Wakefern, Gristedes Expand Wholesale Agreement to Include Grocery
Wakefern Food Corp. will now provide grocery products and consumer-packaged goods as part of its wholesale agreement with Gristedes Markets. Since 2008, Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern has provided the legendary New York chain with the ShopRite private label brand, in addition to HBC, dairy, frozen and specialty grocery items.
“Over the last two years of our relationship, Wakefern has consistently delivered on the quality and value it is known for in this industry,” noted Charles Criscuolo, senior EVP of Gristedes, which operates 33 stores in Manhattan, Brooklyn and upstate Westchester County. “We have also benefited greatly from the services made available through Wakefern, which cater to the individual needs of our stores. Extending these benefits to include our grocery departments is a natural next step in our ongoing collaboration.”
“Expanding upon our existing agreement with Gristedes represents the steady growth of our wholesale business,” added Wakefern chairman and CEO Joseph Colalillo. “Leveraging Wakefern’s buying power and expertise in procurement, as well as the company’s full range of brands, products and services, results in a significant point of differentiation for our customers.”
In 2007, Wakefern began offering wholesale sales to retailers not affiliated with its ShopRite banner, moving the company beyond its traditional Northeastern trade area. Wakefern develops wholesale programs and store-specific solutions that offer a wide-ranging combination of product offerings and retail strategies.
Wakefern is a cooperative comprising 46 members who today individually own and operate over 200 ShopRite supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. The company additionally operates 43 PriceRite stores in five states. As the merchandising and distribution arm of both ShopRite and PriceRite, Wakefern, together with its member companies, employs more than 50,000 people. Additionally, the company distributes products to other supermarket operators throughout the northeastern United States and Bermuda, including Morton Williams, Heinen’s and The MarketPlace, Ltd.
“Over the last two years of our relationship, Wakefern has consistently delivered on the quality and value it is known for in this industry,” noted Charles Criscuolo, senior EVP of Gristedes, which operates 33 stores in Manhattan, Brooklyn and upstate Westchester County. “We have also benefited greatly from the services made available through Wakefern, which cater to the individual needs of our stores. Extending these benefits to include our grocery departments is a natural next step in our ongoing collaboration.”
“Expanding upon our existing agreement with Gristedes represents the steady growth of our wholesale business,” added Wakefern chairman and CEO Joseph Colalillo. “Leveraging Wakefern’s buying power and expertise in procurement, as well as the company’s full range of brands, products and services, results in a significant point of differentiation for our customers.”
In 2007, Wakefern began offering wholesale sales to retailers not affiliated with its ShopRite banner, moving the company beyond its traditional Northeastern trade area. Wakefern develops wholesale programs and store-specific solutions that offer a wide-ranging combination of product offerings and retail strategies.
Wakefern is a cooperative comprising 46 members who today individually own and operate over 200 ShopRite supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. The company additionally operates 43 PriceRite stores in five states. As the merchandising and distribution arm of both ShopRite and PriceRite, Wakefern, together with its member companies, employs more than 50,000 people. Additionally, the company distributes products to other supermarket operators throughout the northeastern United States and Bermuda, including Morton Williams, Heinen’s and The MarketPlace, Ltd.