Welcome to Spring everyone. Nice to see that we can finally put away the winter clothes and sweaters and get the golf gear and bathing suits out for an extended period of time.
We were very saddened recently to learn of the passings of a couple of people who were very close to some of our industry notables.
Josephine (Josie) Heggelke, 86, passed away on April 12. Josie was the mother of Bozzuto’s EVP of merchandising Steve Heggelke. She was predeceased by her husband Keith Heggelke and is survived by her children Steve, Scott (JuLee), John (Sabine), Keith (Erin); her brother Sam (Dee) Parisi; her sister Mary Lenga; her grandchildren Cristine, Steven, Brittni, Zackary, Scott Michael, Jason, Tyler, Christofer, Alexander, Paige and Mallory; her great-grandchildren Garrett and Grace; and numerous nieces and nephews.
As her obituary announcement stated, “Josie was truly the matriarch of the family, always there in times of emergency or whenever anyone needed comfort. She was the glue that held the family together and the true definition of unconditional love. Josie was known for her energy and her deep love for others. She enjoyed cooking her favorite Italian dishes and baking delicious pies. Josie touched the lives of countless people and will be missed dearly.
“The Heggelke family would like to express their deep gratitude to the staff at the Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester and Brookdale Summerfield, where she quickly made friends and left a lasting impression on everyone she met. We would also like to extend a special thank you to the staff and volunteers at Mercy House in Endicott, NY where she spent her final days and passed peacefully surrounded by her family. The staff and volunteers are truly proof that angels exist. The family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Mercy House, 212 N. McKinley Ave, Endicott, NY 13760.”
Our deepest condolences to Steve and his family.
Also leaving us was John O’Donnell who passed away on April 11 at the age of 67. John was an industry intellect and respected advisor throughout his career. He started out with AC Nielson where he rose to SVPclient services. He then ventured to Citi Group and was the SVP, director of business development before being recruited to the c-suite offices at IRI.
At IRI he made a name for himself collaborating with leading CPG manufacturers in delivering breakthrough insights that accelerated topline growth and consumer loyalty. John left IRI after the Circana rebrand and most recently he partnered with his brother Michael J. O’Donnell in the Belmullet Food and Beverage Group and Emergent Beverages. The family will hold a memorial service at a future date. John leaves a legacy that will endure. May his spirit soar on wings of eternal peace and forever cherished in the tender embrace of memory.
Congratulations to several good guys who have whispered that they will be putting away their case cutters and retiring within the next few weeks. Congrats and best wishes to Jeff Anastasia and Pedro Aponte of Utz Quality Foods and Fred Hoefferle of BelGioioso Cheese. I have known Fred for a long time and will miss his warmth, passion and generosity to me as well as to all of his customers and associates. Pedro is, well, Pedro. I always thought I knew a vast amount of intel about the independent and ethnic market that makes up the Metro NY/NJ area, until I met Pedro about 30 years ago. He was working for the old Clem Snacks Distributors at the time, and as I kept bumping into him at various shows, store openings and outings and comparing notes, I realized that I had very well met my match and then some, from an individual whose knowledge of the independents was off the charts. And to boot, every one of his customers respected him immensely. After Utz acquired Clem, they were wise to retain Pedro and his stellar reputation with the trade. Congrats to all three. We wish you a long and healthy retirement!
Several store openings have happened in our area over the last few weeks. Key Food Stores unveiled two new locations. The first was in Woodside, Queens on Roosevelt Avenue, a Key Food Marketplace owned by Yousef Siad and Raied Zahriyeh. The next was a new Golden Farms Supermarket in Hempstead, Long Island. The store is owned and operated by JD Azcona and Roy Diaz. Associated Supermarket Group added a few new stores as well. Danny Hamdan opened a Met Fresh store on Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. This joins the other store he unveiled in Manhattan in early February right by the Brooklyn Bridge. And
Shop Fresh Food opened its fifth Bronx store located on White Plains Road in the Bronx that’s owned and operated by Neidy Marte. “Opening our fifth Bronx location is incredibly meaningful,” said Marte. “This community is full of energy, culture, and pride. We built this store to reflect that—to offer fresh products, friendly service, and a place where neighbors feel comfortable and taken care of every time they walk through our doors.” Congrats to all of the independent owners.
Allegiance Retail Services (ARS) will be unveiling a new banner soon, Pathmark Daily. The concept is a small format store that offers a curated assortment of high-quality fresh foods and essential grocery items to support a healthy lifestyle, all anchored in affordability and everyday value. By focusing on what consumers need most, Pathmark Daily will deliver quick access to high quality produce, meats, seafood, and everyday staples, with the convenience of neighborhood shopping. The grocery stores will feature the Best Yet store brands, competitive weekly sales items, in-store specials, and Pathmark’s robust loyalty savings program to help customers stretch their grocery budgets.
“Pathmark Daily answers the need of consumers who want a fast, hassle-free shopping experience emphasizing strong value and quality,” explained Joe Fantozzi, COO and president, Allegiance Retail Services. “Our customers rely on Pathmark for savings and Pathmark Daily will continue that promise by offering Best Yet products, weekly promotions, and a meaningful rewards program, with neighborhoods in mind.”
The owner of the store will be Mike Said, and he offered this, “Bringing Pathmark Daily to our neighborhoods answers the needs of our shoppers. It makes their life easier by offering a quick, convenient shopping experience without sacrificing value, quality or savings.” He continued, “We are proud to be a trusted community partner by providing competitive weekly sales, specials, and Pathmark’s robust loyalty savings program in a smaller concept store designed for today’s modern lifestyle.” The store is slated for a May 1 opening at 625 Merrick Avenue in East Meadow, Long Island.
Well, that’s a wrap for this month everybody. I’m looking forward to embracing the warmer weather as well as seeing you all out in the trade. As always you can reach me at 201.250.2217 or kevin@foodtradenews.com.
