Big news came out of the offices of Associated Food Stores as they announced the appointment of Robert A. Sigel to the position of president and Zulema Wiscovitch as executive vice president and chief administrative officer. Bob, who will be replacing longtime co-presidents Harry Laufer and Ira Gober, brings more than 35 years of experience in the food industry including a long tenure as the CEO of Millbrook Distribution Services. He is also a director of Associated Food Store Holdings, LLC and an operating executive at AUA Private Equity. Associated Food Stores is a portfolio company of AUA Private Equity Partners, supplying hundreds of independently-owned supermarkets throughout Connecticut, New Jersey, and the New York metropolitan area. Bob will report to the board of directors and be responsible for the overall management of the business.
Andy Unanue, managing partner of AUA and chairman of Associated Food Stores, LLC said “We are very pleased to have someone of Bob’s caliber and experience at Associated. The breadth of his experience in leading family owned, publicly held, and private equity backed businesses in the supermarket industry will be instrumental as the company continues to grow its store banners and its market share in the New York tri-state area.”
Prior to joining Associated, Zulema was executive director of the National Supermarket Association and also has years of experience in the supermarket, beverage, and retail industries. She will report to Sigel and will be responsible for marketing, sales operations, government affairs, strategic planning and human resources for the company which is the largest group of independently owned and operated supermarkets in the New York tri-state area. She also recently joined the AUA Private Equity Operating executive board.
“I am elated to be joining the Associated team and to lead the efforts that will capitalize on our strengths and resources with the vision to develop and implement the necessary strategies to propel Associated into the future. I am looking forward to working with our team to develop programs and services that will enable our store owners to compete and thrive in the challenging supermarket industry,” said Wiscovitch.
“We are thrilled that Zulema is joining Bob as part of Associated Food Stores’ revamped leadership. Together, they have a deep understanding and thorough knowledge of the supermarket and retail industries that comes from their combined decades of experience in the field. Zulema, Bob, and the entire Associated Foods team will ensure our store owners have the resources and support needed to provide customers with the exemplary service and selection they deserve,” said Unanue.
Good luck to Bob and Zulema.
Even though it only occurs every other year, the ShopRite Showcase is really a spectacular trade show and seminar that should be put on your calendars as a must attend the next time around. The two-day event had informative seminars running all day for all ShopRite associates and Wakefern customers and ran the gamut from food product safety, retail technology, merchandising, branded partnerships and much more. The thrust of the show is perishables and the perimeter of the store, and it seemed as though every vendor selling those products and services was on hand with bells on. The ability to have every ShopRite group, Wakefern buyer and headquarter staff, as well as Wakefern wholesale customers, walking through the aisles of the New JerseyExpoCenter is an opportunity that any sane vendor should not pass up. The back end of the hall also had a complete replica of a ShopRite perimeter of the store perishable departments and gave a glimpse of Wakefern’s commitment to the prepared foods segment and how you can expect to see Restaurant quality food coming out of their stores. Now all that is needed is for the store owners to buy into the program to have consistency through all Shop Rite banners from New England to the Mid-Atlantic. Overall, outstanding job to all at Wakefern!!
We are happy to pass along that Gino Palummo has hung out a shingle and is ready to go to market with his own company. On-Pointe Solutions, LLC has been formed to help anyone in the retail food industry with financing, branding and merchandising. Gino, who many of you know from his days at Key Food, Porky Products and Nebraskaland, has teamed up with Mike Berg, a banking and finance executive, to offer retailers consultation services and solutions to maximize their profits. Mike has an extensive financial background and is well versed with SBA loans, financing and refinancing. Gino brings his 30 years of industry experience in distribution, merchandising and store layout and design to the table in this new venture. Anyone looking to reach Gino can contact him at [email protected] or 347.739.1896; or you can reach Mike at 516.428.2555 or [email protected]. Best wishes, guys!
I had the pleasure of attending the construction of the Bridgeport, CT playground with the work of  more than 500 volunteers from Ahold USA’s Our Family Foundation and Stop & Shop, organizers from KaBOOM! and residents of the Bridgeport community. It was a sea of green (all of the workers were clad in Our Family Foundation green t-shirts) that went to work that day to construct a new playground for thousands of kids in Bridgeport. Ahold USA CEO James McCann, Stop & Shop division presidents Don Sussman and Joe Kelley, AUSA EVP-merchandising Mark McGowan and many Ahold and Stoppy associates as well as a good chunk of the vendor community rolled up their sleeves and went to work that day! Our Family Foundation is the charitable foundation of Ahold USA and its retail banners – Stop & Shop, Giant/Landover and Giant/Carlisle. The mission is to fight hunger, improve the lives of children and build healthy communities. Kudos to all involved!
The team at Allegiance Retail Services held their annual golf outing at the prestigious Trump National course in Colts Neck, NJ. Vic Savanello put a solid team together to coordinate the event and by all accounts it was a big success. The weather was spectacular and the course is one that I am going to have to put down as one that might lure me out of my self- imposed golf retirement for next year.
The momentum keeps coming out of the offices of Key Food Stores, Staten Island, NY. Seems like CEO Dean Janeway and his team are this close to making an official announcement of the addition of yet more stores to the fold. As many as 15 stores from an ethnic group will be joining Key and an additional 10 from the same group could be soon to follow. When the details are completed we will pass them along. Speaking of Key Food, Alex Guzman unveiled his new ownership in Key Food with the opening of his store in Valley Stream, Long Island. The 20,000 square foot location had been a Key Food for many years (heck, I even remember calling on it back in my old sales days!). Upon entering the store, you can easily see all of the work Alex and his family and team have already put in to the site since acquiring it. There are still plans to do extensive remodeling with an in-store bakery, expanded deli and fresh meat department. Probably just as impressive at the opening was the number of industry friends, family and competitors that showed up to congratulate Alex. It really was a who’s who of Metro NY independent operators. Best wishes on the store, Alex.
The team at Krasdale Foods and Alpha 1 Marketing had to be smiling after their annual selling show held at the WestchesterConvention center. As a regular attendee of the show, I can tell you that it was the busiest Krasdale show I have ever witnessed. Attendance was noticeably up, show floor deals were abundant and there was a palpable buzz on the floor. I know it had a lot to do with the current AWI/White Rose situation because there were many WR customers walking around and kicking the proverbial tires, but even still, it lent to an overall terrific show for Ken Krasne’s team .
Congratulations to Pete Tiberi who was recently named as regional sales manager at Damascus Bakeries. Pete will bring his years of DSD expertise to the Brooklyn based company and we look forward to seeing him out in the trade.
And finally, we had learned several weeks ago that Ken Downey, the former director of bakery
sales and merchandising at Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s had resigned his position for a big opportunity with Jewel-Osco in the Midwest. Unfortunately, it seems as though things didn’t work out as expected and Ken is back in the area with a new venture. KGDSR LLC Bakery will bring to market a company that has more than 30 years of bakery expertise behind it to help retailers and vendors maximize their respective opportunities. Ken can help in-store bakeries reduce shrink, increase market share, develop private label programs and maximize gross profit. Additionally, he can help vendors and retail bakeries navigate the process of bringing their products to shelf. Best wishes to Ken and to reach him you can call 732.284.6414 or email [email protected].
Well that’s it for this go around. See you all out and about and as always you can reach me at [email protected] or 201.250.2217
