The Sustainability in the Food Industry Award, presented by The Shelby Report, honors trailblazers reducing environmental impact, supporting communities, and innovating across the food supply chain. This year, we’re spotlighting nominees in four key categories: Retailer Initiatives (e.g., energy-efficient stores and waste reduction), Vendor & Supply Chain Innovations (e.g., carbon-neutral logistics), Sustainable Workforce (e.g., employee training for green practices), and Collaborative Impact & Industry Leadership (e.g., industry-wide coalitions). These forward-thinking companies and organizations are driving real change in how we grow, package, and deliver food – proving sustainability isn’t just a trend, it’s the future.
Discover this years innovators leading the charge in food industry sustainability – from farm to table.
2025 Sustainability Award Winners
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2025 Sustainability in the Food IndustryGrubMarket
South San Francisco, California, GrubMarket
Read MoreGrubMarket is an enterprise artificial intelligence solutions provider for and digital transformer of the American food supply chain industry, as well as one of the largest private food e-Commerce companies globally.
Launched in 2023, GrubMarket’s Sustainable California initiative restores ecosystems, empowers underserved farmers and preserves the farming environment of America’s leading food-producing state through three key pillars:
Large-scale reforestation with One Tree Planted
Objective: Plant trees to offset carbon emissions, protect farmland and retain water systems vital for agriculture.
Impact to date: 130,000-plus native trees planted across drought-stricken, wildfire-scarred lands, restoring hundreds of hectares and benefiting dozens of wildlife species.
Next milestone: GrubMarket is sponsoring 100,000 more trees in the Sierra Nevada area that was devastated by the 2013 Rim Fire, to restore watersheds and wildlife habitats.
Supporting socially disadvantaged farmers transitioning to organic agriculture with CCOF
Objective: Provide financial and resource support to underserved farmers seeking organic certification.
Impact to date: As a multi-year sponsor of the CCOF Organic Transition Program, GrubMarket’s first cohort of 10 farmers represents hundreds of acres across 10 CA counties. Farmers receive grants, mentorship and technical help to pursue USDA organic certification.
Continued commitment: GrubMarket renewed its sponsorship in 2025 to expand its support for organic transitions. Free software access for farms impacted by wildfires
Objective: Help California farmers improve their efficiency, profitability and sustainability by offering free software in 2025.
Impact: GrubMarket has provided WholesaleWare ERP (inventory, order and operations management), Orders IO (mobile/web ordering portals) and GrubAssist AI (AI agents for business analysis, inventory and order processing) free of charge to California farmers for 2025. These AI-powered tools streamline operations, reduce waste and support long-term sustainability.
“The Sustainable California Initiative is not only a way for us to give back to our local agricultural communities it also reflects our commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture, protecting the environment and ensuring that future generations to come will continue to benefit from California’s precious resources,” said GrubMarket CEO Mike Xu.
Presented by The Shelby-Griffin Report
The Shelby Report is the grocery industry’s leading news source, serving the food supply chain since 1967. With decades of in-depth journalism and strategic partnerships with NGA and FMI, we are dedicated to educating and informing the industry. We are proud to present this award to honor sustainability leaders.