ELGIN, MN - Honeybear Brands, leading grower, marketer, and developer of premium conventional and organic apples, pears, and cherries, is about to fill store shelves with juicy, dark, sweet, and Rainier cherries direct from the finest orchards in the Northwest. This growing season has produced an ample supply of the very popular fruit, and retailers are well-positioned to offer shoppers summer promotions on their favorite healthy, seasonal sweet treats.

Growing districts continue to show good separation from the earliest pick to the latest, which provides a nice even spread for harvest of the northwest cherry crop. And thanks to its expanded packing capabilities, Honeybear can accommodate retailer-packed-to-order configurations, delivering the freshest fruit possible at strong volumes.

“Again, this season, Honeybear Brands delivers on its promise of a premier cherry eating experience backed by a strong promotional campaign. Our cherry line in Pateros, WA coupled with the newly onboarded Starr Ranch facility in Wenatchee provides increased capacity and allows our retail partners to give a premium cherry eating experience to their shoppers,” said Chuck Sinks, vice president of sales and marketing, Honeybear Brands, in a recent press release. “Cherry sales are critical for successful summertime produce sales, and we do everything we can to make sure retailers benefit from summer cherry sell through and produce department success.”

ISSAQUAH, WA - In a strategic pivot aimed at modernizing the member experience, Costco is stepping up its tech game. During the company’s recent Q3 earnings call, CEO Ron Vachris revealed that the retailer is piloting scan-and-go-style technology, mirroring a key feature Sam’s Club has long used to stay ahead in convenience and customer satisfaction.

“We’ve also engaged in some scan-and-go, done by Costco,” Vachris said in the release, hinting at developments that are already live in select locations through its Instacart-powered Scan & Pay option. The feature allows shoppers to scan items using their phone, check out digitally, and simply show a QR code on their way out.

Costco is also pushing digital membership cards as part of a broader effort to reduce checkout times and enhance the overall warehouse experience, according to MSN. While Vachris kept details brief, the tech shift could signal a much more aggressive stance from Costco as it works to close the innovation gap with Sam’s Club.

With shopper expectations rising for faster, frictionless experiences—especially in busy warehouse settings—this move could help Costco stay competitive in member satisfaction.

For more stories on retail tech and strategy, keep checking back with ANUK.

BATAVIA, IL - ALDI U.S. is excited to announce that Jason Hart, ALDI U.S. Chief Executive Officer, has been promoted to join the Executive Board of ALDI South as Group Chief Operating Officer. Hart will help oversee the company's global operations in Salzburg, Austria, effective September 1. Atty McGrath, currently Chief Operating Officer, will assume the ALDI U.S. Chief Executive role.

During his decade-long leadership as ALDI U.S. CEO, Hart has led the rapid expansion and development of the ALDI brand, overseeing the store count nearly double from 1,300 in 32 states to 2,500 across 39 states. ALDI has become the fastest-growing grocer in America, renowned for its employee-first mentality, industry-leading sustainability commitments, and pledge to serving customers with the lowest prices of any national grocery store.

"I am honored to take on this new role with ALDI, supporting our global business," said Jason Hart in a recent press release. "The growth and positive development of the ALDI brand we've achieved together in the U.S. is a tribute to our incredible teams across the business. I look forward to working with ALDI teams around the globe to drive our growth and success."

As part of this transition, ALDI is committed to maintaining continuity in leadership. Atty McGrath has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer of ALDI U.S. McGrath brings a wealth of ALDI experience and expertise to this critical role, serving most recently as Chief Operating Officer. McGrath has spent her entire 20-year career with ALDI, holding a variety of positions ranging from district manager, director of operations, division vice president, and most recently chief operating officer.

"On behalf of the entire ALDI U.S. team, I extend heartfelt thanks to Jason for his unwavering dedication and remarkable leadership," said incoming Chief Executive Officer Atty McGrath. "I am excited to build upon our momentum, expand our footprint, and continue adapting to serve our customers."

As part of its aggressive growth strategy, ALDI U.S. plans to open 800 new stores over the next five years, with a target of more than 225 locations opening this year alone, a record for the retailer. Already this year, ALDI U.S. has opened 55 stores with 75 more locations set to open this summer in key growth markets such as Arizona, California, Florida, and South Carolina as well as established markets like the Midwest and Northeast.

MONTREAL, QC - Walmart Canada and Lufa Farms are now selling hyperlocal produce from Lufa Farms’ 127,000 square-foot hydroponic greenhouse atop the Marché Central Walmart Supercentre in the store below.

This marks the first time produce from Montreal’s Lufa Farms will be sold through a retailer and the first time Walmart Canada will sell produce from a store’s rooftop greenhouse. Harvested on demand each morning, the rotating crops of tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers will be available for sale in-store in as fast as an hour after being picked.

“Rooftops are one of the most underused spaces in cities – and yet they’re perfect for growing food,” said Mohamed Hage, founder and CEO of Lufa Farms, in a recent press release. “Walmart has a huge network of rooftops across the country, and by transforming just one of them into a greenhouse, we’re showing what’s possible: fresh, local vegetables grown sustainably and sold just downstairs, the same day they’re harvested. This is how we can reimagine the future of food in cities.”

“Across the country, we’re proud to work with local farmers and producers to bring their products to Walmart Canada’s shelves. This collaboration with Lufa Farms brings that approach even closer to home by offering our customers the opportunity to purchase hyperlocal produce grown in the greenhouse above our Marché Central store,” said Sam Wankowski, chief merchandising officer, Walmart Canada. “Our customers will be delighted by the local crops that are grown with more sustainable farming practices and then harvested on-demand each day - available at our everyday low prices.”

“We are invested in Quebec and are proud to employ more than 14,000 associates across this province. Last year alone, Walmart purchased more than $3.8 billion worth of products from more than 460 Quebec suppliers, and we’re excited to add Lufa Farms to this list,” says Cyrille Ballereau, vice president, operations, Walmart Canada. “It’s a proud moment to see us collaborating so closely with another local Quebec supplier to bring this innovative program to market.”

The project is rooted in Lufa Farms’ commitment to fresh, local, responsible farming and Walmart Canada’s continued focus on working with local suppliers to deliver innovative and more sustainable options for customers. According to Lufa Farms, their state-of-the-art rooftop greenhouse uses half the energy of a conventional ground-level greenhouse, recycles up to 90 per cent of its water, and relies on energy-efficient LED lighting - all while making use of underutilized urban space.

Customers in Walmart’s Marché Central Supercentre can now purchase boxes of this rooftop produce grown and harvested by Lufa Farms each day, while quantities last.