Monday, May 4 was another perfect day for the unofficial opening of the 2026 food industry golf season. The Mid Atlantic Food Trade Organization (MAFTO) hosted over 125 golfers at Commonwealth National Golf Club in Horsham, PA. Photos are on page 23. Wakefern’s Jack Failing and his team took first place in the outing. The food was good, the prize table was plentiful, and the guests were rowdy reconnecting with friends. Once again, Ron Benjamin of Affinity Group and his committee are to be commended for their work planning the outing. MAFTO’s Fall Retailer dinner will fete Giant Food on October 16 in Maryland. For more information, go to mafto.org.
The chess pieces on the chessboard are moving at a fast pace these days and we have much to report. Allegiance Retail Services co-op member and independent grocer Carlos Batista opened another Compare & Save supermarket in Northeast Philadelphia for a total of three serving the Greater Northeast neighborhoods. Located at 6515 Castor Avenue, the new 20,000-square-foot store replaces a former Rite Aid and brings the community an expansive selection of fresh foods, everyday value, and carefully curated international products designed to reflect the rich cultural diversity of these Philly neighborhoods.
“This is a very intentional store,” said Batista. “We’ve carefully curated our assortment to reflect the cultures of the community we serve. Customers will find products that are not always easy to access—from rabbit, oxtail, and goat meat to produce like celeriac and jicama.” Outside, sidewalk produce displays styled after a traditional farmers market offer fresh fruits and vegetables. The store also features a wide variety of international groceries sourced from Brazil, Portugal, Central America, and Asia. “We’re excited to serve this neighborhood and provide the diverse food offerings that reflect its Hispanic, Central American, Brazilian, Asian, and multicultural communities,” Batista added.
Philadelphia elected officials in attendance made congratulatory remarks as the store opened its doors. Councilwoman At-Large Dr. Nina Ahmad said, “I want to thank the Batista family for bringing fresh accessible food options to a food desert in our city. This new supermarket is filling a critical gap in a neighborhood starved for fresh food and will create new job opportunities for Philadelphians.” Philadelphia Councilwoman Quetcy Lozada shared, “This is now the family’s third grocery store in the area and that matters. It shows a commitment to our neighborhoods and to the families who count on local businesses like this every day. But what makes this store especially meaningful is that it was built with our community in mind.” Shoppers will also benefit from Compare & Save programs, including the Club Card & Loyalty Program, Best Yet private-label products, and convenient e-commerce shopping options. Battista’s other Compare & Save locations are 5201 Rising Sun Avenue and 405 E. Wyoming Avenue. Congratulations!
South Square Market, part of the Retail Marketing Group located at 23rd and South Streets in the Fitler Square neighborhood of Center City Philadelphia, has served their customers for over 18 years with the highest quality products and services. As in many instances in our industry, this small independent is giving way to a larger force, in this case Whole Foods. Whole Foods introduced Daily Shop, an urban-format grocery store designed for quick, convenient trips and grab-and-go meals concept in New York City in 2024. These stores stock essentials like fresh produce, prepared foods, snacks, and locally sourced goods. Philadelphia was one of three cities along with Boston and Chicago, chosen to participate in the expansion of this concept. Daily Shop will join Giant’s Heirloom Market just a few blocks away in satisfying the grocery needs of this long established neighborhood. No opening date has been set.
Pennington Quality Market’s Michael Rothwell has decided to retire after decades in the supermarket business. McCaffrey’s is taking the store thereby expanding its footprint in the Bucks, Montgomery, and Mercer Counties. I chatted with Michael just before presstime, reminiscing about our first meeting at Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) 50 years ago. My brother Michael was entering SJU in the fall of 1976 as a food marketing major and I accompanied him to the accepted student dinner since I was already a student. We were seated with Mike and his dad Larry Rothwell. That night was the beginning of a long friendship that I will treasure forever. To McCaffrey’s, it’s good to know the Pennington area will continued to be served by the best independent retailers in the area. To Michael, I wish you well, my friend, and a long and happy retirement!
Albertsons MidAtlantic has targeted and is in the process of converting five of their stores to Premium Fresh, a new upscale concept they are bringing to their best stores to boost sales in the stores’ perimeter. The details aren’t available just yet, but the locations are two Safeway stores: Capitol Hill and Georgetown (recently finished) in the District of Columbia and three Acmes in Newtown, Paoli and Chester Springs, PA. I hope to have an update in a few weeks.
We send a congratulatory shout out to Kate Bailer of Lactalis Heritage Dairy on receiving her master’s degree in food marketing from Saint Joseph’s University last week. Go Kate… THWND!
Heaven gained a (Golden) angel on May 9 when Gerald (Gerry) B. Shreiber, founder of J&J Snack Foods, passed away at the age of 84. Born in Bridgeton, NJ in 1941, Gerry lived a life marked by determination and grit. He was known for being unique and had fun “being himself.” He did not abide by anyone’s rules. He graduated from Atlantic City High School and worked many jobs during the 50s and 60s, sometimes three at a time. In 1971, and without a college degree, Gerry purchased a small soft pretzel company for about $72,000 out of bankruptcy court and with relentless drive and an eye for opportunity, transformed it from a small local company with 8 employees into the publicly traded billion-dollar snack food company it is today, with over 4500 employees. At the time Shreiber bought the business, soft pretzels were mostly a “Philadelphia snack.” However, Shreiber’s vision transformed the original soft pretzel market. His SUPERPRETZEL became omnipresent over time and Shreiber’s vision evolved the category and brought forth an expanded line of the original soft pretzel. Today, they are sold all over the world at theme parks, sports arenas, restaurants and more. Shreiber always had a knack for seeking out and buying other niche food companies that complemented J&J Snack Foods Corp. Truly a self-made businessman and American success story, he was respected for his sharp instincts and tireless work ethic. He was frequently heard stating that only in this country could someone come from so little attain such success.
Beyond his business success, Gerry was a fervent supporter of animals and humane causes and devoted much of his time and energy to caring for animals, especially dogs and horses. He had many dogs the majority of which were German Shepherds and mostly rescues, even having 6 dogs, all at the same time. His license plate read 6 DOGS, and he even had business cards for one dog, entitled CED (Chief Executive Dog). He was never happier than when he was tending to animals or championing their well-being. He was also a strong supporter of Israel and various other Jewish causes. One cause stands out, The Golden Slipper Camp, which Gerry attended as a young boy and then supported as an adult. Gerry was the Angel of the Year in 2012, but his support of the camp began way before that. The Angel of the Year Award was an annual honor presented to recognize individuals and leaders in the supermarket and grocery industry for their outstanding community service and financial support. He truly was an angel!
Gerry is survived by his three children Robyn Shreiber, Lindsay Shreiber (Elisabeth Hasslacher), and Marjorie Shreiber Roshkoff (Ken Roshkoff); six grandchildren and two great grandchildren; and brother Alan Shreiber. He will be remembered with deep respect and enduring love. Donations can be made to the PSPCA, any animal welfare organization, Ben Gurion University, or the Zionist Organization of America. May his memory be a blessing.
Taking another trip around the sun this month of May are: Bill Hinderer, National Food Sales; Bob Kilpatrick, Schmidt Baking; Ray Rastelli, Rastelli Foods; Rita Neczypor (retired) and JM Procacci, Procacci Brothers; and Beth Pripstein, FW/FTN alumna. Plus, we send special wishes to ALDI USA which is celebrating its 50th birthday this month! Buon compleanno a tutti!
Quote of the month: “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” Confucius
