Progressive Grocer - January/February 2010 - (Page 20)

Outstanding Independents Awards Recognizing excellence in the grocery business All Together OUTSTANDING REGIONAL NOW By Bridget Goldschmidt Retailer For the members of Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States, doing what’s best for the many enables each operator to flourish as an independent. W hat’s the secret of the ShopRite banner’s longrunning success? Ask anyone associated with the stores or with their corporate arm, Keasbey, N.J.-based Wa k e f e r n Food Corp., a cooperative formed in 1946 and currently comprising 45 retail members that own and operate supermarkets under the ShopRite name in eight Northeastern states, and you’re bound to get the same answer: It’s the people. man and CEO of the corporate arm, and an operator of three ShopRite locations in western New Jersey. The Colalillos — most of the members are family businesses — have been “The key to this business is people,” affirms Wakefern president/COO Dean Janeway, who joined the company as a junior accountant in 1966 and made his way up through the ranks. Whatever trends may occur in the grocery industry, he points out, retailers “still have to serve the customer, provide a clean environment and offer quality merchandise.” The co-op members have the ability and confidence to do all of that as independents in a highly competitive retail environment because of the solid backing they receive from Wakefern, including wholesale purchasing and dis20 • Progressive Grocer • January/February 2010 Since the advent of the ShopRite banner in 1951, stores operating under the trade name have stood for low prices, high quality and exceptional freshness. tribution, private label brand development, category management, advertising and marketing support, financial support services, technology, and retail store development. Share and Share Alike “Without Wakefern, we wouldn’t be as successful as we are,” declares Joe Colalillo, who straddles the company’s two worlds as chairA H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T involved with the co-op since the 1950s. Integral to the smooth running of the stores is the co-op’s unique structure, which, instead of a traditional top-down hierarchy, enables each member to have a voice through participation, along with corporate staffers, in 25 biweekly, monthly and quarterly committees, in which storeowners facing the same challenges can gain business acumen, share best practices www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - January/February 2010

Progressive Grocer - January/February 2010
Contents
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight
Progressive Grocer’s Outstanding Independents Awards: Independent Inspiration
Outstanding Regional Retailer: All Together Now
Outstanding Community-based Retailer: Sharing the Vision
Outstanding Independent Wholesaler:Values for Growth
Independents Report: A Lasting Legacy of Leadership and Inspiration
Fresh Perspectives: Spartan’s Fresh Outlook
Produce: Priced to Move
Refrigerated Meat: A Great (Meaty) Start
Frozen Seafood: Reel it In
Beverage Alcohol: Let it Pour
OTC Medications: Extended Flu Season
FutureTech: Going Mobile
Retail Profile: Food Lion: Renewed
GMA Director’s Note: Leading the Charge
Best Practices: A New Approach to Knowledge
Food Marketing Insights: Got Talent?
Upcoming Events: International Eats
What’s Next

Progressive Grocer - January/February 2010