Gourmet News

Whole Foods Market Daily Shop to Launch in NYC

Published March 5, 2024

The prepared foods section of a Whole Foods Market. (Photo: Whole Foods Market)

Whole Foods Market is introducing a new, quick-shop store format designed to provide customers in urban neighborhoods a quick, convenient shopping experience with easier access to the fresh, high-quality offerings they expect from Whole Foods Market. The new format, called Whole Foods Market Daily Shop, will initially launch on the Upper East Side in Manhattan with additional locations in New York City to follow. The first store, located at 1175 Third Avenue, is expected to open this year. Following the New York City launch, Whole Foods Market plans to bring the format to other cities across the country.

Ranging between 7,000 to 14,000 square feet, the quick-shop stores are about a quarter to half the footprint of an average 40,000 square foot Whole Foods Market store, paving the way for expansion in dense, metropolitan areas. In bustling hubs like Manhattan where proximity matters, these stores will bring Whole Foods Market closer to existing customers, while extending the company’s reach to others in surrounding neighborhoods.

Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will provide a convenient option for grab-and-go meals and snacks, weekly essentials, and a quick, easy destination to pick up ingredients to complete a meal – with all items meeting the company’s rigorous quality standards. Though smaller, the stores will still offer Whole Foods Market favorites, including an ample selection of fresh, seasonal produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods like sandwiches and pre-packed meals, breads, alcohol, and supplements, as well as a handpicked range of local specialties and our own 365 by Whole Foods Market brand. In addition, the location that is expected to open this year will be the first Whole Foods Market store in Manhattan to offer Juice & Java, a venue for coffee, tea, fresh pressed juices, smoothies, sandwiches, soups and various desserts.

“At our new store formats, we’re tailoring every square foot to the unique, fast-paced needs of urban lifestyles. We’re excited to introduce a new way for our customers to quickly pick up their Whole Foods Market favorites – from grab-and-go meals to that last-minute dinner ingredient – making the early morning or after work grocery trips more efficient and enjoyable,” said Christina Minardi, executive vice president growth & development, Whole Foods Market & Amazon. “Expanding our footprint with Whole Foods Market Daily Shop is key to our growth, fostering deeper customer connections, and advancing our purpose to nourish people and the planet.”

The new format stores will not replace the traditional Whole Foods Market store format. In fact, this quick-shop format is one more way Whole Foods Market and Amazon are innovating every day to build a best-in-class grocery shopping experience that offers multiple ways for customers to conveniently shop for the products they know and love.

In 2023, Whole Foods Market added its 17^th store in New York City at One Wall Street, underscoring the company’s dedication to enhancing the urban customer experience and expanding its urban real estate footprint. Whole Foods Market currently has more than 530 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom with more than 75 stores in the pipeline.

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 United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.

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Rodney Strong Vineyard Launches Annual Sustainability Sweepstakes

Published March 4, 2024

Sonoma County’s Rodney Strong Vineyards continues its annual sustainability sweepstakes this year with another environment-centric offering: $2,500 toward the purchase of an electric bike for 15 lucky winners of its 2024 drawing. Now through May 31, consumers can enter online for a chance to win and show solidarity with Rodney Strong in its decades-long mission to operate according to environmentally sound principles.

“At Rodney Strong we like to say sustainability is a journey. It is more than just a set of rules to follow; it’s a daily decision to be stewards of the land for generations to come,” said Justin Seidenfeld, senior vice president of winemaking and winegrowing. “Helping people leverage e-bike technology is just another way we can take consumers on this journey with us — and for them to literally journey from place to place in a sustainable way.”

Rodney Strong Vineyards has been at the forefront of viticulture and winemaking sustainability initiatives for 20 years. In 2002, after winery staff conducted a self-assessment based on a handbook developed by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, the company installed the largest solar panel array the wine business had ever seen at the time. Two decades later, Rodney Strong staff are still deeply devoted to taking care of the earth through each step in their winemaking process. In the cellars, for example, new technology reduces water use on the barrel wash line by 80 percent. In the vineyards, staff fence-in their grapes in small blocks to maintain critical wildlife corridors.

“At Rodney Strong Vineyards we like to say, ‘place matters,’” Seidenfeld said. “Of course, Sonoma County is our place, and we’re doing all we can to protect and honor it. But we also want to honor the places our consumers call home, the environments they want and need to protect as they move through their day.”

To enter the sweepstakes, consumers can visit the Rodney Strong sweepstakes microsite either directly or by scanning a QR code available via social media and on sales displays at national and regional grocery chains and independent sellers of Rodney Strong wines. Winners will be chosen on or about June 7. More information, along with the details on terms and conditions, is available online at rodneystrongebikesweeps.com.

In 2023, the winemaker launched this sustainability-centric sweepstakes with a $60,000 prize toward the purchase of an electric vehicle. As one of California’s first certified sustainable wineries and vineyards, the company’s leadership felt it made sense to support a broader movement to go electric. The winner was chosen from over 22,000 entries, a number they hope to exceed in 2024.

Rodney Strong Wine Estates is a family-owned wine company that includes Rodney Strong Vineyards, Davis Bynum Wines, Knotty Vines, Upshot Wines and ROWEN Wine Company. Rodney Strong sustainably farms 12 estate vineyards and produces wines from Sonoma County’s finest appellations. The winery was founded in 1959 by Sonoma County pioneer Rod Strong as the 13th bonded winery in the county.

For over 30 years, RSWE has flourished under the leadership of the Klein family, fourth generation California farmers. The Klein family is committed to protecting and preserving the environment in both the vineyards and at the winery through sustainable and innovative practices. Rodney Strong Wine Estates is a family of passionate people committed to crafting premium wines, meaningful experiences, and sustainable leadership in Sonoma County. Learn more at RodneyStrong.com.

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Heroes Pantry Addresses Food Insecurity for Military, Veterans

Published March 4, 2024

Food for Health, a program under the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has launched the Heroes Pantry in San Diego to alleviate the burden of food insecurity among veterans, active duty servicemembers, and military families exacerbated by the high cost of living, especially for those facing health challenges or needing to cover medical expenses.

The new Heroes Pantry will offer fresh vegetables and fruits sourced directly from farms, with a focus on providing healthy options tailored to veterans with specific dietary needs. It is open and free to all veterans and active duty members. It will operate bi-weekly initially and expand to weekly distributions as needed.

Research from the Military Family Advisory Network reveals that food insecurity among military and veteran families is twice the national average, affecting one in six households. RAND reports that 1.4 million veterans struggle to access adequate food, leading to severe health implications.

“It is unacceptable that those who have served and protected our nation are going hungry,” said Carlos Marroquin, national director of food for health programs at AHF. “Veterans and active military personnel have sacrificed their well-being for our safety, and it is our duty to ensure they have access to nutritious food.”

“Veterans should not be forced to choose between basic necessities like rent and food,” added Wendy Calderon, VFW Post commander. “The rising cost of living has deprived many of them of a healthy lifestyle. The Heroes Pantry aims to provide assistance and promote wellness among those who have selflessly served our country.”

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 1.9 million individuals across 45 countries, including the U.S. and in Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, visit us online at AIDShealth.org, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, and subscribe to our AHFter Hours podcast.

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