With the winter doldrums fully in place after Punxsutawney Phil indicated six more weeks of winter on February 2, what better way to spark a little excitement than to send Philadelphia’s own AC-a-ME Markets a resounding 130th birthday wishes! Indeed, Acme Markets was founded in South Philadelphia on January 23, 1891 by two friends, Samuel Robinson and Robert Crawford, and has a long history of providing the community with great, quality products and friendly service. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Acme and its Acme Markets Foundation announced a new campaign to provide hunger relief to the communities it serves. It launched 130 Days of Giving by pledging $1 million in grant funding from its Nourishing Neighbors community relief fund to local food organizations who continue to provide food distribution in relation to COVID-19. “Acme has a long-standing commitment to the communities we serve,” said Jim Perkins, president of Albertsons Mid-Atlantic. “I cannot think of a better way to honor our rich history than by pledging $1 million to fight food insecurity in our neighborhoods.” Local food organizations applied for funding through February 12, 2021 by visiting the Acme website. All grantees will be notified by June 1, 2021. In addition to the $1 million pledge, Acme Markets Foundation will also support various other giving initiatives throughout the 130-day period. These initiatives include working with Bringing Hope Home to support 130 families suffering a cancer diagnosis during the month of March. The 130 Days of Giving initiative is a part of a yearlong celebration to commemorate Acme’s 130 years of serving the community. Yo, Acme, Happy Birthday!
The Giant Company Has been busy on all fronts of late, mostly increasing its commitment to the City of Philadelphia. First, on February 9, the chain announced a new store coming to Philly’s Greater Northeast at the intersection of Cottman and Bustleton Avenues. “With its diverse neighborhoods, people, and undeniable passion for food, there’s no place quite like Philadelphia, and that’s exactly why The Giant Company continues to invest in new stores across the city,” said Nicholas Bertram, president. Construction on the new 67,000 square foot store is scheduled to begin in late March with an anticipated opening date later this year. The new store will feature Giant Direct grocery pickup. The company currently employs nearly 400 team members in Philadelphia and anticipates hiring another 200 team members for the new Cottman Avenue store. So, with the Giant on Grant Avenue and the three Giant Heirloom Markets, the company currently operates four stores in the city of Philadelphia. These locations, along with the Cottman Avenue project, the anticipated Heirloom Market on South Street in Society Hill, the Riverwalk store scheduled to open on March 19, and the Island Avenue e-commerce fulfillment center (more about that in a bit) bring its total cap-ex investment in the city to more than $100 million.
Next on Giant’s aggressive growth list is an update to the previously announced e-commerce fulfillment center in Philly. Just before presstime, Giant announced a new partnership with Swisslog to provide automation technology featuring AutoStore at its new Giant Direct e-commerce fulfillment center in Philadelphia. Renovations are currently underway at the 124,000 square foot facility, located at 3501 Island Avenue, which will ultimately provide more capacity, faster order fulfillment and room to grow home grocery delivery, in response to the increasing number of customers who want to order online. The center is anticipated to open in November 2021 and will bring more than 200 new jobs to the Eastwick community. Swisslog will build out the technology capabilities at the new facility, which will include AutoStore’s robotic storage and retrieval system supported by Swisslog’s SynQ software and pick stations. The Giant Company is also collaborating with Peapod Digital Labs, another Ahold Delhaize USA company, on the project to streamline order fulfillment. Once operational, the facility is expected to fulfill approximately 15,000 online orders per week for delivery to customers’ homes throughout Center City and South Philadelphia. Company veteran Angel Cordero has been named manager of the new facility. Angel’s history with Giant is lengthy, beginning 20 years ago and most recently he put his acquired managerial skills to the task of running the University City Heirloom Market. “Our customers’ shopping patterns have changed, and online grocery shopping has become the new norm,” said Cordero. “With more and more families choosing Giant Direct, our new fulfilment center will help us serve Philadelphians faster, offering a real point of differentiation in the marketplace, while setting the stage for long term growth in the city we’re so proud to serve.”
Still more from Pennsylvania’s second largest employer is the February 1 launch of its latest ready-to-eat meal solution for today’s busy families, All Set in a Box, a hot meal option which includes a main course and sides for a family of four. Most varieties are less than $5 per serving. “While families are spending more time gathered around the table enjoying meals together, many are also facing meal fatigue when it comes to what they should prepare,” said John MacDonald, director of meal solutions and marketing operations. “The Giant Company regularly inspires our customers with various quick, easy and affordable meals for busy families from ready to eat, ready to heat and ready to cook. Everything we do is For Today’s Table, and our new All Set in a Box takes it to the next level, offering an entire family meal that is all set to eat at prices that won’t break the budget.” Customers can call ahead or order in store for their All Set in a Box meal, which is ready within 15 minutes. There are currently a variety of options to choose from including taco kits, eight-piece chicken meals, ribs, rotisserie chicken and chicken tenders. Customers may also choose from several sides and bread options to complete their meal box from mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, coleslaw, macaroni salad and pepper slaw to cornbread, biscuits and more.
Finally, with the help of its customers and supplier partners, and through strategic partnerships with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philabundance, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Urban League of Philadelphia, and Please Touch Museum, The Giant Company has contributed more than $35 million in support of its purpose of connecting families for a better future. I think they’re here to stay.
When the pandemic hit almost a year ago, the Mid Atlantic Food Trade Association (MAFTO) was at a loss about what to do to make up for lost revenue they raise each year to fund scholarships and community outreach. Some innovative members of the board of directors came up with the MAFTO Community Care Package. With a ton of hard work, and limited timelines, the project was a success. Companies donated free goods coupons or live product which then went into boxes that were sold for $100 each all over the area. The boxes were either given out as a thank you or paid forward to Philabundance, local food banks and front line workers at regional hospitals.
MAFTO’s 2020 donations of $65,000 were distributed earlier this month to food banks and pantries in our area. The recipients were selected because of their impact in the Philadelphia-area food community and the fact that they are extraordinary grass roots leaders. Local companies that donated free goods coupons or live product for the boxes are: Bright Farms; Hatfield Meats; Dietz & Watson; The Giant Company; Just Born; Melitta; La Colombe; Filipo Berio; KMO Coffee; Mrs. T’s; Rastelli’s; and The Bacon Jam. If your company would like to participate in the 2021 program (and who wouldn’t?) please contact Andy Morfopoulos at [email protected].
In the past year, COVID-19 forced almost all previously scheduled in-person events to go virtual. Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) is no exception and has announced its second annual International Specialty Food Industry (ISFI) summit in partnership with the Italy America Chamber of Commerce for 2021. They have put together a five-part webinar series every Wednesday in March from noon to 1:30 p.m. that will cover the hottest topics in the international specialty foods industry. Each week registered guests will hear from prominent industry experts about topics that are imperative to the future of the specialty food business including supply chain challenges, e-commerce growth and consumer buying habits in a post-COVID world. In the final week of the series, guests will participate in a virtual Master Class where they will learn about product origin, characteristics, along with recipes. The bonus is that the ingredients will be mailed to the participants’ homes so they can cook along with the chefs. The schedule features a different subject each week, beginning on March 3 when the subject is “Impact of the Pandemic on International and Specialty Foods,” featuring Alice Mintz, SPINS; Tom Gellert, Atalanta Corporation; Andy Gellert, Gellert Global Group; and Josh Gellert, Camerican International. On March 10 the subject is “Insights from the Inside: How the Foodservice Industry is Adapting,” featuring Emilio Mignucci, Di Bruno Bros. March 17’s outing, titled “Winning the New ‘Semi-Normal’” will feature Bryan Gildenberg, Omnicom Retail Group. On March 24 the topic will be “What’s Next? Trends Impacting International and Specialty Foods” and will feature Mark Williamson, Peapod Digital Labs. The final installment on March 31 will be a BONUS Virtual Master Class in product origin, characteristics, and qualities, as well as simple recipes as they are being prepared on the webinar. What a fun and informative way to spend lunch hour on Wednesdays in March! For more information and to register, please go to: https://sites.sju.edu/isfs/welcome-office-teaching-learning/registration/.
Each year, the Pennsylvania Farm Show holds its annual exposition in the middle of January in Harrisburg. While this year’s show was derailed by the pandemic, some tweaks were made so the it could be visited virtually and the show’s staple event, the unveiling of 1,000 pounds of carved butter, was also reinvented by making it interactive. The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) partnered with the Farm Show and the state’s Department of Agriculture on “Butter Up!” a new, at-home butter sculpture experience. The contest kicked off January 9, with the launch of a full week of interactive, virtual events. Pennsylvania residents were encouraged to creatively carve their own butter sculptures working with one pound of butter at home and submit them to the PA Farm Show Facebook page by January 16. Winners, chosen by popular vote on Facebook, earned gift cards donated by PFMA sponsors as well as member Giant Food Stores, Giant/Eagle, Wegmans, Square One Markets and C&S Wholesale Grocers. First place in each category received a $50 gift card, and runners up received $25. “Pennsylvanians showed up in an incredible way for this butter sculpture contest. The entries highlighted the strength and diversity of Pennsylvania agriculture and their participation raised awareness for Pennsylvania’s essential and resilient dairy industry,” said Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “Congratulations to the winners and a special thanks to the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association for their support of this inaugural butter sculpture contest, they truly helped it come to life.”
Celebrating another trip around the sun this February are: Judy Spires, Kings Food Markets/Balducci’s; Sandra Sage, Clemens Food Group; Guy Giordano, Vincent Giordano Corp.; Reggie Sanders, Johanna Foods; Ed Symbouras, Specialty Fabricators; Neil Brassell, NEB Consulting, LLC; Bill Schlosky, Utz Snacks; my partner in schmooze, Kevin Gallagher, Food Trade News; and special birthday hugs to my daughter, Rosalie Marfuggi, Atalanta Corporation. Buon compleanno a tutti!
Quote of the month: “Sometimes you’ll catch the big fish, and sometimes you won’t; but without a line in the water, you don’t stand a chance.” -Michael Strahan
