“Our message at the New York Produce Show on Dec. 2-4 is all about freshness and delicious innovations,” said Vice President, Business Development for The Safeway Group LLC, Amy Erianne. “At our booth, number 466, we will be showcasing microwave vegetables that are fresh from the farm to your table. Safeway Fresh Foods introduces ‘Sunny Sides!’ These fresh veggies in vogue feature quality ingredients, delicious flavors and are cooked to perfection. The veggies are lightly dressed with olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper. Let simplicity shine and bring home ‘Sunny Sides,’ nutritious fast food.”

The company, located in Vineland, NJ, will also feature its “Power Greens” line at the show. Erianne said these new specialty cut power greens are fresh, washed and ready to eat. Safeway’s quality nutritious greens are a fun, flavorful way to spice up recipes. They are great to include in smoothies, toss in salads, prepare as a side, or top off favorite entrées. The possibilities are endless.

“Leave the initial prepping to us and add these items for a healthy dose of pure nature’s goodness,” she added.

Safeway’s lettuce wraps, also on hand at the show, follow the tasty trend and are the new “it” item in grab-and-go.

“Our lettuce wraps combine our ‘deli-licious’ grain salads with fresh romaine filets for a cool, unique treat,” said Erianne. “Crisp romaine filets are the perfect wrap for these unique flavor combinations made with fresh, quality ingredients. Fresh, flavorful and fun; Safeway’s lettuce wraps are deliciously innovative.”

Safeway’s Grain Salad line, “Greens & Grains Bowls” features four top-of-the-line grain recipes that incorporate a variety of grains to help people expand their palette.

“People who are looking for a hearty salad that’s filling and tasty will be pleased to be introduced to our Greens & Grain Salad Bowls,” said Erianne. “Each bowl offers a fresh bed of crisp greens with a deluxe grain salad combination to mix on top. Grains are the versatile complex carb of the future, and we encourage the foodie in consumers to get on board with these bowls. They are earthy and cutting edge.”

The New York Produce Show, being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center North Hall in Manhattan, is the second year that The Safeway Group has exhibited. Erianne said those with The Safeway Group Really enjoyed the show.

“It presented us with a good opportunity to network, show new items and interact with potential new partners,” she added.

Safeway is SQF Certified, which provides its customers with confidence that the company is protecting brand integrity and providing assurance of a high degree of competence in critical areas.

“We continuously monitor and improve product quality, safety and legality,” said Erianne. “We have a complete ERP system, which provides traceability throughout our processes for the products we manufacturer.”

Safeway sales and business development teams are an impressive group of people. Fred “Tunar” Moscowitch joined the company in 2012 and has a wealth of knowledge in the deli category. He focuses on the New York and metro area.

“Jason Landry joined our team in early 2013,” said Erianne. “He brings great experience in produce and within the retail sector. Jason focuses on the New England market.”

“Peter Hernandez joined our team in 2014,” she continued. “He also brings a wealth of retail and produce experience. He will focus on the Southeast market.”

The team is headed by Andrew Kulinski, who joined Safeway in 2011. He comes with a very diverse background in food manufacturing.

Erianne said the team works cross-functionally with Safeway’s business development team, which is headed by Erianne. She joined the company in 2010 and has worked for the Tedesco Family throughout her food manufacturing career. She is joined by Jess Landolfi, who joined the company in 2013. Landolfi holds a Masters Degree in communications, and he also has experience within food manufacturing.

The Safeway Group is a true family business. Erianne explained that the Tedesco family members have always cherished the farm as the heart of their family.  

“Salvatore ‘Sal’ Tedesco was brought up with the loving values of farming and giving back to Mother Nature,” she said. “A third generation farmer, Sal knew that in order to survive in the farming trade he had to add value to the commodities the company grew. He and his wife, Anna, devised a business plan in the early 1980s and incorporated Sunnyside Vegetable Packing to begin to add further value to fresh produce.

“During this time, Sal and Anna’s young sons, Frank and Sam, were part of the family business,” Erianne continued. “They learned all aspects of the food industry as they grew up within this dynamic business. Today they join their father as owners in the Safeway Group, and share the vision of being known in the Northeastern United States for their leadership edge in bringing exceptional value-added services and products to market.”

From their starting vision in the 1980s to pioneering dozens of products that set trends in the industry of convenience grab-and-go fresh products, the Tedesco’s worked throughout the years to bring the passion the family has for agriculture and food to life.

Today, with a range of over 250 products, innovation continues to be a Tedesco Family business hallmark. As a family, they work hand-in hand-with their team to bring exceptional products to market.

“They are food visionaries who have the uncanny ability to take nature’s best from the field to market and create inspirational, delicious fresh solutions,” said Erianne. “Sal, who is an incredible inspiration to the team, works to mentor, inspire, create and implement all innovations. Anna is creating daily in the kitchen and leading product development efforts. Frank, who has vast experience in manufacturing, leads the operational side of the business. Sam, with great expertise in business development, leads the sales and marketing side of the business. Together they lead the team to grow Safeway and deliver quality fresh products daily.”

Under the Tedesco family’s leadership, the team has built a business that is flexible and nimble enough to leverage trends and ever changing produce options.  Understanding produce and today’s consumer allows the family to constantly evolve their fresh food offerings. With the Millennial generation driving a large portion of buying habits today, the Safeway team focuses product development efforts on hitting this niche.  Natural, fresh, simple and flavorful are its focus.