Grade A Market’s Rocky Cingari Dies at Age 89

Rocco (Rocky) Cingari, longtime president and CEO of Grade A Market Inc. that owns 11 ShopRite locations in Connecticut, died June 3, 2019, at the age of 89.

Cingari owned and operated the stores for 40 years, until his nephew, Tom Cingari Sr., succeeded as president and CEO of the family company in January of this year. He continued to work alongside his brother Sam Cingari, three nephews and two great-nephews, Chip, Joe, Tom Sr., Dominick and Tom Jr., respectively.

Originally trained as a butcher, he worked in the grocery industry most of his life, getting his start in his father’s grocery store, Grade A Market in Stamford, Conn., in 1943. In 1991, Cingari joined Wakefern and began opening ShopRite stores in Fairfield and New Haven counties.

He was a past member of Wakefern’s Meat committee and also served on the company’s board of directors. He received the Chairman’s Award during Wakefern’s 2013 Annual Meeting and retired from the board of directors in 2014.

“Rocky cared deeply about his family, his associates, and the community. He had that passionate spirit that defines an entrepreneurial family business and Wakefern. He will be missed,” said Wakefern President and COO Joe Sheridan.

He is survived by two daughters, Susan G. Cingari of Boca Raton, Fla., and Karen R. Cingari of Stamford; his former wife, Christine "Chris" Cingari of Stamford; brother Salvatore "Sam" Cingari, Jr., of Stamford; his companion, Marthalou "Marti" Bruno, of Hampton Bays, N.Y., and many nieces and nephews.