EDISON, NJ - Furthering the retail cooperative’s commitment to offering locally grown produce, Wakefern Food Corp. recently hosted its Produce Local Supplier Summit on July 9. Seeking to expand its network of local and regional farmers and producers, Wakefern welcomed suppliers to a one-day event in Edison, New Jersey, to explore new partnership opportunities.

“We’re proud to host the Produce Local Supplier Summit as part of our continued commitment to sourcing locally grown produce and developing meaningful connections with local farmers and growers,” shared Ross Farnsworth, Wakefern's Vice President of Produce, exclusively with AndNowUKnow. “This summit is a chance for small and mid-size growers to connect directly with our procurement team to learn how we can work together to bring their farm-fresh produce to families across the Northeast.”

Providing growers with a unique opportunity to showcase their portfolios, the summit reinforces Wakefern’s strong commitment to sourcing locally grown produce and supporting the communities served by its member-owned supermarkets, which include the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, and Di Bruno Bros. banners.

Producers at this year’s event connected with Wakefern’s produce procurement teams and explored potential retail partnerships with summit attendees. Attendees were also welcomed to hear directly from Wakefern’s leadership and local suppliers during a panel discussion featuring existing grower partners and co-op members.

Wakefern is known for supporting local businesses and brands, and supplier summits are in line with the cooperative’s mission to help small businesses succeed in a big business world, an earlier press release mentioned.

May we soon see some exciting new offerings in the produce department as a result of this unique event? AndNowUKnow will be here to report.