Happy Spring! We’ve made it through another round of ice, sleet, snow and rain this past winter, and I am ready for all that is to come; baseball; heading down the shore; grilling season; and flowers everywhere! Time to breathe!
It isn’t very often we have ground up new stores opening, but in the past month, we’ve had three of them open in our region; Freshtown of Newburgh, Newburgh, NY; Wegmans in Lake Grove, Long Island; and Whole Foods in Doylestown, PA.
CQM Foods, an employee-owned company which operates Freshtown and Peck’s grocery stores in upstate New York, opened on February 21. The site was formerly occupied by Big Lots which moved to another location. They are a member of Allegiance Retail Services Buying Cooperative of 140 supermarkets throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Company president Noah Katz stated, “The store had to be completely rebuilt. Everything except for the four walls is new. The electric system, plumbing, cases, checkouts, everything is new.” The store was under construction for nine months and employs approximately 75 people. Company vice president Ed Hunt added, “The store is about 25,000 square feet and includes everything a larger store would have, so it’s much easier to shop for busy consumers, especially after a long day of work. Our price structure is low so shoppers can enjoy saving money, especially on items they need most. We encourage everyone to shop the weekly flyer which will help customers’ food dollars go much further.” Following up on Ed’s statement, there’s something about the Metro NY Market stores that never ceases to amaze me. They merchandise their stores in such a way that they fit more items in 25,000 square feet than other regions do with way more space. The store includes every major improvement shoppers expect in a state-of-the-art supermarket. Best of luck to the Freshtown crew!
Next on the grand tour of new stores is Wegmans, which opened its first store in Lake Grove, Long Island on February 26 with about 300 people wrapped around the building in anticipation of the store opening. I heard that one customer was there at 3:00 pm the day before! Well, it was worth the wait because at 101,000 square feet the store is big with a small store feel. The new store employs more than 500 part- and full-time people, and the vast majority are local to the area. There are 14 full-service registers, 14 self-checkout registers, a separate cafe checkout area is also provided for restaurant foods to-go or dine-in customers and more than 630 parking spaces. Wegmans Lake Grove features all the traditional departments Wegmans customers have come to know and love, including delicious restaurant foods, an abundant produce department with hundreds of different fruits and vegetables, and a wide variety of seafood, meat, bakery, deli, and cheese options. I always take notice of how the Wegmans team tweaks each new store compared to their last new store, always for the better and continuing to enhance the customer shopping experience. While the Long Island store was being built, the Lake Grove leadership team focused on building relationships and getting to know and support the local community. “It is such a warm and welcoming community; we are enjoying getting to know the people who live here,” said store manager Dawn Cooper. “From volunteering at events to sponsoring them, the team has done a great job building connections in the area, and we are excited to have those connections grow.” Indeed, the Lake Grove Wegmans’ management team partnered with Long Island Cares (LIC) to continue to help sort products, pack supplies and learn about all the great things LIC does for Suffolk and Nassau counties. LIC is one of two food banks the store team works with to pick up donations several days each week. The second is Island Harvest, whose mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island.
Fun fact about this store: the top of the clock tower is the highest point in Lake Grove.
And finally, Cassanova the rooster also found a home at the entrance of the store, welcoming customers on the hour, every hour. Congratulations!
Last on the tour is the first Whole Foods in Bucks County, PA, which opened on March 13. Located on Easton Road in Doylestown and at just over 43,000 square feet, this store and a new Barnes & Noble right next door are the reason for the redevelopment of this mall project that included a major upgrade to the facade of the shopping center at the former site of Marshall’s and Home Goods. The Doylestown store’s product assortment includes more than 500 locally sourced items from the Mid-Atlantic region, each meeting Whole Foods Market’s rigorous quality standards. There are six self-checkouts and four cashier checkouts plus a café at the front of the store. A good mix of wine and beer is available plus perhaps the largest amount of grab and go refrigerated natural and specialty beverages known to man. The store perimeter departments are eye-popping and grocery is, well, grocery. The only downside, other than the high retails, is the tiered pricing with Amazon Prime members benefiting the most from items on promotion. Joseph Greenlee, store team leader, said, “My family and I have called Doylestown home for almost 20 years, and I am excited to help bring the first Whole Foods Market location to this community. From fresh produce to specialty items sourced from Pennsylvania and across the Mid-Atlantic, this store is a reflection of the incredible food community in the region. We look forward to providing Bucks County with excellent service and a wide selection of products that meet our high standards for ingredients and sourcing.” Additionally on opening day, they provided a food donation to Manna on Main Street. The nonprofit previously received a refrigerated van from the company, which makes regular surplus food pickups from Whole Foods Market stores to help prevent food waste and serve the surrounding community. Both donations are part of Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program, which aims to enhance the ability of local food rescue organizations to transport surplus food to areas facing the greatest need. Welcome to the neighborhood, Whole Foods!
So, at the end of the tour, we find three very different stores, both large and small, in three very different markets, serving very different smaller communities, but partnering with them all to become a part of those communities while making the consumer’s shopping experience the best it can be. Kudos to you all!
The New Jersey Food Processors Association (NJFPA) held their annual conference at Harrah’s in Atlantic City on March 6 and 7. According to their website the NJFPA is a “community of food and beverage companies, suppliers and service organizations that promotes industry growth throughout the Garden State region through education, resource sharing and strong member partnerships.” Topics covered during the conference were: food safety, with experts from Wawa and Jersey Mike’s touching on ways to protect the members’ businesses; grant opportunities, featuring a panel led by New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengren who guided attendees through available resources and lastly a fireside chat, with NJFC president Linda Doherty conversing with Darren Caudill, chief sales officer at Wakefern. It was a wide-ranging discussion on securing shelf space, evolving consumer preferences, and innovative marketing strategies plus much more. Darren recounted his four decades in the retail food industry, beginning as a bagger in Delaware, OH, then after graduating from college, working for Kroger for 30 years, where he touched every piece of the business. His last position there oversaw ad sales planning across the USA. Darren then moved on to Supervalu/UNFI for 10 years. About one year into his retirement, Mike Stigers, president of Wakefern, called and invited him to New Jersey. Mike emphasized the family business aspect of Wakefern and the generational selling. And that’s how he ended up in New Jersey at Wakefern. Darren is extremely knowledgeable about Wakefern; it’s like he’s spent his entire career there. He touched on Wakefern’s core competencies: family, food and celebration go hand in hand (this is a big theme); promotion and value, Wakefern is a promotional driven company; consistent quality – the best quality, finest ingredients with the best pricing; and the obligation to do good for the community. He commented that our market is the most diverse in the world. Hot topic – GLP-1 drugs are having a significant impact on the retail food business. In fact, 6 percent of the population is on a weight loss drug and 6-12 percent are spending less on food. Because these consumers need higher protein and digestive support, protein and fiber values may soon be on the front of retail packages. He then gave some insight into how to get a product on the shelf at Wakefern making it sound simple: go through the category managers; make it something worth buying; make sure you have the capacity to produce enough product for them; and finally through their Shark Tank-like event. The grand prize went to three companies this year, all were original and had a unique approach.
Darren is proud of the Wakefern family of private brands, especially the Wholesome Pantry line. Of the 587 different products in the Wholesome Pantry line over 450 are organic. They have plans to increase organic offering to exceed 500 over the next year. The “better for you” product line is currently free from 110 additives and Wakefern is very close to moving the number up to 215, working toward 220 as they increase the healthy focus on these products. He spoke in depth about advertising, marketing and technology noting that the circular is still king in this market; digital coupons are here to stay, and consumers scroll through digital coupons first and the circular second. The digital piece is cheaper to produce but the circular is still worth producing. The discussion turned to the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the USA’s 250th birthday, which brings us back to family, food, and celebration. These events will involve many different activities and all will involve food. The stores will be ready for each themed celebration in the upcoming 18 months. The technology discussion was about Caper Carts, which seems to be the best way to use scan and go technology, Tally the robot, who glides through the store picking up out of stocks, spills on the floor, etc., and back to digital coupons. The commitment to the community the member families have in their respective locales makes Darren most proud. The level of community involvement is beyond comprehension – neighborhood by neighborhood. It really connects people. Which brings us right back to what makes Wakefern so special. The conversation was about an hour, and it was enlightening to the NJFPA group. During the luncheon, Linda Doherty was presented with the Stewardship Award for her work guiding the NJFPA on their journey. Congrats!
A tip of the hat to Jesse Amoroso of Amoroso Baking Company on his recent promotion to president of his family’s renowned Philadelphia area bakery. Jesse is the fifth generation to run his family business and now has the experience to back him up. He is part of a rare group of young people running fifth generation family businesses today. We’re hoping to hear and see good things from you, Jesse!
Heaven gained another angel last month when Lisa Marie Dell’Alba, of Square One Markets, passed away on February 16 at the age of 46 with her loving family by her side. Lisa was born in Easton, PA, graduated from Bethlehem Catholic High School and earned her bachelor’s degree from DeSales University. She was a dedicated and passionate leader, serving as the president of Square One Markets, a group of 11 convenience stores in the Lehigh Valley. She served as board chair of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) from 2022 to 2024 and was an active member and contributor to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). Together with her husband Steve Rosati, they built a beautiful life centered around their son, Coltrane who was Lisa’s world. She fought with unwavering strength to be present for him, demonstrating the deep love and devotion that defined her life. Lisa was a force of nature, always striving for personal growth so that she could uplift those around her. A true leader, she possessed a talent for placing the right people in the right roles, recognizing strengths in others, and empowering them to succeed together. Lisa is predeceased by her father, Gary, and survived by her mother, Judith (Berg) Dell’Alba; her husband and son; sister Brenda Rosado (John Rosado); niece Kayla Rosado; and nephew Gavin Rosado; as well as her many colleagues and friends. Memorial donations may be made in Lisa’s memory to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, P.O. Box 5028, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5028. Donations can also be made online at Donate to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – MSK Giving. She will be deeply missed but forever remembered. Gone too soon…rest in peace.
We send condolences to George Latella, assistant professor of practice in the department of food, pharma and healthcare at Saint Joseph’s University on the death of his mother, Mary Jane (Cookie) Latella on February 26 at the age of 87. Cookie (don’t call her Mary Jane) was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, godmother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. Her life went from Belmont Hills to Roxborough to Las Vegas to North Wildwood, Aruba, and finally Wildwood Crest. During these transitions she maintained her friendships and added new friends. Her empathy for others was evident throughout her life and she was a great communicator. Cookie’s greatest joy was her family. Cookie is survived by her loving husband George Latella; son George (Cheryl); grandchildren Nicole Collins (Joe), George Latella Jr. (Gia), and Dana Latella; three great-grandchildren; and her brother Vincent Giorno. She was predeceased by her brother Joseph Giorno. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Cookie’s name to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital at www.stjude.org Rest in peace, Cookie.
Taking another trip around the sun this windy month of March are Dan Croce, Sprouts Farmers Markets; Jeff Brown and Sandy Brown, Brown’s Super Stores; Bill Carter, Knauss Foods; Dave Andrews, Kreider Farms; Bob Unanue, Goya Foods; and Ed Burda, retired Utz Snacks. Buon compleanno a tutti! Special wishes to my fellow women during Women’s History Month! “Here’s to strong women. May we know them; may we be them; may we raise them.” (origin unknown) Amen to that!
Quote of the month: “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall
