Fresh Thyme Market Reinforces 2026 Commitment to Community Health, Hunger Relief and Affordability

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh Thyme Market, the Midwest-based better-for-you grocer devoted to fostering healthier communities, is entering 2026 with a renewed focus on fighting hunger, supporting nutrition access and helping customers shop with confidence. Building on a year of meaningful charitable impact in 2025, the grocer is extending key partnerships, reaffirming the commitment to invest in the well-being of the communities it serves.

"As a better-for-you grocer, our purpose is to nourish people around every table while investing in the very communities we serve," said Liz Zolcak, President of Fresh Thyme Market. "Whether it's supporting maternal and child health, helping families put food on the table through hunger relief programs, or price-locking essential items to keep these items affordable, each initiative is rooted in making quality food more accessible. We are proud of the impact we made in 2025 and are deeply committed to continuing this work in 2026 and beyond."

In 2026, Fresh Thyme will continue investing in programs that expand access to nutritious food, supported by a proven foundation of community partnerships and measurable progress achieved in the past year.

Celebrating 10 Years with Vitamin Angels
In 2025, Fresh Thyme marked a decade-long partnership with Vitamin Angels, a top-rated nonprofit dedicated to improving nutrition and health outcomes for pregnant women, infants, and young children. To date, the partnership has helped provide essential vitamins and minerals to more than 7 million women and children in underserved communities worldwide. 

Fresh Thyme supports Vitamin Angels through multiple customer- and product-driven initiatives, including its annual Round-Up at the Register campaign each December, which allows customers to round up their purchases to help Vitamin Angels increase its impact. In December 2025 alone, this campaign helped over 243,308 lives, reinforcing Fresh Thyme's long-standing commitment to maternal and child health in 2026 and beyond.

Advancing Hunger Relief with Feeding America
Through its multi-year partnership with Feeding America®, Fresh Thyme will continue to help address food insecurity in 2025 through customer round-up campaigns, its holiday Grab & Give program, food rescue donations, and corporate matching contributions.

In 2025, Fresh Thyme and its customers raised over $400,000 through the Round Up at the Register campaign – providing the equivalent of more than 4 million meals* to families in need through Feeding America-affiliated initiatives.

Fresh Thyme also expanded its Rescue Donation Program that redirects quality unsold products to local hunger-relief partners. Last year alone, the grocer donated more than 1.5 million pounds of food, or 1.2 million meals** to families across the communities it serves. These efforts will continue in 2026 as Fresh Thyme builds on its mission to ensure healthy food is accessible to everyone.

Additionally, the Grab & Give program will remain a cornerstone of its community-giving strategy. During the 2025 holiday season, shoppers purchased pre-filled $5, $10 or $15 donation bags at checkout to support local families in need. New in 2025, Fresh Thyme matched customer donations doubling the impact to ensure even more families had access to nutritious food and personal essentials.

The program resulted in 22,681 donation bags purchased by Fresh Thyme customers, along with a matching company contribution, delivering 1.3 million meals to support hunger relief efforts through Feeding America. Fresh Thyme plans to build on this momentum with continued customer-driven giving opportunities.

Helping Families Shop with Confidence in 2026
As part of its commitment to affordability, Fresh Thyme is extending its Price Lock initiative into 2026. The program helps provide customers with greater price consistency on key healthy grocery essentials – offering families relief and predictability as they plan meals and manage household budgets.

By continuing this initiative, the grocer is reinforcing its promise to keep better-for-you food and products accessible, even as shoppers navigate rising costs across everyday essentials.

Fueling the End to Hunger in Local Communities
Fresh Thyme will also continue its partnership with the Indy Fuel hockey team in 2026 as the organization's Official Healthy Grocer partner. Together, the organizations collaborate on community-based nutrition and hunger programs throughout the year, including Fueling the End to Hunger, a season-long campaign encouraging fans to support hunger relief efforts through digital donations at games.

Through partnerships, community-driven initiatives and a focus on affordability, Fresh Thyme Market remains committed to building stronger, healthier communities in the year ahead. To learn more about Fresh Thyme Market, its leadership and community-driven mission, visit www.freshthyme.com.

*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local partner food banks.
**According to the USDA, 1.2 lbs. is equivalent to one meal.

About Fresh Thyme Market
Fresh Thyme Market is a better-for-you, Midwest-based grocer with a mission to foster healthier communities by offering real, fresh food, vitamins, and body care products. The grocery retailer was born from a genuine desire to help people live better and healthier lives and does so by focusing on three core pillars: quality, experience, and community. Every day Fresh Thyme Market works to be a trusted resource in our communities, bringing people access to real food at affordable prices. By offering an immersive, intuitive shopping experience and a local focus on what the community needs, each store provides fresh, natural, and organic food, as well as vitamin and body care products. To learn more, visit freshthyme.com.

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SOURCE Fresh Thyme