Key Food to Debut Remodeled Corporate Store
Key Food Stores Co-operative Inc., a chain of primarily independently owned and corporate grocery stores, will hold the grand opening of its renovated Food Universe location in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of New York City's Queens borough, on Friday, Sept. 9 at 11 a.m. The store is one of two corporately owned by the company.
Key Food executives, including CEO Dean Janeway, COO George Knobloch, CFO Sharon Konzelman and VP of Business Development John Durante, along with local officials, will be on hand for the celebration, which will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, an appearance by local radio personality Skeery Jones of the Z100 Morning Show, family entertainment and free food sampling.
“Food Universe is here to provide the community with the highest-quality products at the lowest prices, creating a shopping experience that is nothing short of stellar,” noted Janeway.
A remodeled former Waldbaum’s location Key Food purchased last year from A&P in the wake of the latter's final bankruptcy, the 25,000-square-foot store now offers a new and improved deli department with an extended case of Boar’s Head products, halal options, and a grab-and-go with prepared entrees from Russo’s On The Bay. The meat department has also been expanded to include halal and custom cut-to-order options. Shoppers will also be able to choose from a variety of craft beers and an expanded assortment of ethnic products and basic groceries.
“As we continue to grow our footprint in the grocery industry, we strive to open stores that offer the ideal grocery experience,” said Durante. “We’ve put so much hard work into making this Food Universe perfect for the Jackson Heights community.”
The Food Universe banner was first introduced in 2014. At the time of its purchase of 23 former A&P stores, in a first for the co-op, Key Food said that it would operate two corporate-owned locations under the banner. The other corporate-owned store is in Bayside, Queens, a Key Food representative told PG. Both stores have been operating under the banner since November 2015, the rep added, but the Bayside store is still undergoing inbterior renovations, which should be completed by February.
Staten Island, N.Y.-based Key Food consists of more than 235 primarily member-owned and corporate grocery stores. As well as Key Food, the stores operate under such other banners as Food Universe, The Food Emporium, SuperFresh, Key Food Marketplace, Food Dynasty, Urban Market, and Gala Fresh in all five New York City boroughs, Long Island, upstate New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.