Wakefern Food Corp. hosted its annual Local Produce Supplier Summit on July 15 at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey, bringing together local and regional growers, agricultural leaders and the cooperative’s produce procurement teams.
At the event, Ross Farnsworth, VP of produce and floral for Wakefern, reaffirmed the cooperative’s recently announced $500 million, five-year commitment to sourcing produce from local and regional farms throughout the Northeast.
The summit gave growers an opportunity to showcase their products, connect with Wakefern’s procurement team and learn more about supplying fresh produce to the cooperative’s family of supermarket banners. It also featured a panel discussion focused on how local farmers, retailers and government agencies can work together to strengthen regional agriculture, support local economies and expand access to locally grown produce.
Panelists included New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Ed Wengryn and Susan McAleavey Sarlund, executive director of the Eastern Produce Council. Other attendees included Joe Atchison III, assistant secretary and director of marketing for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture; Tameko Webster, deputy assistant secretary and COO of the department; and Joel Viereck, a fourth-generation New Jersey farmer who helps run Viereck Farms and serves on the New Jersey Board of Agriculture.
The summit reinforces Wakefern’s commitment to local sourcing and supporting family-owned farms across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The cooperative said the event helps foster new partnerships, strengthen existing supplier relationships and bring farm-fresh produce from regional farms to customers’ tables.
Founded in 1946, Wakefern is the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the U.S. Its members independently own and operate hundreds of supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, Di Bruno Bros. and Morton Williams banners.