Instacart’s Shaky Forecast Raises Questions for the Future of Grocery Delivery

Instacart has forecast a slowdown in growth in the coming quarter. The company’s sales quadrupled in the first year of the pandemic, for obvious reasons. And while many shoppers returned to grocery stores in person, online ordering has held its own in the last five years.

The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) Announces 2025 Private Label Trade Show Theme: ‘Store Brands Marketplace’

Every year, the Show brings together industry professionals representing all store formats, including major supermarkets, supercenters, drug chains, wholesale clubs, dollar stores, specialty stores, mass merchandisers, importers and exporters, e-commerce retailers, and convenience stores/travel stops.

Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) Streamlines Certification Program to Prepare for Growth

Building on a decade of experience certifying produce farming operations and incorporating valuable input from growers, suppliers, retailers, auditors and other key partners, EFI is evolving its certification program. Market feedback consistently reports that EFI’s core strengths are in workforce engagement and workplace culture change. EFI is responding by streamlining its training and auditing processes. Farming operations seeking certification will therefore audit to EFI’s social and culture of food safety standards, with the option to include the integrated pest management standards. 

Boston Sword & Tuna Protects Seafood Safety with High-Performance Metal Detectors from Mettler-Toledo 

March 6, 2025 METTLER TOLEDO

To better inspect challenging products like seafood and minimize false rejects, Profile Advantage metal detectors use multi-simultaneous frequencies to distinguish between metal contaminants and natural product characteristics. BST’s quality assurance protocol includes twice-daily calibration tests using certified test strips made from ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless-steel metals.

Northwest Aquaculture Alliance Files Suit Against Washington Department of Natural Resources’ Unlawful Ban on Commercial Net Pens

The lawsuit alleges that in its predetermined rulemaking process, resulting in the banning of commercial finfish net pen aquaculture in state waters, “DNR failed to satisfy Administrative Procedure Act (APA) procedures; stepped beyond its statutory authority; promulgated arbitrary and capricious rules; and violated State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements.”