Greetings, everyone. As we kick off the holiday season I wanted to wish you all good health, peace and prosperity and a suggestion to pause and consider all of the many reasons we have to be thankful as we embark on this holiday season.
Congratulations to Adam Shapiro on the opening of his first store, Green Way Markets in Maplewood, NJ. The site was formerly a Kings Food Market and Adam and the team at Allegiance Retail Services, LLC really went to work to totally overhaul the store. While only 6,000 square feet, the store has a real openness and airy feel and plays as a much larger space. Located in the heart of Maplewood Village, it is the only supermarket in town and should do well in the affluent neighborhood. Many people know Adam from his work with Jack Shakoor and Jack’s Foodtowns. While Adam will still be a part of the Jack’s team, he was also eager to try something on his own as well.
“The Maplewood community could not have been more welcoming, and we are thrilled to be here,” said Adam with his wife, Erica. “An exceptional shopping experience to help you Eat Well, Live Well is our promise to our customers. Natural foods, specialty meats and cheeses, grab and go meals, plus variety and value. There is something for everyone.”
“It is exciting for us to celebrate the opening of our fourth Green Way Market and expand our customer base,” said John T. Derderian, president and COO of Allegiance Retail Services, LLC. “We would like to congratulate all Green Way Market Members for their new and ongoing commitment to the communities they serve.” This is the fourth Green Way Markets banner flying for Allegiance Retail Services and don’t be surprised if you see some more on the horizon.
Good news came to Nick Letizio of A.J. Letizio Sales & Marketing as he was named the Massachusetts Food Association’s (MFA) Emerging Leader at the MFA’s recent annual convention. Also at the big gathering held at Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts, Ralph Crowley Jr. of Polar Beverages was inducted into the MFA Hall of Fame and Bob Goodwin as recognized for his community service.
A tip of the cap to all Village ShopRites as they kicked off the Jimmy Sumas Holiday Meal Program. The Village team is doing their part to help combat hunger this holiday season by fighting hunger one meal at a time. The message they convey to their customers is to purchase a Jimmy Sumas Holiday Meal Bag and they will donate it to a hunger relief organization in the community.
They recognize that the communities they operate in and serve need help this holiday season more than ever before. The meal bags will provide a family in need with the opportunity to celebrate with friends and family when they may otherwise not have been able to. At the end of the program, the bags that their customers donate will be distributed directly to Village’s local food bank partners.
Well done Village Supermarkets on your mission to fight hunger this holiday season by offering the Jimmy Sumas Holiday Meal Bags!
And don’t forget to register for the New Jersey Food Council’s (NJFC) Night of Distinction on December 9. After being postponed twice because of the pandemic, NJFC decided to move forward with the event virtually. This is always the biggest event of the year for the organization, so it will be interesting to see how it works this time around. This year’s honorees include: Danny Dinkowitz, senior director omni-channel sales for Allegiance Retail Services; Suzanne DelVecchio, corporate counsel at QuickChek; and Paul Patten, group VP-center store at Wakefern Food Corporation. Join the crowd for a festive celebration with a champagne toast to the honorees and sweet treats delivered by the NJFC. To register for the event go to www.njfoodcouncil.com/events-2021.
Our condolences go out to the Scheps family and all at RDD Associates on the news that Domenica (Donna) Scheps passed away in late October at the age of 81. Donna was the wife of former partner Ben Scheps and mother of RDD employee Dara-Ann Scheps-Dondero, as well as mom to Deneen Matteis and grandmother to three. Anyone looking to donate in her name, the family asks for memorial contributions to be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Any personal condolences can be sent to Dara Dondero at 8 Boulder Run, Oakland, NJ 07436. May her soul rest in peace.
Congratulations to Larry Inserra and his entire team at Inserra Supermarkets as they unveiled their largest store yet in Wayne, NJ. The state-of-the-art 81,000 square foot store located in the Wayne Hills Mall replaces a smaller Inserra store a mile up the road on Hamburg Turnpike. The store is fabulous and it will offer the hallmark Inserra departments within the store. Patsy’s Butcher meat department with trained butchers; from-scratch fresh bake shop offering store made bread, cakes and pastries; seafood department with fresh, daily deliveries; produce department with a large selection of organic and locally grown fruits and vegetables; floral department and a gourmet kitchen with seating and a produce department with a large selection of organic and locally grown fruits and vegetables. For customer convenience, the store will offer both traditional and self-checkout lanes as well as the online personal shopping service, ShopRite from Home, which offers store pickup and home delivery options. Other amenities include a ShopRite gourmet kitchen, staffed with professionally trained chefs serving restaurant quality meals daily, a wellness center and an in-store Registered Dietitian.
“We are proud to celebrate the grand opening of the new ShopRite of Wayne Hills, our largest supermarket yet,” said Lawrence Inserra Jr., chairman and CEO. “This new store demonstrates our continued commitment to the community and family promise to offer incredible value, quality and service to our shoppers. We thank our customers for their commitment to us and patience as we prepared the new store.”
If you are looking for a good research study to peruse, take a look at the 2021 Marcum National Manufacturing Survey. As we continue to battle the effects of the pandemic, the survey gives an in-depth look at the manufacturing landscape. Some of the other insights offered in the free report are: effects of the pandemic, the future of smart manufacturing, product research and development, The top priorities of manufacturers across the nation and the Paycheck Protection Program. To find out how your business compares or to view the results, go to www.marcumllp.com/industries/manufacturing-distribution.
And finally, I was going to wish a speedy recovery to our own Maria Maggio after she recently underwent hip replacement surgery. However no less than a couple of days after the procedure she was well on the mend and once again out in the field covering store openings, driving to meetings and doing her charitable work. Tough gal and great associate! Continued best wishes on the rehab!!!
Well again, I wish you all have a memorable and enjoyable Thanksgiving and all the blessings, love and happiness you can receive from your family and friends. As always you can reach me at 201.250.2217 or [email protected].
