutting-edge technologies to ensure low barriers to entry; and a broad range of support and guidance from both internal and third-party experts.

About ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re an essential global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. We’re a premier human and animal nutrition provider, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of ingredients and solutions from nature. We’re a trailblazer in health and well-being, with an industry-leading range of products for consumers looking for new ways to live healthier lives. We’re a cutting-edge innovator, guiding the way to a future of new consumer and industrial solutions. And we’re a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize the multiple industries we serve. Around the globe, our innovation and expertise are meeting critical needs while nourishing quality of life and supporting a healthier planet. Learn more at www.adm.com.

Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ), today announced that applications are now open for the second year of its CoLab Tech program. This accelerator program, led by Mondelēz’s global R&D team, seeks early-stage companies that have developed innovative technologies in nutrition, ingredients, packaging, and sustainability.

CoLab Tech plays an important role in Mondelēz’s growth strategy to accelerate innovation in its core categories of chocolate, biscuits, and baked snacks The selected cohort will provide the R&D team with early access to new capabilities that can help in the development of breakthrough products and platforms.

“Our R&D team is at the forefront of Mondelēz’s commitment to empowering people around the world to snack right,” said Ian Noble, VP of R&D at Mondelēz International. “As consumers increasingly prioritize personal well-being, planet positive choices, and more interesting eating experiences, we need to look to groundbreaking entrepreneurs who have developed new tools and technologies that enable us to continue leading the future of snacking.”

This year’s CoLab Tech priority areas are:

• Packaging: Materials that are recyclable, high performing, and flexible; can enable a low environmental impact; and can support premium products.
• Ingredients: Enable innovation in core categories of chocolate, biscuits, and baked snacks with clean, ‘free from’ ingredients; sugar and calorie reduction; plant-based positive nutrition; functional actives; and elevated sensorial experiences.
• Sustainability: Can reduce environmental impact through water and energy optimized ingredient mixing and product forming solutions; more efficient and sustainable heating processes; efficient selective concentration and recovery of compounds; and novel bio-gas generation and supply solutions.

Paula Hemerly, CoLab Tech Program Manager, said the first CoLab Tech cohort has already demonstrated the value of ‘big and small’ working together to accelerate the promise of food technology.

“Last year’s cohort really opened our eyes to what’s possible in snack innovation,” Hemerly said. “We are already collaborating with some of the participants to put their technologies into practice and are very excited about what this new class will bring.”

The eight-week CoLab Tech curriculum consists of virtual sessions, 1:1 mentoring, and has the potential for proof-of-concept testing.

It is open to start-ups across the globe who have reached a minimum viable product in their development process and have a minimum of five employees. Start-ups with diverse and minority board members will be considered a plus for selection. For more information and to apply to the CoLab Tech program, visit www.snackfutures.com.

About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2023 net revenues of approximately $36 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as Oreo, Ritz, LU, Clif Bar and Tate’s Bake Shop biscuits and baked snacks, as well as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor’s 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDLZ.

PURCHASE, N.Y., — PepsiCo today announced that it reached its 2025 global goal of a 25% improvement in operational water-use efficiency in high water-risk areas, two years ahead of schedule¹. In addition, the company was recognized by CDP, the global environmental non-profit, on the 2023 CDP A List for leadership in corporate transparency and performance on water security – putting PepsiCo in the top 0.5% of all 21,000 companies CDP scored.

As part of pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) – the company’s strategic end-to-end transformation – PepsiCo will continue working towards additional water stewardship ambitions, including aiming to be net water positive by 2030.

“Water is a fundamental human right and yet water insecurity remains a significant global challenge with billions of people lacking access to safe water,” said Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo. “That’s why good water stewardship is so important and has long been a priority for PepsiCo and the communities we serve. Our vision is that wherever in the world we operate, water resources will be in a better state than before we arrived. And while we’re proud to have achieved this goal in high water-risk areas two years early, we will continue our unyielding focus on meeting our 2030 ambitions.”

PepsiCo saved billions of liters of water through several initiatives that contributed to reaching this goal. Crucial to these efforts were innovative technologies and shared best practices that were scaled globally through programs such as PepsiCo’s in-house Resource Conservation Program and teams. Examples include:

• Scaling a new approach to how we wash corn when making food products such as Tostitos, Fritos and Doritos to more than 100 global manufacturing lines within a year, with potential to save more than 640 million liters of water annually.
• Implementing membrane bioreactor technology at 21 manufacturing sites globally, including 14 in high water-risk areas, to purify process water to drinking-level standards for reuse in operations, allowing a site to reduce its freshwater demand by an average of 70%.
• Taking the water that’s naturally found in potatoes and using it to help run food manufacturing facilities. Implemented at sites in India, Mexico, Poland and Thailand, this innovative technology developed by PepsiCo Research & Development teams captures and treats vapor that is released by potatoes when they are cooked for products such as Lay’s and converts it to drinkable water that is used to help run manufacturing facilities. This process can save a single site up to 60 million liters of water per year.

To learn more about PepsiCo’s water goals and progress, visit PepsiCo’s ESG Topics A-Z.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo. 

CINCINNATI, March 11, 2024 — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), today announced it has been recognized as a Best Workplace for Diverse Professionals by Mogul, a diversity-focused HR tech and recruitment firm. Kroger ranked in the top three among the list of 100 honorees.

“We appreciate Mogul for recognizing Kroger’s commitment to creating a welcoming workplace for all associates, from all walks of life,” said Tim Massa, senior vice president and chief people officer. “We strive to be an employer that associates are proud to work for, where diversity and differences are celebrated, and growth opportunities are endless. We are proud of the impacts we have made and look forward to continuing our journey to achieve even greater progress.”

Through Kroger’s Framework for Action, the company is committed to standing together and mobilizing its people, passion, scale and resources to transform its culture and the communities it serves. This ongoing commitment includes:

Creating a more inclusive culture
Developing diverse talent
Advancing diverse partnerships
Advancing equitable communities
Deeply listening and reporting progress
Mogul’s methodology and criteria for evaluation for the 2024 Best Workplaces for Diverse Professionals category include the following:

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: Public evidence of long-term commitment to DEI, including specific policies, programs and initiatives
Representation: Public assessment of diversity in the workforce, especially in leadership roles and traditionally underrepresented groups
Workplace Culture and Environment: Public evidence of the inclusiveness of the workplace culture, employee satisfaction and retention rates, especially among diverse groups
Community and Social Impact: Public involvement in community outreach programs related to DEI, partnerships with minority-owned businesses and other social impact initiatives
Innovation in DEI Practices: Public implementation of unique or innovative strategies to promote DEI within the organization
To learn more about Kroger’s Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion plan, visit TheKrogerCo.com/StandingTogether.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

CINCINNATI, Feb. 26, 2024 — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today issued the following statement:

Contrary to the FTC’s statements, blocking Kroger’s merger with Albertsons Companies will actually harm the very people the FTC purports to serve: America’s consumers and workers.

Kroger’s business model is to take costs out of the business and invest in lowering prices for customers. Kroger has reduced prices every year since 2003, resulting in $5 billion invested to lower prices and a 5% reduction in gross margin over this period. This business model is immediately applied to merger companies. Kroger has a proven track record of lowering prices so more customers benefit from fresh, affordable food, and our proposed merger with Albertsons will mean even lower prices and more choices for America’s consumers.

The FTC’s decision makes it more likely that America’s consumers will see higher food prices and fewer grocery stores at a time when communities across the country are already facing high inflation and food deserts. In fact, this decision only strengthens larger, non-unionized retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon by allowing them to further increase their overwhelming and growing dominance of the grocery industry.

The proposed merger with Albertsons Cos. will produce meaningful and measurable benefits for customers, associates and communities across the country. The combined company committed that no stores, distribution centers or manufacturing facilities will close as a result of the merger, including those divested to C&S Wholesale Grocers.

Customers will benefit from lower prices and more choices following the merger close. The company committed to investing $500 million to begin lowering prices day one post-close, and an additional $1.3 billion to improve Albertsons Cos.’ stores.

This commitment builds on Kroger’s long track record of reducing prices every year, with $5 billion invested to lower prices since 2003. Kroger’s work to deliver better value to customers over the last 20 years has reduced its gross margins by 5%. In the same timeframe, competitors like Amazon, Ahold Delhaize, Walmart and Dollar General have increased their gross margins by 22%, 4%, 1% and 2%, respectively. Kroger’s track record includes the years following past mergers, as it invested more than $125 million to lower prices following its merger with Harris Teeter and more than $100 million to lower prices after it merged with Roundy’s. Additionally, Kroger invested $2.5 million and $2.4 million in capital per Harris Teeter and Roundy’s store, respectively, to enhance the customer experience in the three years following each merger.

Customers will also have access to more favorite items from their own communities, as the company committed to increasing the number of local products in its stores by 10 percent post-close. As large retailers continue to squeeze suppliers and raise prices, this merger creates more opportunities for families to access the fresh, affordable foods they love.

As a combined company, Kroger committed to investing $1 billion to raise wages and comprehensive benefits. This builds on the incremental $1.9 billion Kroger invested to improve wages and comprehensive benefits since 2018. To provide the best holistic support for each associate, the company will also extend continuing education and financial literacy benefits to all associates following the merger close. As union membership continues to decline nationwide, especially in the grocery industry, this merger is the best way to secure union jobs. Kroger has added more than 100,000 good-paying union jobs since 2012.

The proposed merger will allow the combined company to invest more deeply to end hunger in communities across America. In 2023, Kroger committed to donating 10 billion meals to families across the U.S. by 2030. Bringing these companies together provides one more step toward achieving communities that are free from hunger and food waste.

The anticipated divestiture plan with C&S builds on the benefits of the merger and fulfills the commitments Kroger set out in its original merger agreement in October 2022. C&S Wholesale Grocers is an industry leader in wholesale grocery supply and supply chain solutions, with a strong track record as a successful grocery retailer. Kroger and Albertsons Cos. took considerable steps to position C&S to continue to successfully operate divested stores as part of its comprehensive plan. This includes providing C&S with strong teams, a cohesive network of stores supported by two regional headquarters, beloved banners and private label brands, and a robust operational infrastructure.

In addition to ensuring no store closures as a result of the merger, the divestiture plan will extend a competitor to new geographies and will maintain all current collective bargaining agreements, which include industry-leading healthcare and pension benefits, bargained-for wages, and ensuring frontline associates remain employed.

The merging parties look forward to litigating this action in court so we can deliver the benefits of this merger to communities across America – lower prices, more choices, and more good-paying union jobs for decades to come.

To learn more about the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons Cos visit here.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

This press release contains certain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding the effects of the proposed transaction and divestiture plan. These statements are based on the assumptions and beliefs of Kroger and Albertsons management in light of the information currently available to them. Such statements are indicated by words or phrases such as “accelerate,” “anticipates,” “create,” “committed,” “confident,” “continue,” “deliver,” “driving,” “expect,” “future,” “guidance,” “positioned,” “strategy,” “target,” “synergies,” “trends,” and “will.” Various uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include the specific risk factors identified in “Risk Factors” in each of Kroger’s and Albertsons’ annual report on Form 10-K for the last fiscal year and any subsequent filings, as well as the following: the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the proposed transaction and divestiture plan, including the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory clearance of the proposed transaction and divestiture plan; the impact of the proposed divestiture plan; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement or divestiture agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the parties and others following announcement of the merger agreement and proposed transaction or divestiture plan; the inability to consummate the proposed transaction or divestiture plan due to the failure to satisfy other conditions to complete the proposed transaction or divestiture plan; risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations of Kroger and Albertsons Cos.; the ability to identify and recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, including expectations and synergies; the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the proposed transaction or divestiture plan; and the ability of Kroger and Albertsons Cos. to successfully integrate their businesses and related operations; the ability of Kroger to maintain an investment grade credit rating; risks related to the potential impact of general economic, political and market factors on the companies or the proposed transaction. The ability of Kroger and Albertsons Cos. to achieve the goals for the proposed transaction may also be affected by their ability to manage the factors identified above.

The forward-looking statements by Kroger and Albertsons included in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made. Neither Kroger nor Albertsons assumes the obligation to update the information contained herein unless required by applicable law. Please refer to the reports and filings of Kroger and Albertsons with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a further discussion of the risks and uncertainties that affect them and their respective businesses.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

JAKARTA, INDONESIA—ADM (NYSE: ADM), a global leader in human and animal nutrition, announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire PT Trouw Nutrition Indonesia, a subsidiary of Nutreco and leading provider of functional and nutritional solutions for livestock farming in Indonesia*.

Incorporated in 2007, PT Trouw Nutrition Indonesia is a leading premix manufacturer, providing innovative and comprehensive nutrition solutions for the animal industry. Their premix production facilities feature full automation solutions with intelligent process optimization, and they are industry 4.0 ready with professional project management and execution1.

With the planned acquisition, ADM will be strengthening its premix and feed additives & ingredients (FA&I) business and strategically positioning itself to meet the anticipated market growth to sustain the rising demand for protein. The acquisition encompasses two premix production facilities—known as the Pasuruan site in Surabaya and the Cibitung site in Jakarta—as well as laboratories, warehouses and offices across Indonesia.

“This acquisition will complement our regional footprint and will represent a step forward in achieving our vision of leading the animal nutrition industry,” said Gerald Wilflingseder, president of ADM’s animal nutrition business in APAC. “It will enable us to enhance our premix production capabilities, ensuring that we are strongly positioned to provide localized solutions and customized services swiftly to customers in Indonesia and the broader region. We believe this move will not only enhance ADM as a major player in premixes and FA&I in Indonesia but also reinforces our reputation as the preferred partner for customers looking for full animal nutrition solutions offerings.”

Once the acquisition is complete, ADM will integrate PT Trouw Nutrition Indonesia into its wider footprint in Indonesia, creating new opportunities to broaden the portfolio of products and solutions offered to customers. In addition, Dr. Pierre Domps, general manager of animal nutrition Indonesia at ADM, commented, “Our commitment extends beyond products and solutions; we strive to provide a spectrum of services. We will provide customized solutions and services backed by international technical expertise and support from our lab services. This approach ensures comprehensive support for local production, enabling a tailored strategy to meet the unique market demands in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific region.”

For more information about ADM’s full portfolio of animal nutrition products and solutions, visit https://www.global.admanimalnutrition.com/.

* Subject to the satisfaction of various Conditions Precedent (CP)
1https://www.trouwnutritionasiapacific.com/en-id/about-us/our-organisation/tn-indonesia/

Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the above statements constitute forward-looking statements. ADM’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) provide detailed information on such statements and risks, and should be consulted along with this release. To the extent permitted under applicable law, ADM assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

About ADM
ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. We’re blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. We’re a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. We’re an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And we’re a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.adm.com.

Source: ADM

Source: Corporate release

CINCINNATI — Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), and Soda Health, Inc. today announced the launch of a Smart Benefits program, which combines Kroger Health’s services with Soda Health’s &more platform. This program allows participating Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and employer benefits program recipients to receive certain pharmacy, nutrition services and other eligible benefits at The Kroger Co.’s Family of Pharmacies, in addition to purchasing eligible food and over-the-counter health items. The Smart Benefits program is operated and powered by Soda Health, a health tech company working to change the way benefit dollars are used to improve an individual’s health and reduce health inequities.

The benefit resources funded by insurance plans are accessed through Soda Health’s &more debit card to make it easier to purchase nutritious foods and quality healthcare services at participating retailers. Additionally, the &more debit card can be used to pay for transportation for medical appointments or even personal utility bills.

“The Smart Benefits program within Soda Health’s &more platform will provide more people with the tools, and information they need to make better, healthier choices,” said James Kirby, chief commercial officer of Kroger Health. “We know food has such a large impact on health outcomes for our customers and patients. By improving access to healthy, affordable food and other health resources, we are working toward truly changing the way America eats.” Powered by Soda Health’s technology, the program offers personalized health recommendations, including reminders about health screenings, vaccines, prescription refills, and suggestions for medical supplies such as glucose monitors.

“Together, Soda Health and Kroger Health are enabling localized and personalized healthcare to customers,” said Robby Knight, Co-Founder and CEO of Soda Health. “We chose to collaborate with Kroger Health to share the prominent role that Food as Medicine plays in health care. Through their services including OptUp® and registered dietitians they are working to empower people to make choices that will impact their overall wellbeing.”

To learn more about the Smart Benefits program or the &more platform, please email khb2b@krogerhealth.com or press@sodahealth.com.

About Kroger Health:
Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., is one of America’s leading retail healthcare organizations. Kroger Health and the Kroger Family of Pharmacies and clinics operate more than 2,200 pharmacies and more than 220 clinics in 35 states serving more than 17 million customers annually. Our team of 24,000 associates, including pharmacists, nurse practitioners, dietitians and technicians, believe in practicing at the top of our licenses, enabling “food as medicine” to help prevent disease before it starts, and helping people live healthier lives. For more information, visit www.kroger.com/health.

About The Kroger Co.:
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025.

About Soda Health:
Soda Health, Inc. is a healthcare technology company founded on the promise of reducing health inequity. We provide Smart Benefits that connect people to products and services they need, when they need them, so they can live healthier lives. We close health equity gaps and lower the cost of healthcare by bridging the gap between the cost of living and living healthier. We partner with health plans and retailers to deliver expansive benefits for things like healthy foods, OTC medications, or transportation. Beyond facilitating transactions, Soda Health understands each individual’s needs and connects people to the resources they need to live healthier lives.

CINCINNATI — Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), hosted the first Nourishing Change Summit to continue driving momentum in the Food as Medicine conversation that began during the 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. The summit brought together a diverse group of leaders from retail, academia and health organizations focused on food and nutrition, healthy communities and more to discuss ways to create positive change by changing the way America eats.

Kroger Health (PRNewsfoto/The Kroger Co.)

“We have the unique opportunity to provide customers and patients with the resources they need to make healthier food choices and, ultimately, change their health outcomes,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. “The future of healthcare isn’t volume-based, it’s value-based and personalized. Built on the foundation of Kroger Health’s industry-leading commitment to Food as Medicine, we are leading thoughtful discussions with a diverse set of leaders who use their broad expertise to create healthier communities.”

During the 2022 White House Conference, Kroger committed to advancing Food as Medicine nationwide. The Nourishing Change Summit built on this conversation to promote an intersectional approach to health and nutrition.

Key learnings from the Nourishing Change Summit include:

Collective action across sectors has the power to advance healthier communities.
Community members play a key role determining specific local health needs, interventions and desired outcomes.
Everyone’s health journey is distinct, and effective solutions must be personalized to address individual needs.
“The Nourishing Change Summit provided key insights that will continue to shape our Food as Medicine initiative,” said James Kirby, chief commercial officer of Kroger Health. “No single organization can create lasting change. I was inspired by the collaborative, cross-industry relationships I saw being built as we work to achieve these important goals together. Each of us has a role to play as we bring healthier choices to neighborhoods across America.”

“By focusing on a holistic approach to health – working with the mind, body and spirit – we can end hunger and improve health in every community we serve. I am grateful to all the panelists and guests who joined us on this next step in the Food as Medicine movement,” added Lindholz.

To learn more about Kroger Health’s Food as Medicine initiative, please visit www.krogerhealth.com.

About Kroger Health:

Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., is one of America’s leading retail healthcare organizations. Kroger Health and the Kroger Family of Pharmacies and clinics operate more than 2,200 pharmacies and more than 220 clinics in 35 states serving more than 17 million customers annually. Our team of 24,000 associates, including pharmacists, nurse practitioners, dietitians, and technicians, believe in practicing at the top of our licenses, enabling “food as medicine” to help prevent disease before it starts, and helping people live healthier lives. For more information, visit www.kroger.com/health.

About The Kroger Co.:
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kroger-health-nourishing-change-summit-convenes-leaders-advances-food-as-medicine-movement-301943061.html

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Brussels, Belgium – CropLife International extends its support to the United States Trade
Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai on her decision to request the formation of a dispute resolution
panel regarding Mexico’s agricultural biotechnology measures under the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA). This request exemplifies the commitment to science-based trade,
innovation, and collaborative problem-solving. In a world facing numerous challenges, including
climate change and food security, it is imperative that innovation is encouraged and supported
through policies based on science and fair trade.

Ambassador Tai’s announcement highlights the importance of basing policies on science,
safeguarding food security, and promoting agricultural innovation. USTR’s commitment to these
principles demonstrates the value of partnerships that transcend borders and ideologies, working
toward a common goal of responsible and sustainable trade practices. Mexico has long been a vital
trading partner for the United States, and the desire to resolve this issue reflects the dedication to
fostering a conducive environment for fair and science-driven trade.

The United States has consistently communicated concerns about Mexico’s plant biotechnology
policies, emphasizing the importance of basing regulations on scientific evidence and international
standards. The implementation of Mexico’s Presidential Decree banning genetically modified (GM)
corn imports will have far-reaching consequences for the farmers already facing food security
challenges. Not only will the ban decrease crop productivity for North American farmers, but it will
add increased volatility to the corn value chain for supply and pricing, exacerbate existing supply
chain challenges, and contribute to existing food insecurity in Mexico.

CropLife International commends the American authorities for their dedication to resolving this
dispute through the mechanisms made available in the USMCA. The need for a dispute resolution
panel reinforces the importance of open dialogue, adherence to international standards, and the
promotion of innovation for the betterment of agriculture, trade, and global well-being.

As this process extends, let us continue to champion innovation, fair trade practices, food security,
and the power of collaboration in shaping a sustainable and prosperous agricultural future.

-###-

About CropLife International: As a global voice and leading advocate for the plant science industry,
we champion innovative technologies that help farmers grow more food on less land sustainably.
We represent six of the world’s leading multinational R&D companies in the plant science sector by
protecting intellectual property to foster a culture of innovation; advocating for trade and regulatory
policies that facilitate access to new technologies; and ensuring the responsible and effective use of
plant science innovations.

For additional information, please contact Sarah.Lukie@CropLife.org.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), today shared that Murray’s Cheese Cave Aged Cheese line received numerous accolades at the American Cheese Society annual conference, bringing home five awards. Murray’s operates more than 1,000 cheese counters in Kroger Family of Stores, creating the customer experience Murray’s has become known for at its flagship Greenwich Village store.

The Kroger Co. Logo (PRNewsFoto/The Kroger Co.) (PRNewsFoto/The Kroger Co.)

Murray’s proprietary Cave Aged cheeses are developed by a team of talented affineurs taking unmatured wheels from top creameries and crafting them into original creations not found anywhere else in the world.

“Through our cave aged program, we create exclusive cheeses in collaboration with several wonderful creameries and cheesemakers,” said Nick Tranchina, president of Murray’s Cheese. “With months or even years of research and development, our team develops new flavors using proprietary aging techniques in our temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms. We are especially proud to be recognized by the American Cheese Society for our latest project, Carpenter’s Wheel, debuting in October. Additionally, Stockinghall Cheddar continues to be awarded and is building a following as the Murray’s Cave Aged cheese available in many Kroger shops nationally.”

The American Cheese Society Judging & Competition is the largest of its kind for American-made cheeses, recognizing products for their achievements in flavor, aroma, texture and appearance. The Murray’s Cave Aged Cheese line award-winners honored by the American Cheese Society include:

Second Place: Cave Aged Reserve Greensward
Category: Soft-ripened washed rind
The unique spruce-wrapped round made by the Cellars at Jasper Hill in Vermont and aged in the Murray’s caves was originally created for Eleven Madison Park. Murray’s team of affineurs washes the cheese in cider and watches over as the pucks age to perfection. Greensward has a silky, oozing, spoonable paste that combines tastes of mushrooms and brandied cherries with woodsy, sprucy notes. A recent winner at American Cheese Society 2022, Third Place Best in Show.

Second Place: Cave Aged Reserve Hudson Flower
Category: Soft-ripened with flavor added – all milks
Young wheels of sheep’s milk cheese from New York’s Old Chatham Creamery are coated in the Murray’s caves with a blend of rosemary, lemon thyme, chervil and hop flowers. After ripening in the caves, this riff on Corsican classic Fleur du Maquis has piney, floral, rich and earthy flavors. Also a winner at the 2022 American Cheese Society, World Championship Cheese Contest, and 2019 American Cheese Society.

Second Place: Cave Aged Original Stockinghall Cheddar
Category: Cheddar wrapped in cloth,linen with a natural rind – aged through 12 months – all milks
Stockinghall Cheddar is a uniquely Murray’s creation. Cheddar wheels are made at Old Chatham Creamery using Murray’s recipe; Murray’s caves team then receives the young wheels, wraps them in cloth, and ages them for a year. The resulting flavors are meaty bacon and sour cream with hints of pineapple. Winner of American Cheese Society 2019 Best in Show. Available in select Kroger Murray’s Cheese stores!

Second Place: Cave Aged Original Buttermilk Basque
Category: Sheep’s milk cheese aged 31 to 60 days
A rich, buttery cheese inspired by traditional Basque cheese, made in collaboration with Old Chatham Creamery with an original recipe developed by the Murray’s caves team. The small wheels with a recognizable woven rind age in Murray’s caves for one month to form a pudgy paste with a gentle earthiness.

Third Place: Carpenter’s Wheel (coming this fall)
Category: Goat’s milk cheese aged over 60 days
This alpine-style goat’s milk cheese is a collaboration with FireFly Farms in Maryland. The cheese was originally developed with Crown Finish Caves in Brooklyn, and Murray’s is proud to carry on the cheese’s legacy now that Crown Finish has closed.

As an iconic New York City destination, Murray’s brings its authentic roots and decades of specialty food expertise in creating a fresh cut-and-wrap cheese program inside Kroger stores. Each Murray’s shop carries more than 150 exceptional cheeses, plus charcuterie, olives, crackers and specialty food items from all over the world. The Murray’s Cave Aged Cheese line is available for purchase at www.murrayscheese.com, along with gifts and cheese of the month clubs.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names , serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Murray’s Cheese
Murray’s Cheese is a beloved mainstay of New York City’s Greenwich Village that has evolved into a world-renowned specialty food destination. Murray’s in New York City includes several retail shops, a restaurant, and an e-commerce program with gifts, monthly clubs and cheeses aged in their state-of-the-art NYC cheese caves. Cheese experts also host tasting classes and events, and the company supplies some of the country’s most beloved restaurants with cheese. Murray’s joined the Kroger family in 2017 and their cheese counters and experts can be found within Kroger and its banner stores around the country. Follow along @murrayscheese and www.murrayscheese.com.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN —Wheaties announced that its latest legendary orange box features professional football athletes and brothers J.J. Watt and T.J. Watt. From the backyard to the big game, the Watt brothers have always prioritized family and community throughout their historic football careers—making them the perfect Wheaties Champions and first-ever brother pair to be featured on the Wheaties box.

“Built around a uniting love for football, the Watt family is grounded in perseverance, togetherness, and a commitment to doing the right thing when it matters most, while serving communities in their lives outside of football,” said Kathy Dixon, senior brand experience manager for Wheaties. “That’s what being a Wheaties Champion is all about, and one of the many reasons we’re so proud to feature J.J. and T.J. on the cover of this limited-edition box.”

For more than 100 years, the iconic Wheaties box has boasted prominent athletes on the front, honoring what it means to be a Champion and recognizing those who are not only the best at their sports, but who have broken barriers and made significant contributions to the world at large.

After successful high school football careers, the Watt brothers each went on to play at the college level in their home state of Wisconsin. J.J. was selected #11 Overall Pick in the 2011 draft and went on to have a groundbreaking 11-year professional football career before retiring in Arizona after the 2022 season. T.J., who was named the best defensive player in the league in 2021, was drafted in the first round to play alongside his brother Derek in Pittsburgh in 2017, where he became the first rookie starting linebacker for the team in 30 years.

While maintaining successful athletic careers, J.J. and T.J. have kept service at the forefront of their lives outside the sport. Notably, J.J. founded the Justin J. Watt Foundation that provides after-school opportunities for children to get involved in athletics in a safe environment. J.J. and T.J. have both also participated in efforts to help those in need after some of the most impactful events in the United States over the past decade including Hurricane Harvey and participation in the Make-A-Wish foundation. In celebration of the new box, Wheaties is donating $100,000 to the Justin J. Watt Foundation to help in its work of creating safe, after-school athletic opportunities for middle schoolers.

This is the first time that Wheaties has chosen a duo to be featured since 1934, and the first brothers to be on the cereal box together. J.J. and T.J. are also joined by their brother Derek, who is featured on the back of the box. Past athletes highlighted on the Wheaties box include Simone Biles (2022), Michael Jordan (2021) and Lebron James (2020).

“It is a childhood dream come true to be on the next Wheaties box,” J.J. and T.J. said. “To be included among the incredible roster of athletes who have been featured over the years is a true honor. We hope this box is a reminder for athletes and people everywhere to persevere – on the field and in life – and always champion what you’re passionate about.”

The Watt brothers limited-edition Wheaties Box will be available at major retailers nationwide in early August.

Media
General Mills Communications
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Edelman
Lauren Durham
lauren.durham@edelman.com

ABOUT WHEATIES
Wheaties is an iconic brand that has been a part of American culture for 100 years. In 1934, Wheaties honored Lou Gehrig as its first cover athlete and has celebrated champions on its iconic orange cereal boxes ever since. Some of the greatest athletes in history have been honored on Wheaties boxes. The team behind “The Breakfast of Champions” has redefined what it means to be a Champion and to champion, reserving its cover for athletes who are using their sports platform for something greater. Wheaties believes the world needs more champions who champion. To view more about Wheaties, or shop for products, visit www.wheaties.com

ABOUT GENERAL MILLS
General Mills makes food the world loves. The company is guided by its Accelerate strategy to drive shareholder value by boldly building its brands, relentlessly innovating, unleashing its scale and standing for good. Its portfolio of beloved brands includes household names such as Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Totino’s, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2023 net sales of U.S. $20.1 billion. In addition, the company’s share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1.0 billion.

U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification (HPAI) Act alongside 11 of their Senate colleagues. This bipartisan bill would expand the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) compensation program to all poultry growers and layer operations within a highly pathogenic avian influenza control area, rather than only those whose flocks are infected.

“Delaware has the largest per capita chicken industry in the country, and Delaware’s independent family farmers and poultry growers are all too aware of the harm avian flu can cause after last year’s outbreak,” said Senator Coons. “This bipartisan bill would ensure that every farmer who does their part to contain an outbreak is fairly compensated for their financial harm, and it simplifies the compensation process so farmers can get back on their feet quickly after losing their flock. As Co-Chair of the Senate Chicken Caucus, I urge my colleagues to support this bill that will ensure a robust poultry supply chain, keep food costs low, and assist our hardworking farmers.”

“As every farmer knows, unexpected events can take a heavy toll,” said Senator Wicker. “Recent avian flu outbreaks hurt poultry growers and layers, and control areas made it harder for them to recover. This legislation would compensate workers in affected zones so they can get back to producing quickly.”

Senator Coons and Senator Wicker are the Co-Chairs of the Senate Chicken Caucus.

“I want to thank Senators Coons and Wicker for introducing this bipartisan bill that will help protect one of our most important assets – our farmers,” added National Chicken Council President Mike Brown. “This legislation recognizes the fact that highly pathogenic avian influenza can have a detrimental effect on any farm in an outbreak control zone, not just the farm that tests positive. NCC is proud to support this bill.”

Under current APHIS policies, all poultry farms located within 10-kilometer radius of a HPAI case are disallowed from placing flocks until the virus is contained. Afterward, all growers who have positive tests in their flocks receive compensation from the USDA, but not those within the 10-kilometer control area whose flocks don’t contract HPAI. As a result, while these growers undergo many of the same financial struggles as those whose flocks contract the virus, they aren’t compensated for their compliance with efforts to help contain HPAI. This bill would rectify that so all growers in the control area are duly compensated.

Last year, the American poultry industry was hit with its worst-ever HPAI outbreak. The outbreak affected 47 states and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to poultry growers and layer operations, driving food inflation even higher for Americans’ most cost-effective animal protein sources.

In addition to Senators Coons and Wicker, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

Specifically, the HPAI Act would:

Expand USDA-APHIS compensation to all poultry farmers in an HPAI control area. The program currently only compensates farmers whose flocks test positive, not those in the control area who are disallowed from placing flocks until the virus is contained, which sometimes takes months.
Simplify the calculation of indemnity. The payments to farmers will be calculated based on the average income they earned from the last five flocks. This method is more transparent and ensures that farmers will not face a cash shortfall in the face of an HPAI outbreak in their area.