2026 Sustainability Award Winners

Food Lion's sustainability strategy focuses on reducing waste, feeding communities and operating efficiently across its 10-state footprint, delivering measurable environmental and social impact.

At the core is its partnership with Divert, which redirects unsaleable and organic materials away from landfills into energy recovery through anaerobic digestion. Food Lion has seen a more than 50 percent reduction in food waste compared to its 2016 baseline and continues to pursue ways to maintain progress.

Through Food Lion Feeds, its hunger-relief platform, the company extends its impact beyond waste reduction. In partnership with Feeding America, stores recover and donate fresh food weekly, addressing food insecurity while reducing waste.

Today, 33 food banks and more than 1,200 pantries receive regular pickups, helping provide nearly 70 million pounds of food in 2025 – including 5 million pounds through the frozen dairy initiative – and contributing to 1.7 billion meals donated since 2014. This work highlights the powerful intersection of sustainability and community care.

In-store recycling programs further advance circular economy efforts. Across 1,112 stores, materials such as cardboard, paper and plastics are recycled, diverting significant waste from landfills.

In 2025, Food Lion recycled more than 314 million pounds of cardboard (157,256 tons), saving an estimated 2.67 million trees and more than 1 billion gallons of water. Overall, Food Lion achieved an 83 percent diversion rate in 2025, reflecting a closed-loop approach that drives both environmental and operational benefits.

Community recycling initiatives also enable customers to recycle directly at their local Food Lion, reinforcing shared responsibility and engagement.

Operational efficiency remains a priority. LED lighting upgrades have further reduced energy consumption, lowered emissions and enhanced customers' in-store experience.

Together, these efforts reflect an integrated approach to environmental responsibility, community care and operational excellence. Importantly, Food Lion continues to invest in sustainable practices while maintaining its longstanding commitment to affordable groceries for customers.

By reducing food insecurity, conserving resources and strengthening partnerships, Food Lion is helping build a more resilient, circular economy for the towns and cities it serves.

Gellert Global Group was nominated for its engagement of employees on sustainability topics. GGG's Green Team consists of about 30 volunteers who help educate and engage employees in environmental awareness. Past events have included Composting 101, Sustainable Gift-Wrapping ideas, Recycling 101, Regenerative Agriculture and The Impact of Soil on Our Food Systems, Food Scrap Recipes and Upcycled Food 101.

GGG hosts annual volunteer cleanups to preserve green spaces and protect local waterways from coastal debris. GGG facilities in Miami and L.A. tend to local garden spaces to beautify the community. The L.A. warehouse even grows fresh foods and herbs for employees.

The Green team regularly shares stories of suppliers who are driving eco-friendly changes in their communities across the world. The group also has enhanced awareness of waste streams with education on how GGG recycles batteries, its partnership with local biodigester, Trenton Renewables, and challenging employees to go plastic-free in July, including swapping plastics out for reusable plates and cutlery in the office breakrooms at its New Jersey headquarters.

Bulk department sales have been a core and key part of GreenTree Co-Op Market's grocery cooperative since its founding in 1970. After recently reviewing sales and efficiencies, GreenTree Co-Op Market uncovered that the store was offering – and shoppers were using – more than 700 plastic bulk bags in three sizes each month. That's a lot of plastic in a department that has been historically trying to cut down on single-use plastics.

GreenTree Co-Op Market pivoted quickly to find solutions and settled on purchasing Compostic Brand bags to replace plastic ones. These bags also come in three sizes but are 100 percent backyard compostable.

It was important to limit plastic use, and it was a massive benefit to have the bags backyard compostable as Mount Pleasant doesn't have commercial composting available. They are price competitive with the former plastic bags but do cost the store a few more cents per bag. Staff tried them out in March this year and had no complaints, so the plastic bags were replaced with compostable and neither shoppers nor the store have looked back. What an easy swap with impactful results. It was an easy rollout for shoppers during April's Earth Day, too.

Compostic Brand also makes T-shirt grocery bags that are backyard compostable, which GreenTree Co-Op Market is looking into next. Removing or reducing plastic grocery bags will be a major win in the continued fight to reduce and eliminate single-use plastics.

For 60 years, North American mushroom packaging didn't change. Since the 1960s, the category defaulted to black and colored plastic tills. That material is technically PET, but it's rarely recycled because optical sorters at recycling facilities can't read dark plastic. Most of it gets downcycled or sent to landfill.

In 2023, Highline Mushrooms broke from the industry and moved its retail program to clear, recycle-ready rPET tills with a monolayer top seal, launching with Costco U.S. and then transitioning other retail partners.

Clear rPET sorts cleanly, cuts contamination and supports closed-loop recycling, directly advancing the U.S. Plastics Pact goal of 100 percent reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging. Highline's switch alone keeps more than 80 million colored tills out of landfill. When the full North American industry follows, that number exceeds 1 billion tills.

Consumers drove the change. Highline ran its own North American surveys across key trade areas. The results were clear: 62 percent said the food industry should prioritize clear over black plastic; 96.5 percent wanted single-use plastic reduced; and 99.1 percent said companies should use recyclable materials.

Transparency also lifted Highline's own standards, because harvesters now select to a higher bar when shoppers can see every mushroom and minimal dirt is visible to consumers.

Two years on, the impact reaches across the category. A majority of top U.S. and Canadian retailers have adopted clear tills for branded and private label mushrooms alike, regardless of grower. And 2026 industry research from Category Partners confirms that product visibility now ranks as the top produce packaging priority, ahead of sustainability, organic and branding claims.

Highline didn't follow that shift. It started it for the North American Mushroom Industry.

Highline keeps pushing for even better recycling solutions. But for a fresh, highly perishable product, where preventing food waste is the largest environmental cost, recycle-ready clear rPET is the most sustainable, transparent and consumer-trusted option available today.

As beverage culture shifts toward functionality, sustainability and everyday versatility, Langers is applying that same mindset to its packaging. The new bottle is designed not only to improve the consumer experience but also to rethink how juice is produced, transported and displayed at scale.

By producing bottles in-house and in-line with filling, Langers eliminates the need for about 1,300 truck deliveries annually, further reducing its carbon footprint and operational complexity.

The new 64-ounce bottle uses 24 percent less plastic than its predecessor while at the same time increasing structural integrity.

A key advancement is the significant increase in top-load strength, which has been tripled, allowing the product to maintain integrity without relying on a fully enclosed case. This enables Langers to reduce secondary cardboard packaging, improving visibility at retail while minimizing material use and in-store handling.

This bottle represents a technical first for the industry. Langers is the first company in the world to integrate all the design features required to produce a hot-fill, rectangular bottle that achieves this level of strength while reducing plastic.

The combination of durability and reduced material use allows for a more efficient and sustainable format without compromising performance.

Mowi is proud to be recognized as a global leader in sustainable salmon production. Sustainability is embedded in every aspect of its business – from responsible farming practices and environmental stewardship to community engagement and food security initiatives.

Mowi's sustainability strategy is built around a commitment to producing healthy food while minimizing environmental impact. Through innovative farming techniques, advanced fish health management and investments in technology, Mowi has significantly improved resource efficiency and reduced its carbon footprint across its global operations.

A key pillar of Mowi's sustainability efforts is its circular economy approach. By maximizing the utilization of every part of the salmon, Mowi reduces waste and creates value-added products, including salmon oils and ingredients for pet food and nutritional applications. This approach supports responsible resource management and contributes to reducing food waste.

The company also has made substantial progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving feed efficiency and increasing the use of certified and responsibly sourced ingredients. Mowi's operations are independently certified to globally recognized standards, including ASC, Global G.A.P. and BAP, ensuring transparency, traceability and accountability throughout the value chain.

Beyond environmental initiatives, Mowi is committed to supporting communities and improving food accessibility. Through the Mowi Salmon for All initiative, the company has donated millions of salmon meals globally to food banks and charitable organizations, helping address food insecurity while providing a highly nutritious source of protein to those in need. In addition, Mowi continuously invests in employee safety, community partnerships and educational initiatives that promote healthier eating and greater awareness of sustainable seafood.

As consumer demand for responsibly sourced protein continues to grow, Mowi remains committed to leading the industry through innovation, transparency and measurable environmental and social impact.

By producing nutritious seafood with a lower environmental footprint than many traditional animal proteins and continuously advancing sustainable practices, Mowi is helping shape a more resilient and sustainable food system for future generations. Mowi exemplifies what it means to be a leader in sustainability within the food industry.

Natural Grocers believes that sustainability begins at the farm. In April 2026, the company expanded its private-label portfolio with the introduction of Natural Grocers Brand Regenerative Organic Certified Pasture-Raised Eggs, connecting shoppers to a quality product while supporting farming systems that regenerate the land and strengthen rural farms and economies.

The offering reflects years of building supplier relationships with farmers committed to regenerative agriculture, humane animal care and responsible land stewardship.

The eggs come from pasture-raised hens that spend time outdoors engaging in natural behaviors such as ranging, foraging, roaming and dust bathing. Suppliers follow organic and regenerative farming practices focused on biodiversity, carbon capture and soil vitality, and the eggs are both Certified Humane Raised and Handled and Regenerative Organic Certified.

Raising the bar in egg category: Natural Grocers has a long history of raising standards in the egg case. In 2016, it became the first major U.S. grocery retailer to require free-range eggs or better throughout its egg assortment and it maintains a proprietary Egg Standards Ranking System that rewards higher animal welfare and environmental standards. The new regenerative eggs meet the Gold Standard within that system, the highest tier available to customers.

The significance extends beyond a single SKU. In a discussion series running throughout 2026, Natural Grocers has brought together farmers, brands, retailers and certifiers with the goal of increasing industry alignment on minimum regenerative standards and consistency in how the term "regenerative" is used.

Advancing transparency for all consumers: Natural Grocers also believes a more sustainable food system depends on transparency. For more than a decade, the company has worked with consumer advocates, nonprofits and legal experts to advance GMO labeling and food-system transparency. In October 2025, those efforts culminated in a federal appeals court ruling in favor of Natural Grocers, the Center for Food Safety and other plaintiffs challenging portions of the USDA's implementation of the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. The decision affirmed that food companies may continue using the widely recognized term "GMO" rather than relying only on "bioengineered," rejected rules allowing disclosures solely through QR codes or text-message systems and found that highly processed ingredients derived from bioengineered crops should not be categorically exempt from disclosure.

Model for resilient food system: Rather than advancing a company-specific initiative, Natural Grocers partnered with organizations working toward a shared goal and the outcome affects food labeling far beyond a single retailer. By aligning environmental stewardship, animal welfare, farmer support and consumer transparency, Natural Grocers offers a practical model for how retailers and suppliers can collaborate to build a more accountable and sustainable food system.

As the nation's first herb grower certified Sustainable by SCS Global Services, North Shore Living Herbs + Greens continues to demonstrate that environmental responsibility and commercial success go hand in hand.

The company's sustainability story extends beyond solar panels, geothermal energy and water conservation. It continues through distribution, retail shelves and ultimately into consumers' homes, where Living Herbs help reduce one of the food industry's greatest challenges: food waste.

Unlike cut herbs that begin deteriorating immediately after harvest, North Shore's Living Herbs remain alive. Consumers harvest only what they need while the plant continues to thrive, providing up to three times the usable shelf life of cut herbs. This means less household food waste, reduced retail shrink and higher product quality throughout the supply chain.

Inside North Shore's state-of-the-art greenhouses, sustainability is built into every step of production. Its hydroponic growing systems recycle nearly all irrigation water, dramatically reducing water consumption while producing healthier, more consistent herbs. The company also developed an organic fertilizer that supports efficient, responsible growing.

Renewable energy plays a vital role in the operation. North Shore leverages geothermal energy to heat its greenhouses and on-site solar fields reduce dependence on conventional electricity by up to 70 percent.

North Shore's controlled greenhouse environment also allows it to rely on integrated pest management, using beneficial insects to naturally protect crops and reduce chemical inputs. By letting nature protect nature, the company grows healthier herbs with zero pesticides.

Sustainability at North Shore extends beyond the environment to its people. The company invests in employee appreciation, profit-sharing through a 401(k), benefits for part-time employees, college scholarships and career advancement opportunities.

Many employees have spent decades with the company and today it proudly employs the adult children of long-time team members – reflecting a culture built on stewardship, growth and purpose.

From renewable energy and water conservation to food waste reduction and employee investment, North Shore has built an integrated sustainability model. It doesn't pursue sustainability as a single initiative for nearly 40 years, it has been the foundation of how the company grows, operates and serves customers every day.

Prime Time Produce has built its business on a commitment to quality and efficiency. As the company continues to grow, so does its responsibility to better understand and manage its environmental and social impacts. In 2025, Prime Time made a commitment to build on its efforts by measuring progress, strengthening its sustainability practices and continuing to improve the way it operates.

Across its farming and packing operations, Prime Time focuses on water efficiency, soil health, energy use, material recovery and waste reduction. In 2025, the company recycled 198,000 pounds of drip tape, 188,820 pounds of agricultural plastic mulch and 335,041 pounds of cardboard. Solar panels at Prime Time's Coachella Valley packing facility generated an estimated 312,000 kWh of renewable energy and 79 percent of the company's owned forklift fleet is electric.

In Coachella Valley, Prime Time reduces tillage by at least 50 percent using the Eliminator, an implement that combines multiple tillage steps into a single pass to reduce soil disturbance, fuel use, equipment wear and field trips.

In Ventura County, barley variety cover crops are used to protect soil between production cycles, while habitat plantings along ranch edges attract beneficial insects that support natural pest control.

Prime Time's commitment also extends to the communities where its employees live and work. In 2025, the company donated more than 1 million pounds of fresh produce through the California Association of Food Banks and continued its involvement with Food Share of Ventura County and the Boys & Girls Club.

Prime Time also recently implemented its Seed to School program, connecting students from pre-K through 12th grade with agriculture and helping them better understand where their food comes from and the people behind it. The company also continues to invest in its Summer Internship Program, providing students with opportunities to build professional skills and explore career paths in agriculture.

Prime Time is measuring Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions across its U.S. operations to establish its first emissions baseline. This work will help the company better understand its impact, guide future reduction efforts and support informed decision making.

Prime Time remains committed to measuring its progress, sharing what it learns and continuing to improve over time.

Publix's Good Together program brings to life two key elements of its mission statement: being intolerant of waste and involved as responsible citizens in communities. The company's efforts span both operations and the communities it serves.

Publix's recycling program is in place throughout operations; it also provides opportunities for customers to recycle. In 2025, the company's recycling efforts diverted more than 789 million pounds of material from entering landfills, including some 616 million pounds of cardboard and over 26 million pounds of plastic.

Since 2016, a portion of the proceeds from Publix's reusable bag sales have supported planting trees in Florida with the Arbor Day Foundation. More than 1.7 million trees have been planted in the state, restoring more than 2,600 acres of critical wildlife habitat.

The company has committed more than $4 million since 2021 to support Everglades restoration with the National Audubon Society and the National Park Foundation (NPF). These efforts have restored some 1,500 acres and are returning an estimated 200 million gallons of water to the environment annually, with more than 550 additional acres planned at Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary over the next five years.

Publix also has contributed over $2 million to NPF to support coral reef restoration, such as transplanting nursery-grown corals, repairing storm-damaged corals, treating disease and marine debris removal.

In 2024, Publix launched its Good Together environmental campaign, giving customers and associates the opportunity to help protect natural resources, raising nearly $7 million to date.

In Florida, donations have supported NPF and Force Blue in removing more than 60,000 pounds of marine debris from waterways, installing a coral nursery in the Keys and establishing living shorelines in the Panhandle. Outside of Florida, donations have helped the Arbor Day Foundation plant more than 1.7 million trees to rebuild forests impacted by deforestation and natural disasters.

Additionally, through the Good Together food donation program, Publix donates food that is no longer salable but safe for consumption to Feeding America partner food banks and their partner agencies. This program has donated more than 1.1 billion pounds of food since inception.

Twice a year, customers and associates can donate at the register through its Good Together hunger campaign, which helps provide fresh produce and nonperishable food to local food banks, raising more than $58 million since 2021.