Tops Goes Local to Produce Store-brand Items

Tops Markets LLC has teamed with Redland Foods, an affiliate of Mississauga, Ontario-based Trophy Foods Inc., to manufacture a segment of the grocer’s Tops Brand line of products in its home region of western New York. The company is producing “innovative healthy snacking-nut products” for the grocer, according to Redland VP of Sales Joseph Milando.

Redland, which first expanded into the United States from Canada in 2014, plans to further grow jobs and capital investment in western New York this year.

Following its rebranding and reformulation of thousands of items over the past two years, with an emphasis on cleaner ingredients, Tops sought a company that offered flexibility and high standards of quality and transparency. Locally made products also guarantee the freshest and highest-quality products possible for customers, according to the grocer.

“Whether it was producing smaller batches or helping us to develop a blend of flavors that no other national brand offers, Redland helped us to develop a program to meet our needs all within our guidelines,” noted Nicky Walsh, director of business development for Stamford, Conn.-based Daymon, a private-brand development group that works closely with Tops to develop several of its store-brand products.

“Working with local manufacturers is something Tops takes great pride in, so when seeking a vendor to manufacture its 18 varieties of snack nuts and trail mixes, Tops was pleased to find Redland conveniently located right in our backyard on Sonwil Drive in Cheektowaga, N.Y.,” affirmed Frank Curci, the grocer’s CEO and chairman.

Tops anticipates working with Redland on additional snack line expansions, including a seasonal item slated to arrive on shelves this fall.

Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops operates 172 full-service supermarkets, with five additional by franchisees under the Tops banner. The company employs more than 15,000 in New York, northern Pennsylvania, western Vermont, and north central Massachusetts.