Safeway partners with Dole on private brand fruits and vegetables

Monterey, Calif.-based Dole Fresh Vegetables and Vineland, N.J.-based Safeway Fresh Foods, the latter owned by Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons, have agreed to work together to develop a private brand of fruit and vegetable products, according to a news release.

Dole Fresh Vegetables said it will add ready-to-eat salads, snacks, fresh-cut platters and value-added vegetables to the private brand line and will collaborate with Safeway to develop new product lines, expected to be available next year, said Michael Solomon, president of Dole Fresh Vegetables, in the news release.

“Dole and Safeway Fresh Foods have a great history, working together for many years on one-off projects,” said Frank Tedesco, CEO of Safeway Fresh Foods’ parent company Safeway Group, in the news release. “This partnership allows us to consistently tap each other’s resources, and leverage each other’s strengths in the co-development of new product ideas.”