New Jersey produce items off to a good start
New Jersey produce items off to a good start
FREEHOLD, NJ -- With the New Jersey spring vegetable deal starting a bit earlier than normal this year, the Super Foodtown here was already featuring a good number of local items the third week in May -- a prelude to summer when this supermarket will be strongly promoting the vast array of items the Garden State has to offer.
The Jersey deal so far is "off to a good start," Vincent Villone, produce supervisor of the Norkus Foodtown Group, said the third week in May. "There are a lot of commodities so far this season."
With the volume of Jersey vegetables increasing every day, Mr. Villone knew that the state's popular blueberry deal would be starting before too long. He was estimating some early blues around June 20 with volume ramping up very quickly right after that.
Peaches and other fruits and vegetables would follow, rounding out the many local items that shoppers eagerly seek from a supermarket like this Super Foodtown.
"Quality is good so far" on the Jersey vegetables, Mr. Villone told The Produce News on a rainy Tuesday, May 20. "We just need a little bit of sunlight."
As shoppers enter this supermarket, the floral department is on their left, with the full produce department straight ahead. During the height of the Jersey season -- generally in late July and early August -- the store will set up a secondary display of Jersey items right at the entrance to the produce department.
Signage was already positioned in the produce department informing shoppers that Jersey produce was available, and this signage, which the retailer obtains from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, will be out in full force as the season unwinds, according to Mr. Villone, who has been with the organization for 30 years, the last nine in his current position.
The Norkus Foodtown Group has seven stores in the New Jersey counties of Monmouth and Ocean, about midway between New York City and Philadelphia, near the shore. The stores are owned by Gerry Norkus and his sons, Stephen and Mark. Gerry Norkus' father was the original owner.
Ed Duffield is the store manager of this Super Foodtown; Kimberley Wolfe is assistant store manager. Bernie Cunningham is the produce manager of the store.
This store has about 56,000 square feet, of which the produce department utilizes about 8,000 square feet, according to Mr. Villone. It was built in 1992 and has gone through two expansions. There is a new organic and natural food section, which includes fresh produce, of about 6,000 to 6,500 square feet. Mr. Villone said that the organic category was "a tremendous trend that continues to grow."
Bozzuto's Inc., the wholesale grocer in Cheshire, CT, has been the primary supplier to the Norkus Foodtown Group for almost exactly one year. "We have about 25 items [from New Jersey] right now in the warehouse," said Ken Brickel, a produce merchandiser for Bozzuto's. Among those on the shelves at this Super Foodtown were parsley, dill, cilantro, scallions, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, Romaine, leeks, swiss chard, bunch radishes, asparagus and "real exceptional quality Boston lettuce," he said.
The Norkus Foodtown Group has also worked for many years with a number of local growers for Jersey items such as sweet corn, peppers, eggplant and squash. "It's just awesome that Bozzuto's and Foodtown support the local grower," said Michael D'Ottavio of M. D'Ottavio Produce Inc. in Vineland, NJ, a key supplier to Bozzuto's for over 10 years. "They support us from the day we start harvesting to the day we finish harvesting. It's a great feeling."
The Jersey deal so far is "off to a good start," Vincent Villone, produce supervisor of the Norkus Foodtown Group, said the third week in May. "There are a lot of commodities so far this season."
With the volume of Jersey vegetables increasing every day, Mr. Villone knew that the state's popular blueberry deal would be starting before too long. He was estimating some early blues around June 20 with volume ramping up very quickly right after that.
Peaches and other fruits and vegetables would follow, rounding out the many local items that shoppers eagerly seek from a supermarket like this Super Foodtown.
"Quality is good so far" on the Jersey vegetables, Mr. Villone told The Produce News on a rainy Tuesday, May 20. "We just need a little bit of sunlight."
As shoppers enter this supermarket, the floral department is on their left, with the full produce department straight ahead. During the height of the Jersey season -- generally in late July and early August -- the store will set up a secondary display of Jersey items right at the entrance to the produce department.
Signage was already positioned in the produce department informing shoppers that Jersey produce was available, and this signage, which the retailer obtains from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, will be out in full force as the season unwinds, according to Mr. Villone, who has been with the organization for 30 years, the last nine in his current position.
The Norkus Foodtown Group has seven stores in the New Jersey counties of Monmouth and Ocean, about midway between New York City and Philadelphia, near the shore. The stores are owned by Gerry Norkus and his sons, Stephen and Mark. Gerry Norkus' father was the original owner.
Ed Duffield is the store manager of this Super Foodtown; Kimberley Wolfe is assistant store manager. Bernie Cunningham is the produce manager of the store.
This store has about 56,000 square feet, of which the produce department utilizes about 8,000 square feet, according to Mr. Villone. It was built in 1992 and has gone through two expansions. There is a new organic and natural food section, which includes fresh produce, of about 6,000 to 6,500 square feet. Mr. Villone said that the organic category was "a tremendous trend that continues to grow."
Bozzuto's Inc., the wholesale grocer in Cheshire, CT, has been the primary supplier to the Norkus Foodtown Group for almost exactly one year. "We have about 25 items [from New Jersey] right now in the warehouse," said Ken Brickel, a produce merchandiser for Bozzuto's. Among those on the shelves at this Super Foodtown were parsley, dill, cilantro, scallions, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, Romaine, leeks, swiss chard, bunch radishes, asparagus and "real exceptional quality Boston lettuce," he said.
The Norkus Foodtown Group has also worked for many years with a number of local growers for Jersey items such as sweet corn, peppers, eggplant and squash. "It's just awesome that Bozzuto's and Foodtown support the local grower," said Michael D'Ottavio of M. D'Ottavio Produce Inc. in Vineland, NJ, a key supplier to Bozzuto's for over 10 years. "They support us from the day we start harvesting to the day we finish harvesting. It's a great feeling."
