COLONIA, NJ — Locally grown fresh produce is a key item at Nicholas Markets, a three-store chain of supermarkets operating under the Foodtown banner in northern New Jersey.

The stores are located in Cedar Grove, North Haledon and here in Colonia. The Produce News visited the Colonia store in mid-May and saw first-hand how the company emphasizes the locally grown concept.

As shoppers enter the supermarket, the produce department is the first department they see, as is the case with many supermarkets around the country. But here, signage indicating “locally grown” was prominent not only on the shelves right beside the many vegetables that had originated from the fields of southern New Jersey but also on the walls and even hanging right in the middle of the produce department.

To further emphasize how strongly this chain believes in “Jersey Fresh” produce, a large sign was displayed prominently on one wall of the department that featured photos of three local growers who supply produce to the chain: David Arena, Joe Procacci and Mike D’Ottavio.

All of the signage is indicative of the “corporate initiative to identify locally grown product,” stated Vic Savanello, director of produce and floral at Iselin, NJ-based Allegiance Retail Services LLC, which provides marketing, merchandising and category management services to more than 80 locations in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. David Maniaci, owner of Nicholas Markets, is also chairman of the board at Allegiance Retail Services.

Bozzuto’s Inc., the wholesale grocer headquartered in Cheshire, CT, is the primary supplier of fresh produce to the three Nicholas Markets stores. Brendan Keating, who joined Bozzuto’s April 7 as a perishables account manager, will be visiting this location about twice per month, providing merchandising support and “anything they need regarding produce and floral,” he said.

Keating will be working with Ken Brickel, store director at the Colonia location. Brickel joined the retailer in mid-January after a 15-year career at Bozzuto’s.

Also on the produce team at the store here are Dan Spelich and Doug Larsen. Spelich, who had worked previously in the produce department at the Cedar Grove location for about 10 years, moved to this store as produce manager about five months ago. Larsen is the assistant produce manager.

The Colonia store is about 25,000 square feet, of which the produce department accounts for about 10 percent of that square footage, according to Brickel.

Asked how important the produce department is to the retailer, Brickel told The Produce News May 19, “It’s where you walk in. It’s the department that sets the tone of the store.”

The 2013-14 winter was long and rough in New Jersey as well as in many areas of the eastern United States, so local produce was slower than normal in reaching supermarkets like this one.

“The season is running a little behind,” Brickel said. “We had a tough winter. But the product I’ve seen has been outstanding. Everybody was anxiously awaiting the local product to hit the shelves.”

In fact, on the bright and sunny morning during this visit, Brickel offered up an extensive list of Jersey items that consumers could select right now at this store: parsley, cilantro, arugula, dill, collards, kale, red swiss chard, green swiss chard, Boston, bunched radish, bunched spinach, dandelion, asparagus, chickory/endive, escarole, Romaine, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce and fiddlehead ferns.

Of course, Brickel was looking forward to the summer months when Jersey product would be in full swing.

When that time comes, Brickel and his team “will be utilizing the outside of the store as a kind of ‘farmers market’ to showcase the full array of New Jersey items that consumers look forward to, especially Jersey corn and Jersey tomatoes, he said enthusiastically.

“We’re trying to support local farmers” as much as possible, said Brickel. Anytime you can rely that farm-to-table message, it’s a win-win.”