Wakefern celebrates return of expanded Showcase event

Wakefern Food Corp. successfully hosted its 2024 Wakefern Showcase Sept. 18 and 19 at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center in Edison, NJ. Bigger and better than ever, the event provided a valuable opportunity for Wakefern members and more than 2,500 retail associates to explore nearly 300 vendor partners and the extensive range of services and innovative solutions the cooperative offers its members and wholesale customers.

The Showcase featured a diverse lineup of seminars, guest speakers and interactive booths, highlighting key areas such as produce, meat, bakery, seafood and retail operations. Attendees had the chance to learn about new industry trends, cutting-edge technology and strategies to improve store operations. The keynote speaker, Paul Long, a renowned author and strategist, captivated the audience with his insights on promoting growth and attaining fulfillment at both work and home.

“We were thrilled to bring back the Wakefern Showcase this year — with more vendors and Wakefern divisions present than ever before,” said Bob Cerullo, vice president of meat and seafood at Wakefern Food Corp. “We wanted to provide our members the best possible opportunity to connect, learn and explore the full range of services that Wakefern provides.”

Formerly known as the Perishables Show, the 2024 Wakefern Showcase expanded to include both perishable and non-perishable categories this year, with nearly 300 vendor booths, including Wakefern’s support divisions. Also new this year, members and store representatives were able to take advantage of special discounted prices with on-the-spot ordering.

The Wakefern Showcase also featured a 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art “supermarket” showcasing up-to-the-minute trends in equipment, layout, décor and planograms.

“At Wakefern, we equip cooperative Members with the tools, trends and go-to-market strategies they need to continually innovate and deliver exceptional customer experiences,” said Mike Stigers, president of Wakefern Food Corp. “This year’s Showcase demonstrated our ongoing commitment to ensuring that our Members have what they need to compete and win in the competitive supermarket industry.”