Gourmet News

SpartanNash Promotes Tayebi to EVP, Chief Strategy & Information Officer

Published October 17, 2022

Food solutions company SpartanNash has promoted Masiar Tayebi to executive vice president, chief strategy and information officer. Tayebi was hired in April 2021 as EVP, chief strategy officer.

“SpartanNash is more focused than ever on being the most customer-focused, innovative food solutions company,” said SpartanNash CEO Tony Sarsam. “Our innovation through technology goes hand-in-hand with the overall strategy of the company, making Masiar a natural leader for the IT function moving forward. He brings more than two decades of experience connecting strategy, technology, innovation and execution to drive growth and transformational change.

Prior to SpartanNash, Tayebi served as global head of corporate strategy and business development at Whirlpool Corporation. In that role, he was responsible for strategy and acquisitions, including Yummly, a leading technology food platform offering online grocery delivery. After acquiring Yummly in 2017, Masiar served as chief operating officer at Yummly, executing Whirlpool’s innovation growth strategy and tripling users to 23 million.

Previously, Tayebi was an executive director at UBS focused on strategy, M&A and transformational change. During his time at UBS, he served in various leadership positions, including Americas chief technology officer and global head of change management for its Asset Management division. Before joining UBS, Tayebi worked with various Fortune 500 clients on strategic initiatives during his time in management consulting.

Tayebi holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from Bentley University. He was named one of the University of Chicago Booth’s Top 15 Alumni in Tech.

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Giant Fundraiser: Grocer, Customers Raise $766K to Feed Children

Published October 12, 2022

Giant Food presents check to Baltimore County Schools to help address food insecurity among children.

Thanks to a Giant fundraiser, food insecure children in the Washington, D.C., area will be fed.

Giant Food, the leading D.C. regional grocery chain, has donated $765,977 to help address food insecurity among children within its local communities. From June 16 through August 7 of 2022, Giant held its brand-new customer giving campaign, Nourishing Our Youth. During the campaign, Giant customers were given the option to round up their grocery purchase to the nearest dollar to donate to their local public schools’ food programs.

All of the proceeds from the Giant fundraiser were donated to local school districts so they may use the funds to best serve their community and support meal programs such as such covering outstanding student meal debt, expanding food distribution programs and building on-campus food pantries.

“We all know that children need nutritious meals to grow, learn and thrive. But too many children across our region struggle to receive a decent meal at lunch when attending school,” said Felis Andrade, director of external communications & community relations. “Through Giant’s Nourishing Our Youth program, we can give much-needed funds to school districts within our region to support their meal programs. We are incredibly grateful to our outstanding customers for their philanthropic support and thrilled to be able to donate these funds to our local school districts.”

According to Feeding America, over 9 million children, or 1 in 8, faced hunger in 2021. Research has also consistently demonstrated that good nutrition and the ability to learn are intrinsically connected. School food programs are critical to ensuring many children receive regular meals and Giant is committed to continuing to support food insecurity efforts for children throughout its region.

“Christina School District is beyond excited and thankful to have partnered with Giant Food for the 2022 Nourishing Our Youth Round Up Program,” said Andrea Solge, registered dietitian and child nutrition supervisor for the Christina School District. “Their generosity will assist in the fight against hunger within the Christina School District. There are many benefits to this program, but most importantly, providing increased access to meals by serving free breakfast and lunch daily to our students. Christina School District is grateful for this opportunity and for Giant Food’s support to fight against hunger in our community.”

Funds are being distributed to schools throughout October. For more information about the program, email NourishingOurYouth@cranecommunications.com.

Giant Food annually donates over 4.5 million pounds of food and $1 million in cash contributions to its five Feeding America food bank partners in an effort to eliminate hunger within its region. Giant offers an extensive account of its efforts throughout 2021 across areas of charitable giving, education, partnerships, innovation and development to be a Better Neighbor, which means being a Better Place to Shop and Better Place to Work within the greater DMV region, in its Better Neighbor Report. To view Giant’s Better Neighbor Report, visit https://giantfood.com/pages/better-neighbor-report.

For more information about Giant Food and all of its community giving programs, visit giantfood.com.

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Tillamook Auction on eBay Raises Money to Help Farmers

Published October 12, 2022

Tillamook is one of the best-loved brands in cheese. Imagine putting a fridge full of Tillamook cheese in your kitchen, knowing you’re helping farmers in a Tillamook auction.

Tillamook County Creamery Association – a 113-year-old farmer-led and owned dairy co-operative – has launched its 2022 All For Farmers initiative. All For Farmers is devoted to preserving farmland, assisting farmers in financial need, and supporting the overall future of farming. Now in its third year, funds generated by the TCCA All For Farmers initiative have been used to help permanently protect more than 10,000 acres of farmland nationwide.

The 2022 edition of All For Farmers will feature a one-of-a-kind virtual auction including a range of never-before-offered items and exclusive experiences. All proceeds from the auction will be donated directly to American Farmland Trust – a national non-profit dedicated to preserving farmland and helping farmers thrive. The All For Farmers Auction bidding is open until Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT on eBay.

Auction items:

Night at the Tillamook Creamery – Pack up the sleeping bags and pick 24 besties for an exclusive, first-time-ever overnight at the Creamery in the heart of Tillamook County near the beautiful Oregon Coast. TCCA will provide dinner, dessert, snacks, breakfast, and specially curated activities and swag for the whole crew. Opening bid: $1,500.
1962 Volkswagen Type 2 Double Cab Tillamook-Branded Bus – Turn heads when rolling through town in this one-of-a-kind restored, vintage VW pick-up – a retired member of the iconic TCCA “Yum Bus” fleet. Ideal for the auto enthusiast or those looking for a cute classic to cruise to the farmers market, this truck is sure to bring a smile to the streets. Opening bid: $20,000.
Summer Weekend Stay at Maine’s Turner Farm– A two-night stay for four at the Turner Farm Guest House in picturesque North Haven, Maine. This relaxing weekend away includes farm-to-table culinary experiences, exploring the nature preserve and scenic views, and private beach and dock access. Opening bid: $450.
SMEG Fridge Stocked With Tillamook Cheddar – A true super fan needs a special fridge just for cheese. This Orange mini SMEG fridge is fully stocked and packed with 15 pounds of assorted Tillamook cheeses, just in time for the holidays ahead. Opening bid: $250.
2012 Maker’s Reserve Mother Loaf – Aged for a decade, this 40-pound block is TCCA’s longest-aged cheddar, and the sharpest, boldest, biggest block ever released. This one-of-a-kind Mother Loaf is the perfect secret weapon for everything from holiday hosting to decadent snacking. Opening bid: $150.
A Year’s Worth of Groceries from Giant Food – For food lovers in the mid-Atlantic: the chance to win a year’s worth of groceries from Giant Food – you read that right. Auction item contains 52 gift cards with $100 value each that can be redeemed at any Giant Food store within Delaware, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Opening bid: $500.

The TCCA All For Farmers initiative benefits AFT and its Brighter Future Fund grant program. Since the Brighter Future Fund’s creation in 2020, TCCA and AFT’s partnership has generated $3.2 million for AFT efforts to support farmers from coast-to-coast through fund-raising efforts and direct corporate giving. In turn, the AFT Brighter Future Fund has helped 330 farmers in more than 44 states and Puerto Rico, including many that are under-served in agriculture, such as farmers of color, female, and LGBTQ+ farmers.

“As a farmer-owned co-op and a Certified B Corporation® (B Corp™), TCCA is dedicated to being a force for good in the world,” said Jocelyn Bridson, Director of Environment & Community Impact at TCCA. “Doing right by the cows and farms, people and products, and for the community and the environment is not just about staying true to our core values, it’s about supporting farms and underrepresented farmers across the country to do the same, for generations to come.”

Visitors at the Tillamook Creamery can also support the initiative, with the option to round up and donate to AFT on every purchase made. Direct donations to the AFT Brighter Future Fund can also be made at AllForFarmers.com

“American Farmland Trust is grateful for the generous support from Tillamook and our brand partners,” said Ryan Lauer, Director of Corporate Partnerships at AFT. “The proceeds from these fantastic auction items will enable marginalized farmers across the US to build resiliency, access land, and improve farm viability.”

Auction items are available for viewing now at ebay.com/AllForFarmersAuction. To learn more about the issues that farmers face and to read stories about farmers who have been supported by the All For Farmers campaign and the Brighter Future Fund, visit AllForFarmers.com.

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