Welcome to the Annual Food Trade News Market Study issue! As most of you are familiar with, this issue is a real undertaking which require months of research and compiling of data. We are proud to present the entire metro NY/NJ market, the Greater Philadelphia market and most of the Northeast US. I want to personally thank all of the customers, distributors, vendors and friends for your assistance in assembling this wealth of information. Just as important, I am fortunate to be working with an outstanding team here at Best-Met Publishing Company. The proficiency in organizing projects of this magnitude is unmatched in the industry. It is a team effort spearheaded by our publisher Jeff Metzger and guided by our VP and editorial director Terri Maloney. Also pulling in the same direction is VP and general manager Maria Maggio and our office manager and data accumulator extraordinaire Beth Pripstein! I’m sure you will agree after going through the following pages, that this issue is the culmination of a truly monumental team effort. Enjoy the reading and we hope you find it useful for your business.
Quite possibly one of the better charitable causes and events occurred recently at the Hackensack Golf Club in Oradell, NJ. The Friends of the Food Industry (FOFI) held its one and only find raiser of the year (and for the first time since the start of the pandemic). FOFI honored Christine Curtis of C&S Wholesale Grocers and industry veterans Bill Weimer, Leo Glynn, Terry Albanese, Dan Holly and Ray Coyle, all recognized posthumously for their contributions to FOFI and the food industry.
Fairway Markets’ Patrick Sheils, who is president of the nonprofit organization, shared the news that the cocktail party and dinner event, along with other donations, had raised almost $150,000 for the cause. He added that these funds go directly to a variety of recipients whose dire situations have been brought to light by their peers and several food retail employers. Ken Scher, Associated Stores Group, and a board member, also added that in its mission to raise money for colleagues and friends working in the retail food industry who have severe financial troubles, the group has raised more than $750,000 in just seven years! Credit to all of the board members of FOFI and also everyone in the industry who donated generously and made this annual event a tremendous success. I said it several years ago when this group was first formed, but I’ll say it again: if you haven’t attended the FOFI spring cocktail party, put it on your 2024 calendar, because it draws customers, vendors and everyone in the metro NY/NJ food industry for a terrific cause! Check out the group at www.friendsofthefoodindustry.org.
Kudos to the good folks at King Kullen Grocery Co. for recently donating $10,000 to benefit summer camp programs for disadvantaged children on Long Island. It is a tradition begun by King Kullen more than three decades ago and this year’s donation will be divided evenly between Family & Children’s Association (Nassau County) and Family Service League (Suffolk County). “Camp provides a stimulating and fun environment where children can learn new activities and meet other children their age,” observed King Kullen president and COO Joe Brown. “King Kullen’s gift will help fund scholarships for children whose families lack the resources for summer camp.”
The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) held its Night of Distinction in mid-May at the Palace at Somerset in Somerset, NJ. This is always one of my favorite events of the year as not only does it recognize food industry leaders with Achievement awards, but it brings together over 500 attendees in the food industry to mingle and network and enjoy a fabulous evening. This year’s honorees included Nicole Davia of Whole Foods, Steve Henig of Wakefern, Jason Read of Wawa and Jim Perkins of Albertsons. The introductory and acceptance speeches were terrific and congratulations to the team at NJFC and the honorees on a wonderful evening.
Best wishes to Steve Traun, VP-sales at Bozzuto’s, as he retires from a 50-year career in the retail and wholesale food distribution business. After successful stints with Red Owl, Supervalu and Bozzuto’s, Steve is ready to transition into his next career – ‘Manager of Maintenance’ at Angel Horses, Inc., a horse retirement sanctuary his wife founded 18 years ago. All the best in your endeavors, Steve!
Well done to the team at Allegiance Retail Services (ARS) on their recent holiday food show held at the Meadowlands Exposition center in Secaucus, NJ. By all accounts from all of the vendors and the members who were walking the event, the show delivered on all fronts. Planning for the show was spearheaded by Samer Rahman, (who was recently elevated to chief merchandising officer at ARS) and really delivered on all fronts. Well done to all at ARS!!
Big goings on in the Bronx as the New York state Assembly is contributing $130 million to the $650 million modernization of the Hunts Point Produce Market, which will make the facility more environmentally friendly and bring it into federal compliance. The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is overseeing the project with the Produce Market Cooperative and a private developer. The Hunts Point Produce Market supplies 25 percent of the city’s produce, while its neighboring Hunts Point Cooperative Market — the meat market — distributes 35 percent of the city’s meat each year, and the New Fulton Fish Market provides 45 percent of the city’s seafood. At more than 1 million square feet and home to more than 30 merchants, the wholesale produce market, which opened in 1967, is the largest in the country. The modernization efforts will transform the market into a state-of-the-art intermodal freight facility with more than 800,000 square feet of refrigerated warehouse space and 200,000 square feet of ancillary space, according to the EDC spokesperson. The effort will bring the facility into compliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act by expanding the refrigerated warehouse space and pallet capacity, the spokesperson said. The facility currently uses 1,000 diesel-powered refrigerated trailer units that idle onsite as additional storage, which will be eliminated as a result of the renovation, significantly alleviating the emissions going into the community. The market’s modernization will also help address the impacts of thousands of daily diesel trucks that go through residential neighborhoods in the Bronx and facilitate the implementation of heavy duty electric trucks, according to the state assembly. As part of the redevelopment, the facility will install electric vehicle freight-charging connections to support an increasing supply and demand of electric freight trucks. The design and environmental review for the project is slated to be complete by September 2025, with construction expected to begin toward the end of 2025.
Congratulations to Krasdale Foods as they celebrated the completion of the largest solar energy installation in the Bronx. The project, done jointly with PowerFlex, a national provider of intelligent solar, storage and EV charging solutions for commercial customers, is located at Krasdale’s distribution center in Hunts Point. The 2.7 megawatt project will share its environmental and financial benefits with the local community. Local residents can subscribe to the project and receive credits on their electricity bill for a portion of the solar energy generated. The system will generate an estimated 3.4 million kWh of solar energy per year, avoiding the carbon emissions equivalent to fully powering more than 300 U.S. homes annually. The carbon offset is also equivalent to the amount sequestered by 2,850 acres of U.S. forests per year, according to EPA estimates.
“We are proud to partner with PowerFlex on this monumental community solar project,” said Gus Lebiak, Krasdale’s president and COO. “Krasdale continues our mission of helping the communities we serve, and this new solar roof is a commitment to clean energy for the Bronx, its residents, and Krasdale employees.” PowerFlex received more than $1.3 million in support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) through its NY-Sun Program, which is helping make solar more accessible to families, businesses, and communities across the state. Since its inception, solar in New York has grown over 3,000 percent, leveraged nearly $7.3 billion in private investments, and decreased in cost by 73 percent. Currently, installed distributed solar projects, combined with the projects that are under development, bring the state to 95 percent of the current Climate Act goal to install six gigawatts of distributed solar by 2025.
And finally I wanted to mention an individual in our industry doing good on a local level. Marlon Todd of Acosta Sales & Marketing, has for several years been spearheading an effort to bring resources to disadvantaged communities in the metro New York/New Jersey area. The Annual Back to School Community Giveback, provides backpacks filled with supplies, food, entertainment, and informative social service information. In past years the event has able to help hundreds of children of the targeted community. This year Marlon and his team will be targeting Teaneck, New Jersey and Paterson, New Jersey in August. He is seeking any assistance for donations of school supplies, food, drinks and any other items to fill a backpack. If you are a vendor and would like to attend the one-day festival affair and showcase your items, that is encouraged as well.
Finally, you can donate at https://fundly.com/mr-marlon-back-to-school-giveaway. Good luck and a tip of the hat to Marlon.
That will do it for now everyone. Again, I hope you find the Food Trade News Annual Market Study a useful tool for your business, and if you have any questions or input, please feel free to let me know at 201.250.2217 or [email protected].