WILD ABOUT SPROUTS RESPONDS TO MULTISTATE SPROUT OUTBREAK WITH CALL FOR GREATER SAFETY, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Company confirms its products are not involved in the outbreak and highlights its patented COLD-GROWN® process, independent testing and zero-recall record

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wild About Sprouts today issued a statement following the multistate outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella linked to certain alfalfa sprouts.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers, retailers, and foodservice operators not to eat, sell, or serve the products identified in its advisory while the investigation continues.

Wild About Sprouts products are not involved in the outbreak, recall, or FDA advisory.

"First and foremost, our thoughts are with every person and family affected by this outbreak," said Des Hague, CEO of RäFoods, parent company of Wild About Sprouts. "When public health is at stake, consumers and retailers deserve facts, transparency and action. Food safety is a responsibility that has to be earned every day."

AN INDUSTRY CHALLENGE THAT DEMANDS A BETTER APPROACH

Sprouts present unique food-safety challenges because the warm, moist conditions traditionally used for sprouting can also support the growth of harmful bacteria.

More than a decade ago, the founders of Wild About Sprouts recognized those challenges and made a fundamental decision: if they could not develop a safer approach to growing sprouts, they would not remain in the sprout business.

That commitment led to millions of dollars in investment, three years of development and collaboration with leading experts, and ultimately the company's patented COLD-GROWN® process. The process was designed to address potential pathogen risks while allowing sprouts to remain alive and continue growing inside their package.

Since its commercial launch in 2016:

• More than 30 million containers of Wild About Sprouts have been sold.
• Wild About Sprouts has never had a product recall.
• Every production lot is independently tested for pathogens by a third-party laboratory before release.
• Any lot that does not meet the company's standards is not shipped.

"These aren't marketing claims. They're the operating standards behind every mini garden we grow," said Dr. Jeff Sholl, Chairman and Founder of RäFoods. "We built this company around the belief that growing living food requires an extraordinary level of responsibility, discipline and care."

A COMMITMENT TO CONSUMERS AND RETAILERS

Wild About Sprouts is communicating directly with consumers, customers and retail partners to make clear that its products are not part of the current outbreak, recall or FDA advisory.

The company also believes the current outbreak underscores the need for continued innovation, rigorous testing and greater transparency throughout the sprout industry.

"No responsible food company can promise that risk will ever be eliminated entirely," said Dr. Susan Harlander, Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder of RäFoods. "What we can promise is relentless discipline, independent verification and transparency. The health of the people and families who consume our products is simply too important for anything less."

Wild About Sprouts encourages consumers to review the FDA's official advisory for the latest information and to carefully check the brand and labeling of any sprouts they have purchased.

Consumers can learn more about Wild About Sprouts, its patented COLD-GROWN® process, and its living sprouts, which continue to grow inside their package under refrigeration, at wildaboutsprouts.com.

"When public health is at stake, facts matter. Transparency matters. Leadership matters," Hague said. "Our responsibility isn't simply to sell food. It's to earn and protect the trust of every person who brings our products into their home. That's a responsibility we take seriously every single day."

ABOUT WILD ABOUT SPROUTS

Wild About Sprouts is a living-nutrition brand committed to producing fresh, nutritious, and responsibly grown sprouts. Its patented COLD-GROWN® process was developed to address potential pathogen risks while allowing sprouts to remain alive and continue growing inside their packaging. Since its commercial launch in 2016, more than 30 million containers of Wild About Sprouts have been sold without a product recall.

Wild About Sprouts is part of RäFoods, a food company focused on advancing living nutrition through innovative, nutrient-dense foods.

For additional information, visit wildaboutsprouts.com.

SOURCE Rä Foods LLC