Wakefern Food Corp. is expanding and enhancing its fresh domestic kosher beef offering for ShopRite stores with kosher meat departments under rabbinical supervision.
Through a new direct‑sourcing program, select ShopRite locations will have expanded access to a wider variety of fresh, high‑quality domestic kosher beef – including bone‑in and boneless cuts, steaks, roasts and offals.
The supermarket cooperative, which supplies family‑operated ShopRite stores, worked with family‑owned cattle ranches to source high‑quality domestic beef while operating under OU Glatt certification standards. The new program expands Wakefern’s ability to access a reliable, U.S.‑sourced supply and significantly increases availability of OU‑certified beef that also carries the USDA seal – a combination that sets ShopRite apart in the marketplace.
“We are excited to strengthen our kosher meat program with even more high‑quality, fresh domestic kosher beef offerings,” said Michael DeVita, a procurement manager with Wakefern. “This new program means we can better serve the needs of our customers while maintaining the high standards of quality and consistency they expect from ShopRite.”
Fluctuations in domestic cattle availability combined with limited domestic kosher processing capacity often make it challenging to meet demand, and many suppliers rely on imported kosher beef. Wakefern’s new direct‑sourcing approach addresses those challenges by securing a steady U.S.‑based supply.
The new kosher meat program is available at all Saker ShopRite stores and select ShopRite butcher departments under rabbinical supervision, including at the following locations:
- East Brunswick;
- East Windsor;
- Englewood;
- Lawrenceville;
- Marlboro;
- Neptune;
- Paramus;
- Country Pointe;
- Marlton;
- Garden State Pavilion;
- Livingston; and
- Essex Green.
Wakefern hopes to continue growing the program over time, with the goal of eventually offering case‑ready options that extend access to fresh domestic kosher beef to additional ShopRite stores and customers.
For independent grocers – particularly those serving Jewish communities or competing with ShopRite in New Jersey and surrounding states – the new kosher beef program represents a meaningful point of differentiation. Securing a direct supply of OU‑certified, USDA‑labeled domestic beef addresses a common pain point for kosher consumers: the perception that imported products are less fresh or traceable. Independents without a dedicated kosher meat program may lose customers seeking this level of assurance. Those with existing kosher sections should evaluate their own sourcing and consider promoting the domestic origin and certification of their offerings to match ShopRite’s edge.
About ShopRite
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer‑owned cooperative based in Keasbey, New Jersey, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the U.S. With hundreds of ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland, ShopRite serves millions of customers each week.