The Fresh Grocer stores in the Greater Philadelphia marketing area ended their second annual food drive in January with great success. All eight Fresh Grocer supermarkets participated from mid-November through early January with the proceeds going to Philabundance. “Philabundance cannot thank Fresh Grocer enough for their donation of nearly 5,500 pounds of nutritious foods that will provide nearly 5,500 meals to neighbors in need in the Delaware Valley,” said Marlo DelSordo, director of marketing and communications for Philabundance. “Partners like Fresh Grocer are dedicated to the fight against hunger in the Delaware Valley and we look forward to working with them in the future.” The two organizations worked together to ensure the fundraiser was beneficial to Philabundance and meaningful to Fresh Grocer customers and associates.
This is how the fundraiser worked: Philabundance provided The Fresh Grocer with a “wish list” of basic necessary food items that the retailer then bagged and merchandized at heavily discounted prices. Customers would choose a bag, pay for it at the register along with their groceries, and then drop it off in a food drive bin located near the exit. In total, 634 gift bags were donated. “The Fresh Grocer is committed to improving our communities,” said Carly Spross, The Fresh Grocer. “We are thrilled that the donated food collected from our drive will be able to feed so many deserving individuals and families in our area. The success of the food drive is attributed to our amazing customers and associates who supported the effort wholeheartedly from day one.” The Fresh Grocer plans to hold the fundraiser annually. Their goal for this year’s drive is to outdo last year’s numbers by ten percent.
Speaking of The Fresh Grocer, president and CEO Pat Burns will be feted as the 2011 Golden Slipper “Angel” of the Year on April 12 at the Springfield Country Club, Springfield, Delaware County. Mark your calendars now and join your fellow suppliers and industry notables as Pat leads the way in raising food donations for the Golden Slipper Camp. Founded in 1948, Golden Slipper Camp is a non-profit overnight camp located in the Pocono Mountains. It enriches the lives of children and young adults from varied backgrounds in the Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Slipper Camp has an atmosphere of fun, adventure, friendship, and inspiration that lets kids be kids. For some, it’s their first experience being away from home. For others, it’s a rare opportunity to experience nature. Fostering these experiences is how Golden Slipper Camp becomes a lasting part of kids’ lives. If you haven’t participated before, come out and celebrate Pat’s accomplishments, enjoy an evening with your colleagues and make a donation of food or a week’s worth of meals for a camper or bunk…you will leave knowing you made a difference in a child’s life.
Each year during the months of November and December a customer shopping in any of Redner’s Warehouse Markets and Quick Shoppes would find it hard to miss the thousands of paper “choo choo” trains hanging around the front of the stores. This past season, most stores were awash in trains as Redner’s was able to collect $104,639, its largest total to date. In addition, three tractor-trailers full of new, unwrapped toys were donated to the many Toys for Tots outlets throughout Eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware at the peak of the holiday season. Redner’s trademark is the paper Toys for Tots trains that customers purchase for a $1 donation. “This program brings smiles to the children it services throughout the communities we serve and are proud of the effect it has. To have raised our highest total ever during a time when the economy is slowly creeping back is a testament to our customers, associates who contribute to this event,” said Ryan Redner, chief operating officer. It has been an important part of the program’s success to ensure that all the money and toys are returned to the customer’s community through local Marine Corps Reserve Centers or the Marine Corps League. Toys are distributed for the immediate holiday but the money is donated at the conclusion of the holiday in January. Monies are donated after the program to ensure that each group begins the following year with a positive balance which they can use to purchase toys or other needed materials.
A huge round of applause goes out to Weis Markets for being the first supermarket company in the country to offer an environmentally friendly water bottle. Weis Quality 24-pack 20-ounce bottled water bottles are now made with 100 percent recycled PET plastic. The bottle is manufactured with recycled resin derived from baled post-consumer plastic purchased from municipal recycling plants. The product is bottled by Ice River Springs, a leading North American bottled water company with eight manufacturing plants throughout Canada and the United States. “We know that eight out of 10 plastic bottles end up in landfills. Our new Weis Quality 24-pack bottled water is a creative, practical product that helps our company address this challenge and allows us to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Bruno Garisto, Weis Markets’ director of corporate brands. In recent years, Weis Markets has expanded its sustainability program to make its stores more energy efficient and to reduce their carbon footprint. In 2011, it will open three new superstores that will use 60 percent less refrigerant than a typical American supermarket, reducing their impact on the earth’s ozone layer. In addition, Weis Markets stores annually recycle one million pounds of plastic bags and 14 million pounds of cardboard. It’s getting easier to be green!
Johanna Foods, Inc. recently announced that is has contracted with Penn Valley Constructors, Inc., to expand its refrigerated warehouse/load-out capabilities at the company’s flagship chilled juice production plant in Flemington, NJ. The expansion and upgrade project includes the addition of 32,000 square feet of cold storage and order assembly space including 12 new load-out bays. The Johanna Foods chilled juice facility produces the Johanna brands. “When completed, the expansion will provide critical storage space and double the current load-out capacity to meet our customers chilled juice product demands and changing consumer preferences that have resulted in the proliferation of SKU’s in the chilled juice category,” explained Robert A. Facchina, president and CEO of Johanna Foods. Facchina also said that the project will take 10 to 12 months to complete.
Phil Scaduto, vice president of Food Circus Supermarkets was elected chairman of the board of the New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) at the organization’s annual membership meeting held at the Woodbridge, NJ Hilton on January 28. With his brother Louis, daughter Jessie and his cousins Joe and John Azzolina looking on, Scaduto said: “With deep family roots in the founding of this organization, I am well aware of the prestigious history of both the organization itself and of those who have come before me.” “While the bar has been set high by outgoing chairman Jim McCaffrey, I am confident that with food council president Linda Doherty and her dedicated Trenton staff, we will continue to improve upon the food council’s reputation as one of the most prestigious industry associations in the country.”
Doherty said, “Phil Scaduto has been a leader of our agenda and an active role model much like his uncle Captain Joe Azzolina, former statesman and founder of the New Jersey Food Council.” After three one year terms, McCaffrey of McCaffrey’s Market stepped down as chair. Joining Scaduto as association officers are: vice chairwoman Judy Spires, Kings Super Markets; associate vice chairman Joe McCarthy, Bimbo Bakeries USA; treasurer Mike Rothwell, Pennington Quality Market; secretary Richard Saker, Saker ShopRites, Inc.; and Doherty. In addition, at the annual meeting the elected the 2011 board of directors was elected, representing both the retail and supplier sides of the industry.
“Jim McCaffrey’s leadership as our chair has had a significant impact on the success of our agenda. His keen understanding of the political process and public policy has spearheaded NJFC to create a progressive grassroots campaign and initiate the Prosperity New Jersey Project. This vision has enabled NJFC to define our future and confront food industry challenges,” said Doherty. As we go to press, Jim is taking a well deserved rest in the Caribbean. Bring some warmth back to us, Jim!
Save the date! The NJFC’s Night of Distinction is Thursday March 24, at the Sheraton Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ. This year’s honorees are Jim McCaffrey, McCaffrey’s Market; Len Sitar, ShopRite of Carteret; and Bob Yeager, NY Metro civision of Stop N Shop.
The IDDBA has announced the slate of speakers for this year’s convention “Rock Star Food” to be held in Anaheim, CA June 4 -6. The keynote address will be given by Dr. Condoleeza Rice, former secretary of state. Along with Dr. Rice, Joe Montana, Guy Fieri, Sinbad and many others will address various subjects of concern and interest to us all. And of course Carol Christison will give her annual state of the industry speech which is always a crowd pleaser. If you haven’t signed up yet, go to www.iddba.com for more information.
My dear friend Jeff Bilk, Burris Logistics, has been under the weather for about three weeks now, but he’s definitely on the mend. Hurry up and get well soon, Jeff so we can do Sunday breakfast at Moish & Itzy’s!
We send condolences to Doug Buchanan, Brandywine Marketing Associates, and his family on the recent death of Doug’s mother Elfie Buchanan. Mrs. Buchanan battled Alzheimer’s for more than seven years. Doug said, “For those who had the pleasure of meeting my Mom, everyone would say she was a perfect lady. Mother is now resting in peace with God our Father where she truly deserves to be.” She was also “Nana” to Nick Buchanan, Bob Evans and Doug Buchanan Jr., LaBrea Bakery.
Philadelphia food industry veteran Henry Hips passed away on February 6 at the age of 80. Prior to entering the food brokerage business, Henry served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a minor league pitcher for the New York Yankees. He was very involved in the Philadelphia Food Trades Organization and served a term as its president. His wife, Anita told me the last year or so was tough on Henry, but he fought hard until the end. Henry is also survived by his son Randall Hips, and Anita’s two daughters Kathy Champ and Karen Hackett.
We also recently learned of the death of Wakefern chairmen emeritus Tom Infusino, also president of the Nutley Park ShopRite, Inc. He was 89. His food industry career began more than 70 years ago in his hometown of Irvington, NJ. A founding member of the Wakefern Food Corporation Cooperative, Mr. Infusino was also an active member of the Nutley, NJ community. Please go to page 12 to learn more about Mr. Infusino’s accomplishments.
Congratulations to Gary Rosenthal, executive vice president and general manager of the JOH Metro (NY) Division, on being presented with the Harry O’Hare Award, the company’s most prestigious award. Gary has been with JOH for ten years. For more about the award and Gary, please go to our People section on page 30.
Birthday shout outs for the romantic month of February go to: “Big” Bob DiMento Sr., Brandywine Marketing Associates; Judy Spires, Kings Supermarkets; Gary Canuso, Turkey Hill; Neil Brassell, Johanna Foods; BJ Zellers, Crane Communications; Bill Schlosky, Utz Snacks; and my daughter Rosalie Marfuggi, who turns 20 this month. No more teenagers for me! Buon Compleanno a tutti!
By the time you read this, pitchers and catchers will have started their spring training workouts indicating that spring can’t be too far off. One can only hope.
Quote of the month: “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” -Vince Lombardi