Wakefern Food Corp. has made a $500 million commitment to sourcing fresh produce from local and regional farmers and growers across the Northeast over the next five years.
The announcement was made in advance of its annual Local Produce Supplier Summit July 15 at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center.
The summit brings together growers, Wakefern members and industry leaders to strengthen partnerships and expand access to locally-grown produce and products. The $500 million investment marks a significant boost to the regional economy and reinforces Wakefern’s long-standing relationships with local farmers while strengthening its retail banners.
“By bringing our family-owned stores and local, family-owned farms together, we create a win for everyone,” said Travis Riepenhoff, group VP of fresh at Wakefern.
“Our customers enjoy access to fresh, high-quality produce, our Wakefern members deepen their local connections, and we continue to make our supermarket banners premier destinations for farm-fresh foods. We are especially excited to share the news of our $500 million investment in local growers at this year’s local produce summit.”
The summit will feature Ed Wengryn, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture, who will participate in a panel discussion with growers and other experts about the state’s celebrated “Jersey Fresh” program. The summit is designed to meet increasing customer demand for locally-sourced foods and provides a unique platform for farmers, suppliers, retailers and industry leaders to come together. This year’s summit also will bring together Wakefern members, produce associates and more than 20 current suppliers while introducing potential new growers to the cooperative.
Through its latest investment commitment, Wakefern hopes to source more produce from farms that operate in the states where its supermarket banners are located, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
About Wakefern Food Corp.
Founded in 1946, Wakefern is the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the U.S., with members independently-owning and operating hundreds of supermarkets under banners including ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, Di Bruno Bros. and Morton Williams.