ShopRite

From a small, struggling cooperative with eight Members – all owners of their own grocery stores – Wakefern Food Corp., the merchandising and distribution arm for ShopRite, has grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States and the largest employer in New Jersey. The cooperative is comprised of 50 members who individually own and operate supermarkets under the ShopRite banner. Today, Wakefern and ShopRite together employ more than 50,000 people throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. At ShopRite, generations of families have served generations of their customers’ families. Although they have grown from the small “Mom and Pop” stores of the 1940’s, most ShopRite stores are still family owned and operated businesses – many with second, third, or even fourth generations involved. All ShopRite owners are members of Wakefern Food Corp., which buys, warehouses and transports products while providing other support services to ensure customer satisfaction. “Volume” buying enables ShopRite stores to offer their consumers the lowest overall prices, and the greatest value, in the marketplace.