Greetings everyone and I hope you all are enjoying this blazing hot summer as well as all of the industry activities that have been going on over the last few weeks,
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) held its 68th Annual Summer Fancy Food show at the Jacob K. Javits center in New York City at the end of June. While at the show we learned that specialty food sales across retail, foodservice, and ecommerce grew 6.5 percent to a whopping $206.8 billion in 2023, according to the findings of SFA’s 2024-25 State of the Specialty Food Industry research. (See a complete Specialty Food recap inside this issue). “This year’s show highlighted our incredible specialty food community in so many different ways, and SFA appreciates everyone who participated,” said SFA president Bill Lynch. “The exhibitors brought their best to the Show yet again, and the collective energy this year was palpable. We saw innovations in product format, flavor, and more that will reverberate through the wider food industry in the months to come.” This was definitely one of the best Fancy Food Shows I’ve been to. From the logistics and layout of the show to the number of retailers and buyers in attendance to educational opportunities and special events, everything was exceptional. Several of the retailers I ran into at the show mentioned the category layout of the show as a welcome component in planning their visits. The consensus was that if they could streamline the massive show floor to be able to get to what they were seeking in a productive manner, it would maximize their time and efficiency at the show. I relayed these comments to SFA SVP of Member Development Phil Robinson when I saw him on the floor and he was enthusiastic that the shift and improvements in the Fancy Food show format were working and SFA would continue to help grow the show with favorable input from attendees.
Big news came out of the National Supermarket Association (NSA) offices as the growing group of independent retailers announced they have added a new chapter that will be serving the New England market. The New England chapter of NSA will be based in Providence, RI and the site was chosen for its central location, competitive business costs and local talent pool.
“We are extremely grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from the state of Rhode Island. This commitment makes our mission more achievable and impactful. Our mission is to advance and support the independent supermarket owners by promoting innovation, sustainability, and community engagement,” said William Rodriguez, president of the NSA New England chapter.
According to NSA, independent grocery stores employ more than 3,000 people and generate over $420 million in annual sales in Rhode Island and at least $15 billion in annual sales across New England. The NSA was founded in 1989 and has seen its membership grow significantly over the last two decades. The group provides outreach services to corporations that want to capture the booming Hispanic market by providing counseling on marketing strategies to reach Hispanic retailers and consumers, including market and cultural intelligence. If the New England chapter can mirror the success of NSA’s Florida chapter, then look for big things to keep coming from the NSA.
The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) announced its 2024 March Frozen Food month Penguin Award winners. Once again, we had a strong showing from our local area members. Taking home the gold for in-store display was ShopRite of Flemington (Colalillo ShopRite) along with Douglas Sales. Gold in the in-store events category went to ShopRite of Flemington, ShopRite of Morristown and Wakefern. Weis Markets took gold in the private brand campaign. There were several winners in the marketing category. For manufacturers it was Mrs. T’s Pierogies; retailer went to Alpha 1 Marketing/C-Town/Bravo; sales agency went to JOH; and overall marketing campaign for wholesaler went to C&S. The silver winner for community involvement went to JOH and in-store event to Kings of Boonton. Sales agency marketing campaign went to Douglas Sales and RDD Associates and Social Media campaign to Alpha 1 Marketing, Douglas Sales and JOH. Congratulations to all of our local winners!!!
My phone blew up a few weeks ago when Stop & Shop shook the Northeast coconut telegraph when they announced they were going to close 32 underperforming stores by the end of the year. The closures will help position the chain, which is undergoing a sweeping remodeling program, for future growth, the Ahold Delhaize-owned chain said. Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid said in a statement that the chain evaluated its overall store portfolio and decided to close some of its locations “to create a healthy base for the future growth of our brand.” The chain said it is focused on large, multi-year price investments in-store and online as well as continuing its store remodeling as part of its growth strategy. Stop & Shop will also prioritize “delivering lower everyday prices, as well as even more savings for our customers through strong promotions,” Reid said. Since starting its remodeling program in 2018, Stop & Shop has refreshed more than 190 locations — half of its current store count. Stop & Shop noted that the remodeled stores are outperforming ones that aren’t updated. Still remains to be seen though how it will all work out in 2025.
Finally, as we were preparing this issue of Food Trade News, we received word that William P. Sumas (Bill), chairman of the board of Village Supermarkets passed away on July 11 surrounded by his family at the age of 77. Our sympathies go out to his loving wife of 20 years, Patricia Walsh-Sumas; his children, Abbey Sumas (Joseph Melnyk), William D. Sumas (Jade Direnfeld), and Phoebe Long (Brian Long); and his cherished grandchildren, Remi and Theodore Melnyk. He is also survived by his brother, John Sumas (Nancy Sumas), and his sisters, Linda Blatt, and Patricia Anagnostis (Gregory Anagnostis). May his soul rest in eternal peace….
As always you can reach me at 201.250.2217 or kevin@foodtradenews.com.