Weis Inks 5-Year Pact With Pa. Ag Dept.

Weis Markets has tendered a five-year agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture as a top sponsor of its Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center's Exposition Hall.

A major contributor at the ongoing 97th Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, the deal between Weis Markets and the Pa. Ag Dept. will elevate the Sunbury, Pa.-based regional retailer to a new level of support for the nation’s largest indoor agricultural exposition, which features nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibits.

During this year’s festivities, Weis Markets is the lead sponsor of the Farm Show’s PA Preferred Culinary Connection, where local celebrities, chefs and commodity producers create dishes from Pennsylvania-sourced products. Weis Markets will supply ingredients for all chef demonstrations during the week, including the 250 samples offered to visitors during each cooking session.

Additionally, during the weeklong Farm Show event, Weis Markets’ corporate dietitian, Beth Stark, will demonstrate healthy cooking techniques while Regina McCartney McKay, Weis Markets’ deli and foodservice merchant, will provide a live cooking demonstration.

“Participating in the Farm Show’s PA Preferred Culinary Connection is one of the highlights of our year-round sponsorship,” explained Brian Holt, Weis Markets’ VP of marketing. “As a locally-focused company, we are one of the single largest purchasers of Pennsylvania agricultural and processed products.”

Futher, as the exclusive supplier for the Culinary Connection’s cooking demos, Holt said the Central Pa. supermarket chain embraces its key role “as one of our state’s iconic events for the next five years.”

Patrick Kerwin, executive director of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, concurred: “The Pennsylvania Farm Show is proud to partner with Weis Markets, a local company that supports local agriculture.” The new partnership, he added, “Will help increase awareness of the diversity of the state’s agriculture industry.”

This year’s Farm Show attendees are invited to visit the Weis Markets’ booth at the Culinary Connection to sample the Weis Quality ice cream, produced locally in its hometown of Sunbury. The booth will also host some of Weis Markets’ PA Preferred suppliers and will offer samples of their products throughout the week.

Founded in 1912, Weis Markets, Inc. operates 163 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia.