Gerrity’s conversion to The Fresh Grocer gets under way

Gerrity’s Supermarkets has begun transitioning its 10 stores to The Fresh Grocer banner.

Gerrity’s said Tuesday that it held a grand reopening for its first converted store, at 702 S. Main Ave. in its hometown of Scranton, Pa., on Friday. Plans call for the Fasula family-owned grocer to switch its other nine stores in Pennsylvania to The Fresh Grocer over the next 10 weeks.

The name change comes after Gerrity’s joined the Wakefern Food Corp. retail grocery cooperative, parent of the The Fresh Grocer and ShopRite supermarket banners, in June. With the move, the independent grocer’s stores will have “The Fresh Grocer, Owned and Operated by Gerrity’s” as their new branding.

The new Fresh Grocer banner will still bear the Gerrity's name. (Image courtesy of Gerrity's Supermarkets)

Gerrity’s 10 stores in northeastern Pennsylvania are located mostly in the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre areas. Last October, the grocer added its 10th store with the acquisition of Valley Farm Market in Bethlehem, Pa.

The remaining locations, Gerrity’s said, will transition to The Fresh Grocer format according to the following schedule: Scranton (1782 N. Keyser Ave.) on Aug. 19, Clarks Summit (100 Old Lackawanna Trail) on Aug. 26, Scranton (320 Meadow Ave.) on Sept. 2, Moosic (4015 Birney Ave.) on Sept. 9, Hanover Township (2280 San Souci Parkway) on Sept. 16, West Pittston (801 Wyoming Ave.) on Sept. 23, Wyoming (2020 Wyoming Ave.) on Sept. 30, Luzerne (552 Union St.) on Oct. 7 and Bethlehem (1880 Stefko Blvd.) on Oct. 14.

Related:Gerrity’s Supermarkets joins Wakefern grocery cooperative

“We work hard every day to deliver a top-notch experience for our customers, and we will continue to provide all the things our customers know and love while adding new and exciting features as we rebrand to The Fresh Grocer, Owned and Operated by Gerrity’s,” Gerrity’s Supermarkets co-owner Joe Fasula, who owns and operates the chain with his mother Joyce Fasula, said in a statement. The grocer employs more than 1,300 associates, and its operations also include three Ace Hardware stores..

“This is the next chapter of our family’s business,” he added. “I want to thank our dedicated team of associates and our shoppers for their ongoing support as we complete our transition to The Fresh Grocer banner. We look forward to providing an expanded assortment of foods and products to our customers while helping them save even more.”

The rebranded stores will continue to offer a wide range of fresh groceries and restaurant-quality take-home meals with “best-in-market” pricing, Gerrity’s noted. And while shoppers can expect new products, services and lower prices, customer-favorite elements of the Gerrity’s experience will remain, such as Gerrity’s recipes, people and service, the retailer said.

Related:Saker ShopRites acquires fellow Wakefern member Perlmart

With the transition, the Gerrity’s stores will carry Wakefern’s own-brand products, including the Bowl & Basket (value grocery) and Paperbird (household groods) labels as well as the better-for-you Wholesome Pantry and Wholesome Pantry Organic lines. Instacart online grocery delivery service also will be available as each store converts.

Shoppers, too, will be able to enroll in The Fresh Grocer Price Plus loyalty program at converted stores, where new advertising circulars bearing The Fresh Grocer banner will begin appearing each Friday. Gerrity’s urged current customers to redeem any rewards points and Gerrity’s gift cards ahead of the transition. 

Upon the rebannering of the Gerrity’s locations, The Fresh Grocer will expand from 11 stores — seven in Pennsylvania and five in New Jersey — to 21 supermarkets, with 17 stores in Pennsylvania.

Overall, Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern has a retail network of more than 360 stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island under the ShopRite (nearly 280 locations), The Fresh Grocer, Price Rite Marketplace, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market and Dearborn Market banners.