Greetings, everyone, and welcome to Spring!
Our local food industry has lost an industry icon. Charles Krasne, CEO of Krasdale Foods, passed away on March 7 at the age of 94. I had the pleasure of meeting Charles 35 years ago while I was with Modern Grocer and it was clear that Charles Krasne was an extraordinary individual, both as a business innovator and as a person. His forward-thinking approach to integrating data processing and inventory control in the wholesaling industry truly set him apart, especially at a time when such ideas were rare. He had a rare combination of brilliance and humility, balancing his impressive educational background (degrees from Yale and Harvard) with a genuine concern for the people around him. I can’t tell you how many times I heard from Krasdale employees (past and present), who have shared how caring and concerned Charles was for their well-being throughout the years.
It has been a pleasure being able to witness someone with such vision remain grounded and connected to the community and the business. It’s a rare quality to have such a big impact on an industry while still maintaining that deep concern for your employees. While Charles was just the second CEO of Krasdale in the 117 years of business, (his dad Abraham was the other) he and the Krasne family have been shaping a long-term strategy for Krasdale’s future. By collaborating with the board and family members over the last few years, a vision and strategic plan have been instituted, which has and will continue to be led by Gus Lebiak and the Krasdale executive team. Charles was adamant that Krasdale Foods would continue in the future and had the foresight to work and create a strategic plan and vision that will continue his legacy. My deepest condolences to the Krasne family and the entire Krasdale Foods family. The family requests that anyone wishing to remember Charles to make a donation in his memory to the New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
The 2025 NGA Show took place on February 23-25 at Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas. The show promised in advance that everyone in attendance would have access to extensive education programs, expert speakers, packed exposition halls and plenty of networking opportunities and boy did they deliver. I hadn’t been to NGA in several years, until I attended the show three years ago and I haven’t missed one since as it continues to grow. (There were more than 3,700 attendees this year, a record.) At its core, the NGA Show is about education and is designed to keep retailers on the cutting edge of critical issues in the industry. A multitude of topics are addressed including: business strategy, fresh foods, merchandising, omnichannel marketing, operations, personnel development, and technology. Also discussed were operational excellence, waste reduction, private brands, maximizing assortment, talent recruitment and retention, prepared foods merchandising, digital ads, traceability, personalized marketing, and sustainability. Whew!
It can be tough to balance between catching specific discussions and possibly missing out on others that sound interesting, so you really have to pre-plan your schedule. Perhaps in the future NGA can make the discussions available online for attendees. The exhibition floor continues to grow and filled up two halls. For the two-days the show floor was opened it was bustling with activity between the vendors and retailers. Overall, a terrific and engaging experience and worth putting on your calendar for next year. The show will move down the road to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will take place February 1-3, 2026. Hope to see you there.
We were very sorry to learn of the passing of David Smithies on February 15 at the age of 80. A long-time resident of Yorktown Heights since 1977, Dave served as a retail executive in the local food industry. He started his career as a clerk with the old Shopwell Foods and rose to the position of VP at Food Emporium (after Shopwell had converted some of their stores to the Food Emporium banner). Dave ultimately ascended to president of Waldbaum’s, and later president of the Atlantic Region of The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. leaving behind a legacy of hard work, leadership and unwavering commitment.
According to his obituary, Dave enjoyed traveling with his wife, gardening, reading, and engaging in lively debates, but without a doubt, his greatest joy came from being a devoted husband, dad and granddad, cherishing every moment with his family.
He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years Deirdre A. (née Sullivan) and his children April Bassick (Mike), Tara Barrow (Jeffrey), Erin Smithies-Baker and Kevin Smithies. He is also survived by his cherished grandchildren Eric Harvey, Andrew Harvey, Scott Harvey, Kelly Barrow, Ryan Barrow, Colden Baker and Keira Baker as well as his beloved brothers- and sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews. May he rest in peace.
Bozzuto’s held its spring Independent Grocers conference in early March at the Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, CT. The Big B Expo was a two-day affair that brought Bozzuto’s customers and vendors from up and down the Eastern Seaboard to the Nutmeg State to connect and network. We have said it before and we’ll say it again. Michael Bozzuto and his team spare no expense when putting on a trade event and this year was no exception. Plenty of customers were on hand to walk the new show floor layout which offered chef demonstrations, cash-blowing money booth, new products and plenty of show deals. The night time dinner and entertainment are always top notch, and again the Bozzuto’s team delivered on all accounts. After witnessing quite a few Bozzuto spring dinner performances over the years, I think I can safely say that Steve Heggelke has a career in Hollywood if he ever decides to trade in his food industry pedigree for one in cinema! (or game show hosting). It will be worth making the trip next spring just to see the sequel to the cinematic gem “The Wizard of Boz” that was screened for the crowd. Suffice to say there was plenty of belly laughs throughout. Kudos to the entire Bozzuto’s team for a terrific and engaging experience!
March is Women’s History Month, a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture, society and business and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987. The vision and dedication of women leaders increasingly shape our food and beverage industry and one group that is focusing on this is the National Supermarket Association (NSA). The NSA Women’s Forum 2025 will take place on March 19 at the Garden City Hotel in Garden City, Long Island. The forum celebrates and supports the incredible achievements of women in various fields and is designed to foster collaboration, provide valuable insights, and create a platform for women to share their experiences and stories.
Throughout the day, you’ll have the chance to hear from influential women who have excelled in their respective industries. For more information contact Denise Diaz at Denise.Diaz@nsaglobal.org.
Well, that will do it for now everybody. Speaking of Women’s History month, a quick shout out to two of our own powerful women here at Best-Met Publishing, co-publishers Maria Maggio and Terri Maloney. They are both impactful women who continue to help drive our business of delivering the best of the food industry news and happenings to you throughout the year. I am proud and grateful to be working alongside them.
