Giant Co. Sponsors PA Farms to Families Immersion Lab
The Giant Co., in partnership with the PA Friends of Agriculture Foundation, a charitable organization supported by the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, is sponsoring the PA Farms to Families Immersion Lab. Launched on National Farmer’s Day, Oct. 12, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center, in Harrisburg, Pa., the lab connects families to four Pennsylvania farms and the farm-to-table journey.
“The PA Farms to Families Immersion Lab is part of The Giant Co.’s commitment to connecting families to a better future,” said Dave Lessard, VP, omnichannel merchandising, fresh at the grocer. “The lab connects families to the farmers producing their food through an immersive, hands-on learning experience. It also pays tribute to the farmers who make our work possible. Together, we help families gather around the table, and we hope the immersion lab inspires the next generation of farmers and food system leaders.”
Featured in the lab are Irvington, N.Y.-based BrightFarms, which has a hydroponic greenhouse in Selinsgrove, Pa.; Landenberg-based Buona Foods, a mushroom farm; McAlisterville-based Lazy Hog Farm, a swine operation; and Westfield-based Painterland Sisters, a dairy farm and yogurt processor, all of which explain their on-farm production and environmental practices that bring foods from field to plate. Visitors can experience driving a tractor through a virtual-reality corn field, test their knowledge of common fruits and vegetables, build a balanced meal with Pennsylvania-grown foods, and explore growing career opportunities in food and agriculture.
The PA Farms to Families Immersion Lab will go on the road this fall, visiting schools and community events across the Keystone State.
“The immersion lab powered by Giant helps the PA Friends of Agriculture Foundation expand the reach of its mission – Planting Seeds. Cultivating Knowledge. Harvesting an Understanding of Agriculture,” said Rick Ebert, president of the Camp Hill-based Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and chair of the foundation. “Consumers enjoy three meals a day, but many do not understand the process of bringing food from farm to table. The immersion lab serves as a connector, helping consumers better understand the process of food and agriculture and the role they play in our daily lives.”
The Giant Co. works with 218 local vendors and 120 farms to provide fresh, quality, wholesome products to customers.
With more than 35,000 associates supporting 192 stores, 133 pharmacies, 107 fuel stations, and 175-plus online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of ZIP codes, The Giant Co., based in Carlisle, Pa., encompasses the following banners: Giant, Martin’s, Giant Heirloom Market, Giant Direct and Martin’s Direct. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize, is No. 10 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Its other brands are Food Lion, FreshDirect, Giant Food, Hannaford, Stop & Shop, Peapod, and Retail Business Services.
