Gallery: Price Chopper Foodservice Makes Plans

A Price Chopper associate puts a pizza in a pizza oven.

Even the pizza's dough is made in-store and hand-stretched.

Price Chopper offers a full pizza for $5 on Fridays.

Shoppers can buy hot or cold pizzas, but most of the pizzas are sold hot. John Mazzacco, manager of foodservice and culinary concepts at Price Chopper, said that pizza chains and mom-and-pop pizza shops are the retailer's main competition in the pizza category.

A focus on fresh is also an important selling point for Price Chopper’s proprietary soup line. “We have soups that are made from a manufacturer in regular kettles for us in smaller batches. They’re fresh, never frozen, no preservatives,” Mazzacco said.
Price Chopper is working on a new initiative to make the soup ingredients’ origins and nutritional information available online.
For instance, Mazzacco explained, if a soup included Angus beef, the site would list where that beef came from.
“I’m looking to use that to springboard into us being the expert on those kinds of things and then I can say ‘OK, well this soups goes with this sandwich,” and try to do those pairings.”

The chain is also rolling out customized sub stations.

A grab-and-go display features a selection of wraps, sandwiches and salads.

At the Ben & Bill's deli, a New York City-style deli, takes preparation seriously, preparing pastrami and brisket sandwiches with house-fried chips.

The Roasters program is the No. 1 category at Price Chopper.

Ben & Bill's serves craft beer on tap.

Starting this winter, eight pieces of chicken retail for $5 on Mondays.

On Wednesdays, a meal for a family of four, sells for $10 to $12. Customers can choose from items like beer battered fish; pot roast with carrots, gravy and mashed potatoes; or a chicken pot pie.

The new concept store opening in November will have a made-to-order salad station.

In addition, the store will have a hamburger stand, an ice cream area, a Starbucks, a custom sandwich station, Price Chopper’s Ben & Bill’s Deli, a pizza area, a roasters section, and a chef’s area.