ShopRite makes debut in the Bronx

Wakefern Food Corp.’s ShopRite supermarket banner has opened its first store in the New York City borough of the Bronx.

The 38,000-square-foot store, owned and operated by Village Super Market Inc., a member of the Wakefern cooperative, occupies the site of a former Key Food supermarket and brings a focus on fresh and locally sourced foods.

Along with a large produce department and a full-service meat counter, the store at 1994 Bruckner Blvd. houses a fresh bakery, a fresh seafood department, a prepared foods and deli section, a floral department, and health and wellness services, including an in-store dietitian.

ShopRite of Bruckner Boulevard also employs an eco-friendly operation. That includes energy-efficient refrigeration and lighting, with glass doors on all dairy and freezer cases and LED lighting throughout the store and its parking lot. The retailer said the store will have Bigbelly “smart” trash can units set up outside. The solar-powered units use CLEAN management software to control a solar-driven trash compacting and recycling system to help curtail trash bag use.

Also featured in the new ShopRite is a community room designed for hosting community gatherings, classes and other local events.

The community, in fact, played a key role in the ShopRite of Bruckner Boulevard’s development. ShopRite said Village Super Market and principal owners the Sumas family sought input from residents and local leaders to build a supermarket that caters to the neighborhood’s needs. To that end, ShopRite conducted a survey asking residents for feedback on the products and services they would like to see in the store. The company said those responses helped shape the design and product mix of the new store, which added about 200 jobs to the local economy. 

“We are thrilled to mark the opening of our first full-service ShopRite in the Bronx with our Bruckner Boulevard store,” Perry Blatt, director of marketing and business development at Village Super Market, said in a statement. “We paid close attention to what local residents wanted in a supermarket throughout the planning stages. We are confident that we’ve got all the local favorites and foods and services that will allow us to better serve the needs of our neighbors and enhance their overall shopping experience.” 

According to ShopRite, the store’s produce department carries the biggest variety of fresh fruit and vegetables in the market, including organic produce from “around the corner and around the world,” locally grown items from area farms and ethnic products catering to the diverse customer base. There’s also a wide selection of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables that the retailer said are affordably priced, reduce recipe prep time or provide convenient grab-and-go snacks.

The bake shop offers store-made special occasion cakes with an on-site cake decorator, and doughnuts made in-store. Daily-baked specialty breads include East Indian bread, western rolls and Italian-style loafs, as well as local breads from Teixeira’s and Brooklyn Bread Company and hand-wrapped corn bread baked in-store. Also available is an assortment of gourmet cakes, pastries and other treats, including items from Artuso Pastry.

In the prepared food and deli area, customers can choose from an assortment of ready-made fare and grab-and-go items, including barbacoa, carnitas, ribs, and chicken and rice; fresh-made sushi; and eight varieties of fresh soup daily. Deli items include Boar’s Head and Black Bear products, sandwiches made to order, and hundreds of varieties of domestic and international cheeses and charcuterie.

The seafood department serves up dozens of varieties of fresh fish, and seafood specialists are on hand to help customers with selection and recipe ideas. ShopRite noted that there’s also a selection of grab-and-go and ready-to-cook items, and orders can be steamed for free as customers shop. The meat counter features fresh beef ground daily, a range of ethnic options, organic and natural offerings, grass-fed meat, ready-to-cook signature items and simply sourced products, including certified angus beef.

Health and wellness services offered by the in-store registered dietitian include individual nutrition counseling, shop-along store tours, cooking classes, fitness and wellness events, and recipe and product recommendations. Customers also can make an appointment with the dietitian. In addition, the dietitian oversees a free fruit program for children in which kids ages 12 and younger can get a free banana, clementine or other seasonal fruit while shopping with a parent or guardian.

The floral department features a selection of outdoor plants, a small indoor plant program and make-your-own bouquet bunch. Experts are available to help design and create custom arrangements as well.

Springfield, N.J.-based Village Super Market operates 30 ShopRite stores in New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York.

Overall, Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern’s retail network includes more than 270 ShopRite supermarkets throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland.