Greetings, everyone! It certainly looks like we are getting underway with the Spring season in these parts and I for one couldn’t be any happier. The warmer weather seems to get us all in a better state of mind and I am looking forward to the industry outings lined up in the queue.
ShopRite has launched its latest integrated marketing campaign, “We Are Here,” spotlighting the family-operated businesses that form the heart of the brand and its deep-rooted ties to the communities that they serve. Rolling out across a variety of media channels, including TV, radio, digital, print, social media and in-store, the campaign showcases a montage of compelling images and stories. Viewers will see the familiar faces of the families who own and operate local ShopRite stores as well as scenes of grand openings, charitable events, community food drives and historic milestones, all woven together like a treasured family photo album.
“We Are Here” will highlight ShopRite’s values: family, community, quality, freshness, variety, value and philanthropy. It is a simple yet powerful message: We are family-run here. We live here. We care here. We are committed here. “It’s the story of our ShopRite brand – which has always been about families serving families,” said Darren Caudill, chief sales officer at Wakefern. “When customers see the ads on television or hear them on the radio, we hope they recognize the unwavering commitment of our cooperative members to the people who shop in our stores and live in the communities where our stores operate.”
The campaign is already resonating in local markets and includes in-store and online activations and even a sweepstakes for customers. “We Celebrate You Here,” an online sweepstakes through ShopRite’s Facebook and Instagram platforms, thanked ShopRite customers by awarding one grand prize winner $2,500 in ShopRite gift cards and $100 gift cards to 20 second place winners. Very nice targeted campaign!
A very happy retirement to Chris Williams, senior buyer/category manager-center store at King Kullen, who will be calling it a career at the end of April when he retires after 45 years with the retailer. Chris has always handled himself in a classy and professional manner and has long earned the respect of all the vendors, associates and executives who have dealt with him. One of his first actions in retirement will be to put his home up for sale as he and his bride Antoinette (and their youngest daughter) will be moving to western Pennsylvania where they anxiously await the birth of their first grandchild from their oldest daughter. May you have all the happiness you deserve in your retirement Chris. And also retiring at King Kullen over the next couple of months after a more than 50-year career will be Marshall Irving, director of non-foods; Jim Leary, VP and controller; and Joe Tyska, deli buyer. Good luck to all.
Congratulations to the DeCicco & Sons family as they finally debuted their 11th DeCicco & Sons store located in the town of Sleppy Hollow, NY.
“There are so many special aspects about the store, but this is one of our favorites. This exact stone is from the foundation of the DeCicco family home in Villa San Giovanni, Italy before they immigrated to the United States of America. It is a reminder of how far we’ve come and how proud we are to be here!” said co-owner John DeCicco Sr.
The massive 50,000 square foot store (the largest in Westchester) features a state of the art enhanced deli section with a carving and smoked meats section, a wide variety of prepared foods, a glass elevator and two events spaces, each of which has its own kitchen.
There’s almost no detail that hasn’t been thought of, including nods to Sleepy Hollow with a Headless Horseman artistic cutout suspended behind the beer taps and purse pegs under the bar in the shape of the Headless Horseman.
“It’s uplifting,” said DeCicco of the light-filled industrial space that has a cathedral feel thanks to its vaulted ceilings and numerous windows. “The store is so grand, once you’re in here, you won’t want to leave.”
Along with being the first grocery store in New York to put a bar in a grocery store (Brewster location in 2010), DeCicco & Sons was one of the first in the area to build their properties with green initiatives in mind, including solar panels generating 75 percent of a store’s electricity during peak sunlight, LED lighting, and refrigeration using carbon dioxide to help reduce global warming. The new store, which has its largest solar array to date, meets LEED certification standards, emphasizing energy efficiency. As with its other properties, this location uses Pozzotive, a sustainable concrete made from recycled glass, in place of traditional concrete, further underscoring the company’s commitment to eco-friendly construction practices. Additionally, the store operates with a custom-built, state-of-the-art refrigeration system that integrates the hot water, heating and cooling system so they can work together for maximum efficiency. There is also a restaurant on-site called The Hollows with a cool industrial look that serves pizza, burgers, wings and sandwiches. Best wishes to the entire DeCicco family and we are looking forward to their next two locations. (Greenwich, CT and Scarsdale, NY)
We heard from Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association (CFA) about the third annual Big Connecticut Food Event, a competition held in early March at Yale University.
The Big Connecticut Food Event is a one-day event that gathers CPG/wholesale-focused food and beverage brands spanning the Connecticut food entrepreneurship ecosystem to network, share ideas, and showcase products and services. The goal of the event is to support the development of the state’s entrepreneurship pipeline so it produces multiple food and beverage brands each year that exceed $2 million in annual sales. The big winner of the competition was Mama Hu’s Caring Foods which produces retail-ready sushi bakes, which won the audience choice award, worth $2,500, and first place from the judging panel worth $25,000.
The competition judges were Marla Tremsky, senior director of market strategy and innovation at Bozzuto’s; Iliana Del Valle-Colón, director of deli, bakery and kitchen at Big Y; John Lawson, senior local forager, Whole Foods Market; and Pesce.
A tip of the hat to old friend Joe Kelley who has been named senior VP of retail divisions at Kroger. Joe had most recently been president of Kroger’s King Soopers & City Markets division and will succeed Kenny Kimball who will return to his previous role as president of Kroger’s Smith’s banner. Many of you know Joe from his days when he held executive positions at Price Chopper/Market 32, Stop & Shop, Shaws and Star Markets and Marsh Supermarkets. Best wishes Joe.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the New Jersey Food Council’s (NJFC) Night of Distinction scheduled for May 21 at The Palace at Somerset in Somerset, NJ. This event always draws huge crowds and this year should be no different as the honorees will include: Mike Stigers, president/COO of Wakefern; Steve Heggelke, EVP of merchandising at Bozzuto’s; and Bob Unanue, former CEO Goya and founder of Goya Cares. Email [email protected] for more information.
Save A Lot recently revealed the names of several owners and operators honored at the company’s annual Retail Partner Awards. The recognitions covered five categories: year-over-year Customer and Sales Growth, Store Managers of the Year, Hometown Hero, Loyalty Champions, and Retail Partner of the Year. Retail partners were divided into groups based on the number of stores owned and we had one store owner in our footprint who was a winner. Edilio Flores of the Save A Lot in Hamden, CT was victorious in the 1-4 store category. Congratulations!
And by the time you receive this issue of Food Trade News, many of you will have celebrated the Passover/Easter season and I hope that you all enjoyed it with family and loved ones. I ask you to please keep Dan LaBrutto of 4C Foods in your prayers. What started out as a “bit of a cold” has turned into a quite serious hospitalization for the young father of three. Hopefully through the power of prayer we can see Dan back out in the trade at some point in the future.
That will be a wrap for this month. As always you can reach me at 201.250.2217 or [email protected] and I hope to see you out in the trade.
