Next Big Thing, Lake City, MN, a growers’ cooperative that produces the SweeTango variety of apples, is launching an interactive retail program. Called “Sweet Spot” to refer to the fall season when SweeTango apples hit the market, the campaign will give fans the chance to win SweeTango apples for a year, as well as other giveaways and prizes. The program will begin this month as SweeTango apples enter stores.

MOM’s Organic Market, with stores in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, has been named Chatsworth, CA-based Follow Your Heart’s Retailer of the Year. The brand created the award in 2012 to recognize one retail partner that contributes to the success of the brand throughout the year.

A new sustainable seafood Web site (seafood.greenpeaceusa.org), designed to help shoppers understand how and where they can buy sustainable fish, was launched by Greenpeace. It also includes a ranking of major grocers for their seafood buying practices.

Chicago Vegan Foods, Chicago, IL, announced that its Dandies Vegan Marshmallows became the first marshmallows to be Non-GMO Project Verified.

The 2014 World Dairy Innovation Awards gave three awards to Stonyfield, Londonderry, NH, for its Stonyfield Frozen Yogurt Pearls. Stonyfield collaborated with WikiFoods, Inc. to create the product, which consists of organic frozen yogurt enveloped in all natural, edible skins.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, August 2014