NEW YORK CITY, NY - Misfits Market, the online grocery platform that delivers a better way to shop for better groceries, announced the acquisition of The Rounds, a startup known for restocking recurring essentials in reusable packaging and its highly engaged member base.

This deal comes on the heels of record customer acquisition in April and May 2025 and it marks Misfits Market's second acquisition in three years, following the successful 2022 integration of Imperfect Foods. The addition of The Rounds establishes Misfits Market as the leading acquisitive force in sustainable grocery, leveraging its scaled infrastructure, deep supply chain expertise, and mission-first model to bring a better grocery experience to more people across the U.S.

"This acquisition furthers the joint mission of both Misfits Market and The Rounds to reduce waste and inefficiency in the supply chain while expanding our offering," said Abhi Ramesh, founder and CEO of Misfits Market, in a recent press release. "The Rounds earned a loyal following by making low-waste, high-quality shopping seamless on a local level. We're excited to welcome their members to Misfits Market, where that same mission continues at a national scale with more selection and deeper impact."

Advancing a Shared Sustainability Mission

Both The Rounds and Misfits Market have pioneered innovative solutions to make online grocery more sustainable, including reusable packaging, using eco-friendly materials, right-sizing required packaging, and efficient last-mile delivery and reverse logistics capabilities.

The Rounds built a loyal following in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., by rethinking the last mile of grocery delivery via a near-zero-waste, recurring member experience with reusable packaging. Misfits Market in turn tackles waste within the food system, saving an average of 500,000 pounds of food from waste or lesser outcomes each week. The company will expand its assortment via the acquisition to ensure goods don't go to waste.

"We have a great opportunity to advance our shared mission, fundamentally reimagining how more people access quality grocery essentials and household staples more sustainably," said The Rounds co-founder and CEO Alex Torrey. "Going forward, The Rounds members will access all the benefits of Misfits Market."

What The Rounds Members Can Expect

Members of The Rounds will get a $30 credit when they join Misfits Market plus a free year of Misfits+ ($69 value), a membership program that unlocks exclusive weekly deals on groceries and free shipping, and helps fight hunger with every order. They'll also enjoy delivery by Misfits Market's first-party driver network and access to its packaging return program, the only one of its kind among national grocers. Service updates, timing, and any changes to local operations will be communicated directly to members.

Additionally, Misfits Market will expand its B2B offering with some of the largest corporate and multifamily operators nationwide via their partnerships with The Rounds. This new distribution channel will allow Misfits Market to reach hundreds of thousands of new consumers with its lower emission delivery model.

EAGLE, ID - With a 22% boost in entries this year, the 2025 Idaho® Potato Lovers Display Contest put the spotlight on even more retail produce departments around the country, including nearly 140 winners of $150,000-plus in cash and prizes.

“We added three more Honorable Mention awards for our 34th annual contest because there were just too many great entries,” says Ross Johnson, IPC vice president of retail, in a recent press release. “We continued our expanded sweepstakes too, giving away three full-size Victrola digital jukebox packages to winners from each of the three IPC regions, along with their category managers. Produce departments throughout the United States are stepping up with such original, creative Idaho® potato displays that we wanted to honor as many as possible.”

The Idaho® Potato Lovers Display Contest is still the only contest that awards every entrant for participating. This year everyone who entered the competition took home five pairs of colorful limited-edition socks, perfect for sharing with other team members who worked on their display, says Johnson.

Retailers competed with other same-size stores in one of three categories: 1-5 cash registers, 6-9 cash registers, or 10+ cash registers. Within each store category, entrants were eligible to win these prizes:

• 1st place – $1,500
• 2nd place – $1,000
• 3rd place – $750
• 4th place – $500
• 5th place – $250
• Honorable Mention – $100 (103 selected from remaining entries)

The Category Manager Match Program awarded equivalent prizes to corporate category managers for stores that qualified for a 1st through 5th place prize or the jukebox package.

In-store displays were required to incorporate fresh Idaho® potatoes (bag, bulk or both) with a clear label showing the Idaho name and the “Grown in Idaho®” seal, along with a clearly marked Idaho® dehydrated potato product. The display also had to use IPC 2025 special themed point-of-sale materials: two double-sided Idaho® Potato Lovers logo display signs, one large and two small double-sided signs with an appetizing photo, and six inflatable Mylar™ Idaho® potato balloons. Displays were required to be in the store’s produce section for at least one week between Feb. 1 and March 31, 2025.

To check out the 2025 winning displays, visit www.IdahoPotato.com/Retail.

SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA - Dole announced the signing of new public-private agreements to advance its award-winning Information and Wellbeing Centers (IWCs), a workplace-based initiative pioneered by Dole designed to deliver vital public and private services directly to the workplace, improving quality of life for agricultural workers in Costa Rica’s rural areas.

The announcement was made during the forum “Information and Wellbeing Centers: Public-Private Partnerships that Improve Lives,” hosted by Dole Fresh Fruit. During the event, Dole signed memorandums of understanding with two key national institutions—Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) and Banco Popular—further strengthening its commitment to inclusive development and equitable service access.

Launched in 2020, Dole’s IWC model has redefined how rural workers access healthcare, social security, education, and financial tools. By integrating these essential services directly into the workplace, IWCs eliminate major barriers such as distance, cost, and time. Currently, IWCs directly benefit over 3,300 individuals across four of Dole’s pineapple farms: Santa Fe, El Bosque, La Virgen, and Muelle, thanks to the collaboration of 38 public and private sector partners.

The new agreements with CCSS and Banco Popular—two pillars of Costa Rica’s public infrastructure—signal an expansion of the IWC network:

• CCSS (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social): As Costa Rica’s universal public healthcare and social insurance provider, CCSS plays a central role in delivering medical and social protection across the country.
• Banco Popular: A state-owned bank with a social mission focused on financial inclusion and community development, serves working populations and grassroots enterprises across the country.

By formalizing their engagement, these institutions have committed to deepening their participation in the IWC network, advancing broader access to equitable solutions that uphold citizens’ rights and promote long-term well-being.

“This is a concrete example of how public-private partnerships can close gaps and generate real well-being,” said Rudy Amador, Regional Vice President of Social Responsibility, Sustainability, and Communications at Dole Fresh Fruit. “Inter-institutional coordination has been key to making the Information and Wellbeing Centers a powerful driver of inclusion.”

The forum convened national government leaders, business executives, and international institutions to reflect on the success and scalability of the IWC model. The Aliarse Foundation, a Costa Rican NGO specializing in cross-sector partnerships, presented a case study during the event, followed by a panel discussion highlighting the social and economic benefits of collaborative development models.

In 2022, the IWC program received the Grand Prize for Social Responsibility in Action from the Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), recognizing its innovation and measurable impact.

To date, the IWC program has reached 14,947 individuals, with continued expansion planned for the years ahead. The initiative is increasingly recognized as a replicable blueprint for sustainable development.

The event concluded with a collective call to action: when the public sector, private enterprise, and civil society work together with intention, the result is a more just and connected society—one where access to essential services is not a privilege, but a right realized.

KINGSVILLE, ON - Mastronardi Produce, a leader in the greenhouse-grown fresh produce industry, is proud to announce that its flagship SUNSET® brand has received three 3-star Superior Taste Award certifications for the exceptional flavors of Campari® Tomatoes, Angel Sweet® Tomatoes, and WOW® Dreamberry™ Strawberries.

Mastronardi Produce was also awarded four 2-star Superior Taste Award designations for SUNSET® Flavor Bombs® Tomatoes, Summer Dream™ Raspberries, Secilia™ Tomatoes, and the Backyard Farms® Green Leaf Lettuce.

“Flavor is what drives us, and to be recognized for that is an honor,” said Paul Mastronardi, President & CEO of Mastronardi Produce. “We take great pride in everything we grow. Receiving such high distinction emphasizes the genuine passion found throughout our entire organization.”

The Superior Taste Award is a prestigious global certification that highlights delicious tasting food and beverage products. Organized by the International Taste Institute, submissions are assessed for appearance, aroma, flavor, and texture by a jury of over 250 professional chefs and sommeliers from more than 20 countries. Products that obtain a 3-star rating are deemed exceptional and of the highest quality in their category. A 2-star rating honors outstanding products that clearly distinguish themselves within their category.

The Superior Taste Award certification for the SUNSET® Campari® Tomato follows the recent announcement of the cocktail tomato's 30th anniversary. Renowned for its perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, Campari® also earned a 3-star Superior Taste Award in 2019.

The Superior Taste Awards come on the heels of Mastronardi’s earlier wins this month at the Leamington Greenhouse Competition in Ontario, Canada, where the company received 23 awards for flavor, including the competition’s top honors for best tomato, best strawberry, and four Chef’s Choice awards.