Roch’s Fresh Foods opens 2nd location in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has a new grocery store in the Exeter, West Greenwich and Coventry area.

Family-owned and operated Roch’s Fresh Foods recently opened its second market in West Greenwich, located in Kent County, about 30 miles southwest of Providence.

Roch’s opened the new store on March 31 at 10 Arnold Farm Road, next to the grocer’s produce distribution center. Roch’s Fresh Foods is also located in Narragansett at 1183 Boston Neck Road.

Ray Roch, who is president of the family business, got the idea to open a second store during the pandemic after opening a pop-up grocery store in the distribution warehouse. Following the pop-up’s success, Roch felt certain a standalone store would work.

“I saw that it was this success,” Roch told WGB. “So, I said, 'You know, let's go forward with a full-scale grocery store right next door to my warehouse.'”

The 18,000-square-foot store features groceries in all departments. The site also includes an extra 2,000 square feet, which Roch is looking to turn into a coffee shop.

The grocer's motto is "food is family." 

“The locals are being super supportive, so it makes a huge difference," he said. "Roch’s is going on 80 years in business as a fourth-generation local grocer and that’s big for me."