ShopRite

This article is about the North American food distributor. For other companies with the same or similar name, see ShopRite (disambiguation).

ShopRite

File:Shop Rite-logo-new.gif The current logo (2002–present)
Company type	Retailers' cooperative Private
Industry	Supermarket Grocery
Founded	Newark, New Jersey (1946 (1946))
Headquarters	Keasbey, New Jersey , United States
Number of locations	337
Area served	Northeastern U.S.
Members	48
Parent	Wakefern Food Corporation
Website	shoprite.com

ShopRite Supermarkets is a retailers' cooperative (co-op) chain of supermarkets in the northeastern United States, with stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Based in Keasbey, New Jersey, ShopRite consists of 50 individually owned-and-operated affiliates with over 296 stores, all under its corporate and distribution arm, Wakefern Food Corporation. Wakefern itself owns and operates 33 of the locations through subsidiary ShopRite Supermarkets, and is the largest affiliate in the cooperative.

As of 2011, ShopRite is the largest retailer of food in Greater Philadelphia, pushing long-dominant Acme Markets to second place. As of 2011, Wakefern was ranked 17th by sales among all supermarket operators in the United States.

History

Early beginnings

1951–1974 ShopRite logo

ShopRite originated in 1946, when a Del Monte Foods sales representative talked to independent grocers in Newark, New Jersey. The grocers were having problems getting reasonable prices for wholesale goods. The Del Monte representative suggested the grocers try cooperative buying. Seven of the grocers agreed; paying $1,000 each to launch Wakefern Foods, which was incorporated on December 5, 1946. In 1951, the name ShopRite was created.

In 1958, ShopRite cut prices by 10% as an alternative to giving away trading stamps, which other supermarkets in New Jersey were doing. The move was successful, drawing customers and helping create more Shoprite stores. By 1961, Wakefern had 70 members, totaling $100 million in annual sales.

The breakaway of Supermarkets General

One large member, Supermarkets General, pulled out of Wakefern in the late 1960s, halving the number of stores. The Supermarkets General stores became Pathmark in 1968. The remaining Wakefern members redoubled their efforts, adopted "one member, one vote" as a management principle, and expanded aggressively. By the late 1970s, the volume lost from Supermarkets General's departure was restored.

For many years, ShopRite and Pathmark were extremely competitive on price in the New York Metro area, and each one had its loyal customer base. A highly leveraged management buy-out in the late 1980's left Pathmark saddled with too much debt, and the supermarket chain had no cash to fix up its stores, or invest in lower prices. At the same time, ShopRite stores were being replaced and rebuilt, stealing market share away from Pathmark.

The Pathmark chain was sold to A&P in 2007;. A&P ran Pathmark as a division, but was unsuccessful in turning around the banner's fortunes. A&P filed for bankruptcy and sold or liquidated its stores in 2015, including approximately 150 Pathmark stores. Wakefern and its cooperative members acquired nine Pathmark locations along with several other former A&P banners with the intention of opening ShopRite, PriceRite and The Fresh Grocer locations.

The "Can-Can Sale"

File:Shopriteold.jpg

1974–2002 ShopRite logo, still in use at some supermarkets

In 1971, ShopRite introduced their Can-Can Sale, where canned goods (as well as other products) were placed on steep discounts, and is usually held in January. Animated commercials for this promotion feature a chorus line of cancan dancers and a French artiste. In 2002, ShopRite expanded that sale to twice a year when they introduced the Summer Can-Can Sale, usually held in July. The company, once known for its boisterous, humorous in-store sales announcement, has mostly settled into a more modest shopping environment.

Price Plus Club and beyond

In the early 1990s, ShopRite introduced the Price Plus Club Card, which replaced the Courtesy Card; it is free of charge to acquire. Having a Price Plus Card enables shoppers to receive special weekly discounts, listed in circulars mailed with local newspapers. Most sales are company-wide, valid for all area ShopRites, however some stores choose to put special items on sale based on stock. The Price Plus Card also tracks purchases, which aids in ShopRite's "No Hassle Return" policy.

In 1996, ShopRite launched its own line of deli meats, cheeses and complements with its premium private label, Black Bear of the Black Forest, to compete against the expansion of Boars Head in competitor's supermarkets. Black Bear's Healthier Lifestyle Program is recognized in the industry as being the only private brand to exceed government standards for a healthier lifestyle (low fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium). As well, all Black Bear meats and cheeses are gluten free, MSG free, and are part of the NSRI(National Salt Reduction Initiative). Black Bear has become the single most successful premium private label in the deli industry. In 2011, over 15 million pounds of Black Bear slicing meats and cheeses were sold at ShopRite.

Since 1999, ShopRite has offered an online grocery shopping service on its website, under the service name ShopRite from Home, through MyWebGrocer.com, at some stores. For an extra charge, a ShopRite employee fulfills a customer's shopping order at a local ShopRite; the customer then schedules either a home delivery or an at-store pick-up.

Entering Maryland

In 2007, Klein's Supermarkets, a local chain of family-owned supermarkets in Harford County, Maryland, joined the Wakefern cooperative, expanding the ShopRite banner into the Baltimore metropolitan area. The 7 original Klein's Supermarkets that are now ShopRite supermarkets are located throughout Northeastern and Central Maryland, and the company has opened 2 additional Maryland ShopRite stores. In addition, Wakefern member Collins Family Markets has opened a Maryland ShopRite store in Glen Burnie, and another member, Village Supermarkets, acquired 2 former SuperFresh stores in Lutherville-Timonium and Silver Spring, and converted them to ShopRite Supermarkets.

ShopRite Stores Design

ShopRite Location in West Caldwell, NJ

As a result of the cooperative system, there has been no set format for building architecture, store layout, or color scheme of the storefronts. Most stores are the product of the era in which they were opened, and the owner's style. For example, the ShopRite of West Caldwell, New Jersey has a Japanese motif inside and outside of the store (including rickshaws, an exit sign reading "Sayonara" and two Japanese-style phone booths). The Ronetco family of stores (Netcong, Byram, Newton, Franklin, Flanders, Mansfield, and Succasunna, New Jersey) have different looks on the outside (including the shopping carts and cart corrals), although the stores themselves have a similar layout. ShopRite stores that were previously other stores usually contain elements of the previous occupant. As large corporations buy up stores, recent years have brought a homogenization in building design and store layout.

Into community service

One of ShopRite's previous slogans "This is Your Neighborhood...This is Your ShopRite" is used when promoting and supporting community events, which is used on their current manufactured trucks.

The ShopRite system today

Currently, ShopRite's base stretches northeast from the Washington metropolitan area in Maryland to the Hartford area in Connecticut. While New Jersey is home to the most ShopRite stores, the chain also has a strong presence in the New York City suburbs, and in Pennsylvania (mostly in the Philadelphia area). In 2010, ShopRite expanded its presence in Connecticut through the purchase of 11 former Shaw's stores.

In 2011-2013, ShopRite returned to the New York Capital District after exiting the market 23 years ago. The SRS operating division opened stores in Niskayuna, Albany, Slingerlands, and Colonie. The Albany store opened on April 26, 2012, the Slingerlands store opened on September 30, 2012, and the Colonie store opened April 7, 2013. ShopRite currently has gas stations at the Albany and Colonie locations. Plans for additional future store locations had not been announced in late 2010. In 2013, ShopRite was the only unionized supermarket in the area.

On July 20, 2015, competitor A&P filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced plans to close or sell off all of its stores. ShopRite acquired 13 supermarkets in A&P's bankruptcy auction, including some that had been ShopRite locations before Supermarkets General (later acquired by A&P) broke off from the cooperative.

Slogans

• Why Pay More? Shop at a ShopRite store!
• Hey, Mom, what’s for dinner? ShopRite has the answer! (1970s - 1980s)
• ShopRite Does It Right (1980s-1994)
• ShopRite does the Can Can, Selling lots of brands
• We Save You (more) Money! ShopRite Does it Right!
• ShopRite and Always Save (1994–96; alternate until 1999)
• What's for Dinner? ShopRite Has the Answer! (1996–99; is still used, even with the current logo, on sale tags for Meats, Seafood, Delicatessen, etc.)
• Always Fresh...Always for Less! (1999–2008)
• One Place. Your Place. (2008–2012)
• It Makes a Difference Where You Shop (2012)
• We're All About Food. We're All About Savings. We're All About You. (2012–present)

Other chains and concepts

• PriceRite limited-assortment grocery stores

Main article: PriceRite

PriceRite

Wakefern (ShopRite's corporate arm) directly operates the PriceRite limited-assortment chain of stores in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey (two - one owned and operated by Inserra Supermarkets and the other by the Ravitz Family), New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Rhode Island. PriceRite is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wakefern. There are currently 62 PriceRite stores.

• PriceRite Warehouse Clubs (defunct)

Main article: PriceRite

The PriceRite name was used in the early 1990s on Wakefern's failed warehouse club concept stores.

• ShopRite Garden Center (defunct)

For many years, Foodarama operated a very small ShopRite Garden Center on Route 130 in East Windsor, New Jersey. In 2004, with the construction of a massive Home Depot directly adjacent to the small store, a decision was made to close the store and Foodarama moved its garden center operations into a 55,000-square-foot (5,100 m²) former Frank's Nursery & Crafts store. The store had operated as a Franks location for four years before the company was liquidated, and the large building combined 23,000 sq ft (2,100 m²) of interior selling space with 32,000 sq ft (3,000 m²) of covered outside selling area, for a total of 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m²). The ShopRite Garden Center closed in 2008.

• ShopRite Wines & Spirits

File:Srwinenspirit.png

Wakefern members also operate a cooperative chain of stores which offer wine, beer and spirits called ShopRite Wines & Spirits. Most stores are located adjacent to or inside of ShopRite Supermarkets; however, there are several freestanding stores. One store (in Pennington, New Jersey) offers a bar inside the ShopRite store.

Members operate 38 ShopRite Wine and Spirits Shops in New Jersey and New York.

Sunrise ShopRites of West Caldwell also operates three (Parsippany, New Jersey, Caldwell, New Jersey and Westfield, New Jersey) ShopRite Sunrise Wine-Cellar locations which offer an expanded selection of high-quality and specialty wines. These stores are generally smaller than their normal ShopRite counterparts, and specialize in wines and related alcoholic beverages.

• ShopRiteDelivers.com

In December 2013, Wakefern launched the ShopRiteDelivers.com website to expand their digital footprint outside of their traditional markets in the Northeast. The website, focused on electronics, bulk order baby care, specialty foods, and health and beauty, has been well received, and has shipped orders to customers in all 50 states.

• The Fresh Grocer

Main article: The Fresh Grocer

Wakefern acquired the trademarks of this supermarket chain which operates primarily in the Philadelphia area when its former owner, Pat Burns, joined the cooperative as its 50th member in August 2013. At the time, the chain had eight stores: five in Philadelphia, one in suburban Upper Darby, one in Wilmington, Delaware, and one in New Brunswick, N.J. The Upper Darby store became a ShopRite, and the New Brunswick and Southwest Philadelphia stores have since closed. The Fresh Grocer stores are smaller than modern ShopRite stores and place a greater emphasis on fresh and organic foods, upscale specialty items and extensive prepared-foods offerings than regular ShopRite stores, giving Wakefern and its members a format that can work in smaller urban locations. Wakefern executives were also quoted in the press as saying that as several The Fresh Grocer stores are located near college campuses, the chain would give Wakefern "new insight into the next generation of consumers" and enable it to reach new customers.

Naming rights

ShopRite is the title sponsor for the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

ShopRite operating companies (abridged)

ShopRite Operating Companies

• Ammons Supermarkets Inc – Operates ShopRite stores in Mullica Hill, NJ and Aramingo Ave in Philadelphia, PA. Also has a PriceRite store and a ShopRite store scheduled to open in Philadelphia, PA in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
• Bill's Supermarkets – Operates two stores in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania and Moscow, Pennsylvania.
• Bottino's Supermarkets – Operates four stores; one in Washington Township, New Jersey, one in Vineland, New Jersey, one in Upper Deerfield, New Jersey and one in Millville, New Jersey.
• Druian ShopRite Inc. (Headquartered in Bloomfield, New Jersey) – Owned and operated by the Greenstein family since 1948. It operates two stores: its flagship store in the Brookdale neighborhood of Bloomfield as well as another one in the city of ShopRite's establishment, Newark, New Jersey.
• Brown's Super Stores Inc. (Headquartered in Westville, New Jersey) – Operates 9 ShopRite stores in Pennsylvania and 1 store in New Jersey. Brown's has 5 stores in the City of Philadelphia, including 2 in South Philadelphia, 2 in West Philadelphia, and another in Roxborough. They operate 4 stores in the Pennsylvania suburbs including Bensalem, Cheltenham, East Norriton, Fairless Hills and 1 store in Brooklawn, New Jersey. Brown's is building a new Shoprite in Philadelphia's Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood, scheduled to open in 2013.
• Buonadonna ShopRite – 2 (Bay Shore and West Babylon, Long Island).
• Colalillo ShopRite (Headquartered in Flemington, New Jersey) – Operates three stores including Flemington, New Jersey, Clinton, New Jersey and Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
• Colligas Family Markets – Operates one store in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Collins Family Markets – 4 (operates two stores in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; one store in Eddystone, Pennsylvania, and one store in Glen Burnie, Maryland) A fifth store, a former Pathmark in Glenolden, PA, will open in March, 2016.
• Delaware Supermarkets, Inc. (Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware) – 5 (3 in Wilmington; 1 in Newark, Delaware). In 2011, its newest store opened in Bear, Delaware.
• The Drust Family – Operates two stores; in Wallingford, Connecticut (moved from Meriden in June 2010) and Southington, Connecticut.
• Eickhoff Supermarkets – Operates six southern New Jersey stores: Delran, Hainesport, Mount Laurel, Cinnaminson, and Burlington.
• Five Star Supermarkets – Operates three stores; one in New London, Connecticut, one in Norwich, Connecticut, and one in Clinton, Connecticut.
• Food Parade/Greenfield's ShopRite (Headquartered in Plainview, New York) – Operates 3 stores on Long Island: Plainview, Woodbury, and Commack. Two former Pathmark stores, in Bethpage and New Hyde Park, are scheduled to open in March, 2016.
• Glass Gardens (Headquartered in Rochelle Park, New Jersey) – Operates 9 stores: Rochelle Park, New Jersey, Paramus, New Jersey, Englewood, New Jersey, Wharton, New Jersey, Linden, New Jersey, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Rockaway, New Jersey; Brooklyn, College Point, Queens and Pearl River, New York.
• Grade A Supermarkets (Headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut) – Operates 10 stores in: Norwalk, Connecticut, Stamford, Connecticut (four stores), Brookfield, Connecticut, Southbury, Connecticut, Shelton, Connecticut, Derby, Connecticut, and Fairfield, Connecticut. A former A&P Super Foodmart store in Danbury, CT will open in 2016.
• Inserra Supermarkets (Headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey) – 20 stores: Lyndhurst, New Jersey, Hackensack, New Jersey, Lodi, New Jersey, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Jersey City, New Jersey, Ramsey, New Jersey, Emerson, New Jersey, Hillsdale, New Jersey, New Milford, New Jersey, Northvale, New Jersey, Wayne, New Jersey, West Milford, New Jersey, Hoboken, New Jersey, Bayonne, New Jersey, North Bergen, New Jersey, Palisades Park, New Jersey; New City, Spring Valley, Wallington, New Jersey and West Nyack, New York. Also owns PriceRite store in Garfield, New Jersey.
• Janson Supermarkets – 2 stores: Hauppauge and Patchogue, Long Island.
• Kinsley's Markets – Operates one store in Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania.
• Klein's Supermarkets – 6 in Harford County, Maryland: 2 in Bel Air; plus Forest Hill, Whiteford, Aberdeen, and Belcamp. 2 in Baltimore County, Maryland: one store in Phoenix and one store in Parkville.
• Mannix Family SuperMarkets – 2 on Staten Island, New York with a third to open in a former Pathmark in January.
• McMenamin's Stores – Operates 2 stores in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: one at Boulevard Plaza, located on Roosevelt Boulevard and one at Morrell Plaza, located on Frankford Avenue.
• Nutley Park ShopRite – Operates 2 stores: one in Nutley, New Jersey and one in Belleville, New Jersey (a former Pathmark which opened in 2013)
• Perlmart Stores (Headquartered in Toms River, New Jersey) – Operates seven stores: Toms River, New Jersey (Fischer Blvd.), Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey, Bayville, New Jersey, Jackson, New Jersey, Manchester, New Jersey, Manahawkin, New Jersey, and Waretown, New Jersey.
• Ronetco Supermarkets (Headquartered in Ledgewood, New Jersey) – Operates 7 stores: Flanders, New Jersey, Netcong, New Jersey, Byram Township, New Jersey, Newton, New Jersey, Franklin, New Jersey, Mansfield, New Jersey, and Succasunna, New Jersey.
• Saker ShopRites, Inc. (Headquartered in Freehold, New Jersey) – Operates 29 World Class ShopRites across central New Jersey as well as 2 liquor stores, a Bakery Commissary, a Prepared Foods Commissary and a Meat and Provisions Commissary. Stores include Marlboro, Neptune City, Bound Brook, Somerville, Branchburg, Lawrenceville, East Windsor, Ewing, Hamilton Marketplace, Woodbridge, North Brunswick, Pennington, Piscataway, Ernston Road, Hamilton Square, Bordentown, Edison, East Brunswick, Toms River (Route 37), Freehold, Aberdeen, West Long Branch, Hazlet, Middletown, Wall, Howell, Belmar, and Brick.
• ShopRite of Oakland, Inc. – Operates one store in Oakland, New Jersey.
• ShopRite of Pennington (Headquartered in Pennington, New Jersey) – Operates approximately 5 stores.
• ShopRite Supermarkets (SRS) (Headquartered in Florida, New York and wholly owned by the Wakefern cooperative) – Operates 33 corporately owned-and-operated ShopRites (including those taken over from Big V Stores): Clark, New Jersey, Montague Township, New Jersey, and Spotswood, New Jersey. Albany, Bedford Hills, Colonie, Carmel, Chester, Croton, Ellenville, Fishkill, Hudson, Kingston, Liberty, Middletown (2), Monroe, Montgomery, Monticello, Scarsdale, White Plains, Newburgh, New Paltz, New Rochelle, Peekskill, Thornwood, Vails Gate, Town of Poughkeepsie, Schenectady, Slingerlands, Warwick, and Yonkers (2), New York
• Sunrise ShopRite (Headquartered in West Caldwell, New Jersey) – Operates 2 stores including the famous Japanese-inspired ShopRite of West Caldwell, New Jersey and another store in Parsippany, New Jersey.
• Supermarkets of Cherry Hill (Headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey) – Operates five Southern New Jersey stores: Cherry Hill (2 stores), Marlton and Mount Laurel (2 stores).
• The Tornaquindici Family – Operates two stores in Bristol, Connecticut and Waterbury, Connecticut.
• Village Super Markets (Nasdaq: VLGEA) (Headquartered in Springfield, New Jersey) – Operates 23 stores in New Jersey, 1 in Northeastern Pennsylvania and 2 in Maryland. The stores in Maryland are located in Timonium in Baltimore County and Silver Spring in Montgomery County. Village is the only operating company in the Wakefern Cooperative that trades its stock publicly. One location recently took over its former owner, Shakoor Supermarkets, in Old Bridge, New Jersey.
• Zallie Supermarkets (Headquartered in Clementon, New Jersey) – Operates nine Southern New Jersey stores: Berlin, Laurel Hill (Clementon), Laurel Springs, Medford, Gibbstown, Glassboro, West Deptford, Williamstown, Sicklerville, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6725 Frankford Avenue) .

External links

• Official website
• ShopRite on Twitter
• ShopRite Partners In Caring
• Wakefern Corporation