Innovative Food Holdings, Inc. Announces Expansion of Gourmet Cheese Program With Existing Retail Partner

Rhea-AI Summary

Innovative Food Holdings (OTCQB: IVFH), a national gourmet specialty foods seller, announced an expansion of its gourmet cheese program with a top 10 U.S. retail partner. The expansion includes a 35% increase in store count and doubling of SKU count in the initial stores.

The company has shown operational improvements since launch, including enhanced labor efficiency, waste reduction, and lower cost of goods as the program scales. The retailer has expressed strong satisfaction with the program's performance, citing it as a key driver of their strategic KPIs.

While IVFH doesn't expect the new SKUs and stores to match the original set's productivity, management views this expansion as a significant growth opportunity and validation of the partnership's success.

Positive

• 35% increase in store count with major retail partner
• Double SKU count in initial stores
• Improved operational efficiency (labor, waste, cost of goods)
• Strong retailer satisfaction with program performance
• Expansion with top 10 U.S. retailer validates business model

Negative

• New SKUs and stores expected to be less productive than original set

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovative Food Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: IVFH) (“IVFH” or the “Company”), a national seller of gourmet specialty foods to professional chefs and consumers, today announced the expansion of its gourmet cheese business with its existing major retail partner, a top 10 U.S. retailer. Following a successful initial rollout, the retailer has elected to increase store count by an additional 35% and double the SKU count in the first block of stores launched, marking an important milestone in the partnership.

“The success to-date of this program is a testament to the strength of our platform and our ability to execute at scale,” said Bill Bennett, CEO of IVFH. “The decision by our retail partner to expand both store count and SKU offerings demonstrates their confidence in our products and operational capabilities. We are thrilled to see our gourmet cheese program playing a key role in their strategic objectives.”

Since launching, IVFH has worked to optimize operations, consistently improving labor efficiency, reducing waste, and lowering cost of goods as the program scales. The expansion reinforces IVFH’s ability to deliver premium-quality gourmet offerings while maintaining strong operational discipline.

Retailer management has expressed strong satisfaction with the program’s performance, citing it as a key driver of their strategic KPIs. While the Company doesn't expect the incremental SKUs and stores to be as productive as the original set, this broader rollout represents a significant growth opportunity and a substantial endorsement of the partnership’s success.

“We remain extremely excited about the way this retail program is accelerating IVFH’s growth trajectory,” added Bennett. “Our team continues to focus on execution, efficiency, and innovation to ensure we build on this momentum and drive sustainable long-term growth.”

About Innovative Food Holdings, Inc.
At IVFH, we help make meals special. We provide access to foods that are hard to find, have a compelling story, or are on the forefront of food trends. Our gourmet foods marketplace connects the world’s best artisan food makers with top professional chefs nationwide. We curate the assortment, experience, and tech enabled tools that help our professional chefs create unforgettable experiences for their guests. Additional information is available at www.ivfh.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains certain forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company that are based on the current beliefs of the Company’s management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain assumptions, including those described in this release. Should one or more of these underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as “should,” “could,” “will,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “plan,” “might,” “potentially” “targeting” or “expect.” Additional factors that could also cause actual results to differ materially relate to international crises, environmental and economic issues and other risk factors described in the Company’s public filings. The Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. The content of the websites referenced above are not incorporated herein.

Investor and Media contact:
Gary Schubert
Chief Financial Officer
Innovative Food Holdings, Inc.
investorrelations@ivfh.com

FAQ

What is the percentage increase in store count for IVFH's gourmet cheese program in 2025?

IVFH announced a 35% increase in store count with their retail partner in February 2025.

How much did IVFH expand their SKU count in the initial stores?

IVFH doubled the SKU count in their initial block of stores.

What operational improvements has IVFH achieved in their retail cheese program?

IVFH has improved labor efficiency, reduced waste, and lowered cost of goods as the program scales.

Will the new IVFH store locations be as productive as the original stores?

According to the company, the incremental SKUs and stores are not expected to be as productive as the original set.

What type of retailer is IVFH partnering with for their cheese program expansion?

IVFH is partnering with a top 10 U.S. retailer for their gourmet cheese program expansion.