Back in 2018, Apeel-coated produce was poised to take over grocery store shelves. In late 2022, the company laid off 96 workers. So where is Apeel headed now?
The following helpful information was collected by My Health Forward. I recommend we all still do our research in our local stores. Like Ronald Reagan said, “Trust, but verify”.
The following list accurately reflects the policies and disclosures of grocery retailers and growers on selling produce treated with Apeel’s Edipeel and Organipeel food coatings.
To date, Apeel has only been commercially applied on apples, cucumbers, avocados, asparagus, limes, lemons, grapefruits, mandarins, mangoes, and oranges. The majority of grocery store produce is not treated with Apeel but may contain natural or synthetic waxes.
Let’s only support those companies that protect their customer’s health by saying ‘NO’ to Apeel.
Find out who they are.
Check this Complete List of Large Grocery Brands and Markets
Natural Grocers: Natural Grocers issued a public corporate statement saying they do not carry any produce or items that have been treated with Apeel’s food coatings.
Sprouts Farmers Markets: Sprouts recently made a decision to not carry any produce that’s treated with Apeel. They announced this internally to employees, but have not made a public statement or policy yet.
Costco: Costco partnered with Apeel as far back as 2018 but recently stopped carrying any produce treated with Apeel. Their corporate produce department said they have no plans to ever sell produce treated with Apeel again. The Limoneira lemons they carry are not treated with Apeel.
Publix: Publix will not purchase or sell any produce that’s been treated with Apeel’s food coatings.
H-E-B: H-E-B does not carry any items treated with Apeel in the products they manufacture. They are not actively seeking out or requesting items treated with Apeel. The responsibility ultimately falls on their suppliers to adhere to their requests, so there is not a 100% guarantee.
Central Market: The Texas based gourmet grocery store is owned by H-E-B and shares their exact policy on Apeel.
Whole Foods: Whole Foods would not give a clear or straightforward answer on if they source produce treated with Apeel. I spoke to three produce departments, three customer service representatives, and three corporate offices. One corporate office said Apeel’s Edipeel and Organipeel food coatings meet Whole Food’s safety standards. I went and looked at the produce and could not find any items treated with Apeel.
Trader Joes: Trader Joes no longer sources any produce treated with Apeel’s food coatings. They have not released a public statement or policy. I requested that they do this.
Jimbo’s: The San Diego Organic Grocery chain publicly states that they do not carry or accept any produce treated with Apeel.
ALDI: Aldi does not have a policy on Apeel and no employees are able to speak on it. They source produce from brands (West Pak & Limoneira) that use Apeel, but it is not clear whether the items they carry are treated with Apeel’s coatings.
Kroger: Kroger claims that produce items sold under their own label are not treated with Apeel food coatings. However, Kroger is not able to speak about or certify other produce brands that they carry. This policy applies to all of their locations and all of their subsidiaries as well including Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Foods Co, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, Jay C Food Store, King Soopers, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay Less Super Markets, Pick’n, Save, QFC, Ralphs, Ruler, and Smith’s Food and Drug. Kroger confirmed that other produce brands they carry are treated with Apeel. Kroger couldn’t verify that their Simple Truth private label is not treated with Apeel.
Target: Target carries produce treated with Apeel including avocados, cucumbers, asparagus, apples, and citrus fruit.
Walmart: Walmart does not use Apeel on any of their Walmart brand or private label produce items. Walmart could not certify other produce brands carried in their stores.
Clark’s Nutrition: The Los Angeles natural grocery market chain has decided to not carry any products with Apeel on it. They contacted all of their distribution partners to say they do not want any produce or items treated with Apeel.
Love Whole Foods Cafe & Market: The two location Florida market has the following policy regarding Apeel. “Love Whole Foods Cafe & Market is currently working with our produce distributers to keep Apeel coated products out of our stores, and at the very least, expecting more transparency by requiring labeling on produce from companies that are choosing to use Apeel.”
Fresh Thyme: Fresh Thyme does not source any produce that has been treated with Apeel and has no plans to change this policy.
Giant: Giant does not utilize Apeel for their private brand products. They try to work with suppliers to ensure product labeling is done according to regulation. They carry produce from other brands treated with Apeel and cannot verify if is labeled on each item.
Bragg: Bragg does not source any apples that have been treated with Organipeel or Edipeel. Bragg makes it clear that none of their apples are treated with other waxes or coatings either.
Cub Foods: No disclosable policy. Known to sell limes treated with Apeel.
Now The Fruit Farms
Imperfect Produce: Does not use Apeel on any of their produce or items. They sold some apples with Apeel in the past. Some items have food grade waxes (as is the case with all grocery stores), less on organic and more on conventional.
Rainier Fruit Company: Rainier does not use Apeel on any of their fruit.
Driscoll’s: Driscoll’s, the popular berry growing brand, does not use Apeel to treat any of their fruit.
West Pak: West Pak increased their capacity for treating avocados with Apeel’s food coatings. They do not disclose which retailers carry avocados that have and have not been treated.
Limoneira: Limoneira is the first lemon producer to partner with Apeel. They will apply Edipeel on conventional lemons and Organipeel on organic lemons. They plan to coat 5 million cartons worth of lemons this year. They indicating that all of their lemons will be coated with Apeel.
Stemilt Apples: Stemilt previously used Organipeel on all of their organic apples. Their communications team informed me that they no longer use Apeel on any of their apples.
Topline Farms: Topline Farms applies Apeel to its cucumber and mini cucumbers sold individually and in packs.
Domex Superfresh Growers: The Washington based apple, pear, cherry, and apricot grower does not use Apeel, nor do they have plans to use it in the future.
Calavo Avocados: Calavo offers a small number of organic and conventional avocados treated with Apeel’s coatings, which only amounts to a truck-full a week. They do not send Apeel treated avocados to Whole Foods.
Horton Fruit Company: Applies Apeel on avocados shipped to grocery retailers throughout the country.
Index Fresh: Still applies Apeel on avocados shipped to grocery retailers throughout the country.
Nature’s Pride: Still applies Apeel on avocados shipped to grocery retailers throughout the country.
Del Monte: Still offers Apeel-coated avocados as an option to select retailers. Would not disclose which retailers request it.
Sage Fruit Company: Starting in 2019, Sage Fruit Company partnered with Apeel to use their food coatings. Sage expanded the partnership in 2021 to treat a number of mainstream organic apple varieties including Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith and Pink Lady. Sage couldn’t speak to their current policy on apeel whenever I’ve contacted them. Given their public praise of Apeel and expanded partnership, signs would point to Sage still treating their apples with Apeel.
Thanks to My Health Forward. This company has a beautiful Heirloom Seed Collection and Organic Goods worth checking out.
Let’s keep the pressure on and reject toxins (like toluene, hexane, and 3 heavy metals) sprayed on our produce. See the toxic ingredient list here.
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