ShopRite (United States)

This article is about the North American food distributor. For other companies with the same or similar name, see ShopRite (disambiguation).
ShopRite
Industry
Founded Newark, New Jersey (1946)
Headquarters Keasbey, New Jersey, United States
Number of locations
 296
Area served
 Northeastern United States
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.[1] As of 2011, Wakefern was ranked 17th by sales among all supermarket operators in the United States.[2]

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 in the late 1960s, halving the number of Wakefern stores. The Supermarkets General stores became Pathmark in 1968; that chain would end up being acquired by A&P in 2007. The remaining 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.

The "Can-Can Sale"

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.[3] 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, ShopRite aligned with the Klein's Supermarkets, a local chain of family-owned supermarkets in Harford County, Maryland, expanding their market into the Baltimore metropolitan area. The family-owned Klein's Supermarkets that are now ShopRite supermarkets are located in Phoenix, Maryland, two locations in Bel Air, Maryland, Aberdeen, Maryland, Cardiff, Maryland, Forest Hill, Maryland, Riverside, Maryland, Parkville, Maryland, and the Howard Park neighborhood in Baltimore.

Differences between ShopRite stores and their fronts

ShopRite Location in West Caldwell, NJ

As of 2012, ShopRite is the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the U.S.

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.

More recently, ShopRite has renovated, expanded, or rebuilt many of its older stores, and added new ones. Most stores are larger than before with improved facilities. Some older ShopRite stores date to the 1950s and 1960s. Examples of newly built giant ShopRites are in Wharton, New Jersey, opened in 2001, as well as in Parsippany, New Jersey. There is also a rebuilt one in nearby Succasunna.

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.[4]

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.[5] In 2013, ShopRite was the only unionized supermarket in the area.[6]

Slogans

Other ShopRite/Wakefern chains and concepts

Main article: PriceRite
PriceRite

Wakefern (ShopRite's corporate arm) operates the PriceRite limited-assortment chain of stores in California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. PriceRite is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wakefern. There are currently 49 PriceRite stores.

Main article: PriceRite

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

For many years, Foodarama operated very a 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. sq. ft.former Frank's Nursery & Crafts store. The store had operated as a Franks location for only 4 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).[7] The ShopRite Garden Center closed in 2008.

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) even offers a bar right inside the ShopRite store.

Members operate 36 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.

In December 2013, Wakefern launched the ShopRiteDelivers.com website to expand their digital footprint outside of their traditional markets in the Northeast. The website, currently 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.

Naming rights

ShopRite is the title sponsor for the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

ShopRite operating companies (abridged)

References

  1. ↑ "ShopRite Dethrones Acme in Sales". Courier Post Online. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  2. ↑ Ruth, Eric (December 24, 2011), "More choice in markets comes to Bear this week", The News-Journal, delawareonline.com, retrieved December 25, 2011
  3. ↑ ShopRite's Can-Can Sale 40th Anniversary page Retrieved 2011-1-20
  4. ↑ Hartford Courant Shaw's Selling All 18 Supermarkets In State; Most To Stop & Shop, ShopRite
  5. ↑ November 18, 2010 at 7:30 am by Chris Churchill (2010-11-18). "Wegmans? Maybe. ShopRite? Yes. - Places and Spaces - timesunion.com- Albany NY". Blog.timesunion.com. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  6. ↑ "ShopRite Named Top Retail Employer In The Capital Region On Albany Times Union’s 2013 'Top Workplaces' List". April 29, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  7. ↑ Frank's Nursery sprouts new branches, accessed November 27, 2006

External links