Soup To Nutz

A native of Philadelphia, Maria has been in the food business for most of her career as a manufacturer, distributor and restaurateur. Now with Food Trade News for over 10 years, she likes to say we inform, educate and entertain. She can be reached at [email protected].

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…we’ve got Lidl coming and A&P going – and Acme’s still here. It’s a chess game that moves throughout the year! Welcome! The annual Food Trade News Market Study has arrived and is loaded with enough facts and figures to tickle any number cruncher’s funny bone. Always the definitive word in the retail food industry, Food Trade News and Food World remain the go-to publications whenever expert opinion is required. Our fearless leader Jeff Metzger is quoted around the country and his opinions and insights on the industry are sought after throughout the year. His ability to remember every detail of retail stories from the past 37 years still amazes me, as does his tireless push to give our readers the best he has to offer each and every month. Together, our team strives to give you the most accurate, up-to-date information about the comings and goings in the 70 counties we cover, why they happen and what to expect next. Speaking of our team, this and every issue we publish couldn’t happen without the cooperation of everyone pulling together. Our editorial director Terri Maloney; my partners in schmooze, sales and scandal Kevin Gallagher and Karen Fernandez; office manager extraordinaire Beth Pripstein; and the awesomely talented team at Eink – Matt Danielson, Jenny Jones and Leslie LeFranc! Most importantly, we thank you, our loyal readers and advertisers, for your support throughout the year. A special note to our advertisers; we get requests each month from industry members asking for subscriptions to our publications. You can be sure your message will be seen by those who need to see it. To our readers, your thirst for knowledge and desire to know your market fuels us to do a better job every year, compiling the data and providing commentary to help you make the best business and marketing plans for the markets we cover. Mille Grazie!

Who opens a new store on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend along the New Jersey shore? Acme, that’s who. And they pulled it off with style, grace and lots of hard work. Located in Long BeachTownship on LBI, this store is a brand new, larger unit that stands on the same ground as the original location, which was damaged during Hurricane Sandy. Employing more than 200 local residents, 180 of whom are new to Acme, the impressive new store features a premium service deli (which I hear did a very BIG number during the opening weekend), full-service Butcher Block featuring fresh cut meats prepared daily by on-site butchers; a full service seafood department; an olive bar; a top-notch floral department; a dedicated natural, gluten free, and organic grocery section; and a premium cake case in the bakery. My favorite feature of this store is the seasonal department located outside the store which is self–contained and can be locked up at night. The store-within-a-store has its own register and features an excellent selection of beach items such as coolers, chairs, umbrellas, and beach toys.

“Serving the Long BeachTownship community for nearly 68 years alone is something to celebrate. Our new store celebrates our customers and we are thrilled to offer them such a fantastic new shopping experience,” said Dan Croce, Acme president. “From our product selection to the design and layout of the store, our goal was to tailor this to store for our neighbors in Long BeachIsland. We’ve created a fresh, new feel to the shopping experience with greater selections, convenience, and variety. We look forward to continuing to bring the best of Acme to the residents of Long BeachIsland for many years to come.”

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Acme leadership and local officials joined store director Terry Hand at the ceremony during which Acme donated more than $10,000 to local community organizations including first responders, schools and religious organizations. In addition, as they always do at their openings, Acme also donated a park bench made from recycled plastic bags, this time to Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church. It was truly all hands on deck as more than 150 people waited on line when the store opened. Leadership from Acme’s sister division Safeway Eastern traveled north for the opening festivities to lend support and see how the Philadelphia hometown market gets things done.

Two weeks later, on June 4, Acme kicked up its heels a little bit and sponsored the Concordville-Chadds Ford Rotary’s 5th annual Twisted Vintner Amateur Wine Maker Competition on the grounds of its store in Glen Mills, PA. With “ACME is local!” signs around the tented venue, the entire Acme management team was on hand to meet and greet those associated with the Rotary Club as well as loyal Acme customers. Attendees sampled fare from local wineries and breweries, and all kinds of food, from sushi to desserts. The event benefited local organizations such as the DarlingtonArtsCenter, Brandywine Youth Club and Rachel Kohl Library.

On June 3, Herr Foods announced a partnership with Paralyzed Veterans of America, a nonprofit veterans service organization that works to improve the lives of our nation’s disabled veterans by ensuring access to quality health care, benefits and jobs. The company is producing limited edition whole grain pretzels with flax seed and honey in a specially designed bag.

“Herr’s is dedicated to supporting our community in any way we can,” said Ed Herr, president of Herr Foods. “We are proud to partner with Paralyzed Veterans of America, which is instrumental in advocating for veterans and all people with disabilities.”

For every bag sold, Herr’s will make a 5 cent donation to Paralyzed Veterans of America, so that the organization can continue to deliver its programs and services free of charge. Over the past year, Paralyzed Veterans of America has provided services to more than 60,000 veterans and their families nationwide, and secured more than $290 million in new benefit awards and ancillary benefits for veteran clients. The pretzels will be  available through July at select retailers throughout the country.

Industry notables descended on “Hotlanta” June 7-9 as the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) held its 51st Seminar and Expo – Growing the Future. It was a little strange not seeing Carol Christison and Lucie Arendt at registration and on the show floor, and some of the warm and fuzzy feeling is gone, but the show must go on. And go on it did,  with more than 740 exhibiting companies, 1,900 booths across 40 aisles and 9,322 registered attendees.  The seminars were good, some better than others, but if you don’t attend them, you do miss out. My favorite speaker was Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington, who spoke about social media and its effect on us. She was funny, practical and right on target. Bottom line: we must unplug and get some sleep. We aren’t machines and we need to turn off, disconnect, so to speak, in order to be more creative and purposeful. Her business meetings are tech free. She says she gets more done in a half hour meeting without technology. Huffington’s new book, Thrive, is on my summer reading list as the topic is redefining what it means to be successful in today’s world, and here’s a clue…it’s not burnout.

Walt Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods gave an insightful talk about conscious capitalism, re-evaluating purpose, core values, leadership, stakeholder integration and culture. Jay Leno was funny, even at 11:00 a.m. But, unfortunately, Martha Stewart was disappointing and didn’t stay on topic. I was looking forward to hearing her take on staying relevant with four decades of experience, but she chose to speak about organic farming on her estate in Connecticut. My favorite new item wasn’t actually part of the show, but I saw a sneak preview of a dairy item called “Scramble” which is a refrigerated container of omelette ingredients, except the eggs. Cool! My other fav was a new line from Melanie Skloff, daughter of Don’s Salads owner Victor Skloff. Called Melanie’s Medleys, her product line offers a new take on breakfast with products made of ancient grains, quinoa, honey and other delicious ingredients. The 2016 seminar and expo will be held in Houston June 5-7. See you there!

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has forged a partnership with the federal government to reduce organic certification costs as part of the Christie administration’s ongoing efforts to promote New Jersey-grown and marketed organic food products. Through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Organic Certification Cost Share Program and Agricultural Management Assistance Organic Certification Cost Share Program, each qualified producer or handler of organic products is eligible for a reimbursement of up to 75 percent of its cost of certification not to exceed $750.  Certification costs include fees and charges levied by the certifying agent for certification activities. To qualify for reimbursement under this program, an organic producer or handler must have been certified or incurred expenses for the continuation of certification during the period of October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015.  Certification must be through a USDA-accredited certifying agent. In the event that demand exceeds the amount of funds allocated to New Jersey, applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis.  Operations may receive one reimbursement per certification or category of certification per year. Applications must be received by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture no later than November 19, 2015.  Applications and more information about the program are available online at www.nj.gov/agriculture/grants/organiccostshare.html. Please contact John Denlinger at 609.984.2225 or [email protected].

The news from the Mid-Atlantic Food Trade Organization (MAFTO) is all good! They have a busy fall season planned beginning soon after Labor Day. On September 17, MAFTO is teaming up with The American Cancer Society and Coaches vs. Cancer.  Join your food industry peers as Bill Gable, general manager of Retail Marketing Group (RMG), and a head coach from one of the  Big 5 basketball teams (Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph’s; Fran Dunphy, Temple; James “Bruiser” Flint, Drexel; John Gianini, PhD, La Salle; Jay Wright, Villanova) inform, motivate and entertain us.  The Coaches vs. Cancer program continues to be one of the most successful programs for The American Cancer Society and quite unique within competitive sports. The MAFTO Signature Gala Weekend will be held at a new location, Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, the weekend of November 13. Jim Perkins, chief executive officer of New Albertson’s Inc., is the honoree.  This year, sponsorships have been revamped and there are some good opportunities to enjoy spending time with your favorite Acme team member. Details are available at Acme’s corporate office and on the MAFTO website.  This event is the primary source of revenue for MAFTO’s scholarship fund and operating budget.  The group has awarded over one million dollars in scholarships to date and looks forward to continuing its contribution to the educational pursuit of our members and their families. On December 4, MAFTO kicks off the holiday season with its Christmas for All Kids outing, an evening of good food and beverages, a wild and crazy Monte Carlo night that raises funds for charities in the DelawareValley, and prizes second to none. They ask that each guest bring a new, unwrapped toy, which will provide gifts for children who might otherwise not have anything under their Christmas Tree. For more information or to register please go to: www.mafto.org

The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) held its annual Trade Relations Conference on June 2 at a new location, the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, NJ.  The event drew nearly 200 food industry executives and featured a panel discussion moderated by Neill Crowley, adjunct professor of food marketing at Saint Joseph’s University.  Serving on the panel were Jim McCaffrey, McCaffrey’s Markets; Mendy Meriwether, Wawa, Inc.; Joe Sofia, Wegmans Food Markets; and Andrew Keenan, Advantage Sales & Marketing.  The panel focused on what the food retail outlet will look like in the future based on new technologies and digital opportunities.  Marty Heaney of Mondelez International, was honored with the NJFC Max Stone Trade Relations Award.  “Marty’s longstanding business relationships with NJFC members and his continuous dedication to the advancement of trade partnerships made this year’s decision to honor him an easy one,” said NJFC president Linda Doherty.  “Marty has forged long lasting relationships in our industry and is well respected as an effective trade relations leader.” Also given out that evening, were the 2015 NJFC Educational Development Program scholarships.

This year, the NJFC gave an all-time high of nine scholarships to deserving students who are in the food industry.  In addition, the three NJFC scholarships, the Perry Sumas Memorial Scholarship and the Lawrence R. Inserra Memorial Scholarship were increased from $2,000 to $5,000. The remaining scholarships were in the amount of $2,000. In addition, the Spires family added a second scholarship.  The recipients of the scholarships were: NJFC Founders Scholarship – Chelsea Pinardo, Rowan College; NJFC Student Award – Nia Smith, Saint Joseph’s University; NJFC Thomas Infusino Scholarship – Courtney Petrella, California Polytechnic State University; Grace Scaduto Memorial Scholarship and Spires Family Scholarship –  Alyssa McGivney, Monmouth University; Lawrence R. Inserra Memorial Scholarship – Tiffany Collins, Marist College; Perry Sumas Memorial Scholarship and Raymond J. Maniaci Memorial Scholarship – Sarah Dedinsky, Saint Joseph’s University; and Spires Family Scholarship – Michael Napolitano, Northeastern University.

As is tradition, the event concluded with a golf event at Galloway National Golf Club the next day in Galloway, NJ. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the NJFC Good Government Breakfast September 30 at the Forsgate County Club, Jamesburg, NJ.

Congratulations to John Derderian,  Allegiance Retail Services, LLC and Foodtown, Inc. on being named the new president of the companies, effective June 1. John, who was vice president of sales/ and marketing/member development for Allegiance, succeeds Michael Stolarz, who will remain as a senior executive advisor to Allegiance, its board of managers and its executive management team through the end of the year to insure a smooth transition in the succession plan.

Congratulations to Bob Facchina and his team at Johanna Foods as he celebrates 20 years of ownership of the dairy foods manufacturer. More news coming from Johanna –  Jerry Sternberg retired on April 1 and is keeping busy and enjoying life. Another industry veteran, Tom Kennedy of Delaware Valley University is retiring on June 30 after a lifelong career in food and academia. Tom began his career with Lipton Tea, moved to Hillshire Farms and then on to Jones Dairy Farm, which bought out both Rapa Scrapple and Habbersett’s. He became the general manager of Habbersett’s before leaving the trade and beginning a new venture as an adjunct professor at Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) where he stayed for 13 years. Along the way, and with the full support of the faculty, the board of the Academy of Food Marketing, and then-executive director Charles Mallowe, Tom started up the food marketing co-op program which has grown to 25 percent of the total enrollment of the food marketing department at SJU. For the last 10 years, Tom has been at Delaware Valley University (DVU) first as director of the MBA program and later as the director of veteran and military affairs. In retirement, Tom is going to be growing hydroponic vegetables that will indirectly assist in the career development of people with autism. Tom said, “I am extremely thankful for all the people I have met in the foods business and the generosity in our industry parallels none.” Happy trails, my friend.

A tip of the hat to Cheryl Macik, director of consumer affairs for Wakefern, who received the Esther Peterson Consumer Service Award at FMI Connect, held earlier this month. The award recognizes her work as a shopper advocate, and her influence in meeting the needs of and retaining Wakefern’s customer base across its ShopRite and PriceRite banners. Cheryl has been at Wakefern for more than 30 years and has held many positions in the consumer affairs department and now oversees a staff of 30, including ShopRite’s customer care center and consumer research team. Under her supervision, the center responds to nearly 200,000 customer contacts annually. Macik played a key role in advancing consumer-centric programs over the past three decades, with a consistent focus on consumer education, advocacy, and health and wellness. Perhaps most notably, she was instrumental in developing a protocol that employs ShopRite’s loyalty card database to inform customers of product recalls; this procedure has since become an industry standard. She also had a hand in hiring Wakefern’s first corporate dietitian, who now leads an extensive retail program with more than 115 dietitians in ShopRite stores. Wakefern chairman and CEO Joe Colallilo said, “She helps our membership focus on what’s happening in our stores and how it affects our customers.” Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of the FMI, remarked on Macik’s award,  saying,  “True to the spirit of Esther Peterson, Cheryl works tirelessly to ensure the customer’s voice is heard clearly by the industry and that the industry responds in an open, understandable and friendly fashion.”

The circle of life continues as one of the last “larger than life” characters in the retail food industry, Mel Weitz, died June 4 at his home in Boca Raton, FL at the age of 91. Mel ran Melmarket Foodtown stores on Long Island for years until they were purchased by The Stop and Shop Companies in 1995.  He began his career in retail while still a child in order to help support his family during the Great Depression. At the young age of 10, he started his first grocery store job, and the rest is history.  He served his country in the U.S. Navy, earning a Purple Heart. Mel then worked for the Big Apple chain in New York, eventually becoming its president. His personality and his tactics were legendary. Not only was his personality huge, so were his stores. He went against the norm and had bigger, better-stocked stores with lower prices than anyone on Long Island. He was a true merchant. Melmarkets, as his company was known, grew from one store to 17 in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. I am sure many of you have your own Mel Weitz stories to tell, as do I. Let me just say that I am happy I didn’t have to give up my first born to put my products in his stores. Mel is survived by his wife Ellen; four children; two stepdaughters; and 14 grandchildren. The family requests that donations in his name be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

We are also saddened to hear of the untimely death of John McAleavey, executive director of the Eastern Produce Council (EPC), who passed away on June 5 at the age of 80 due to complications from pneumonia. I last saw John in April at an EPC meeting and he looked well and greeted me with his usual warm smile. Born in Newark, NJ, John served his country in the U.S. Navy before graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in business administration. His first job was as a buyer with A&P, but his long career in the produce industry included merchandising, sales, marketing, and consulting. He served on the board of trustees of the New Jersey Agricultural Society, the oldest agricultural organization of its type in the United States. But John was really best known in the role of executive director of the Eastern Produce Council. For many he was the face of the EPC. At the 2015 EPC dinner dance, the board of the EPC surprised John with a special award to commemorate his 25 years of service to the organization. John is survived by his wife Joann, daughter Susan Sarlund (Chas), son John McAleavey Jr.; two grandchildren; and a brother. Rest in peace.

Birthday shout-outs for the busy month of June go to: Jeff Geiges, Acme Markets; Mark Tarzwell, JP Sales; Phil Scaduto, Food Circus Supermarkets; Jim Burke Sr., Seafood America; Bill Derbyshire, Coca Cola Refreshments; Barry Kahn, retired from Food Scene; Tom Morrison, Integrity/ESM; John Sottile, Lamagna Cheese Company; Tom Canuso, retired from Turkey Hill; Nancy Rodgers-Fluharty, Pace Target Brokerage; Ralph Nagle, Rastelli’s Market Fresh; Brian Chick, Charles Ritter, Inc.; Best Met’s editorial director Terri Maloney; and our head honcho/publisher Jeff Metzger. Buon compleanno a tutti!

A very special happy birthday to The Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market (PWPM), which celebrated four years in its state-of-the art home on June 5. From Dock Street to The Food Distribution Center to the present location, the produce merchants have always given their best to the people of Philadelphia and the surrounding area.  Made up of 24 fresh fruit and vegetable merchants, PWPM customers have the opportunity to compare products, brands, and price points. “We wanted to share this treasure with as many people as possible,” said Sonny DiCrecchio, manager of the market,  “That’s why we chose to open our doors to the public.”  If any of you have the chance, I recommend a trip to the PWPM. You will be amazed at the variety of produce products available.

Quote of the month: “Every summer has its own story.”  Unknown 

Maria can be reached at: [email protected], on facebook and twitter @loislane137