Columbine Vineyards, producer of the popular Holiday table grapes in California’s San Joaquin Valley, has now become the first Sustainably Grown Certified table grapes producer in the U.S. The new certification represents the significant impacts Columbine Vineyards has made over the past few years, including water conservation (843 million gallons saved), styrofoam reduction (54 percent reduction) and carbon sequestration (5,200 metric tons), the equivalent to 1140 cars off the roads annually.

Natural Grocers is bringing local hydroponic, organic produce grown just steps away from its customers with the launch of its new hydroponic GardenBox. The pilot program, which takes place at its Green Mountain store in Lakewood, CO, grows an array of organic leafy greens that travel just 82 steps from hydroponic garden to customer. GardenBox delivers living produce with roots intact for a longer shelf life and better flavor, certified organic by Where Food Comes From Organic, and the Clean Hydroponic Produce seal.

Homegrown Organic Farms announced the company’s transition from a corporation to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The transition took place in April 2021 and was finalized May 1 of this year.

Summer is watermelon’s time to shine, and the 2021 Washington-grown watermelon season is shaping up nicely for Keystone Fruit Marketing, a division of Progressive Produce.

“The Northwest has had a mild to warm spring, which provided ideal conditions for our transplants to get a jump on vine growth and first fruit sets in early June,” said Shawn Riker, sales and commodity manager. “As a result, we’re starting our season again during the first full week of July, which is consistent with historical norms.”

Seven Seas, a division of the Tom Lange Family of Cos., hired third-generation grower Bill Hammerstrom as manager of sales for its California citrus office. “We are so fortunate to have Bill on our team.

Instacart has appointed Fidji Simo as CEO, effective Aug. 2. Simo, who joined Instacart's board of directors in January 2021, is a consumer technology industry veteran, having spent more than 15 years leading the operations, strategy and product development for some of the world's leading businesses. Apoorva Mehta, Instacart's founder and current CEO, will transition to executive chairman of the board.