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Stop & Shop brings wing bars to nearly 200 stores

More hot food offerings part of chainwide store refresh program

Russell Redman

October 25, 2019

3 Min Read
Stop & Shop wing bar_cropped.PNG
Stop & Shop

Ahold Delhaize USA’s Stop & Shop chain is rolling out chicken wing bars to stores across its Northeastern market area.

Stop & Shop said yesterday it began deploying the wing bars at stores this month and plans to add them at 187 locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey through November.

Part of the company’s Taste of Inspirations brand, the wings come in eight flavors and retail for $7.99 per pound. Stop & Shop said the wing hot bars are located in the prepared food section, and the wings are freshly made and fried in-store. The Quincy, Mass.-based retailer noted that the offering comes in time for football season and fall entertaining.

Stop & Shop wing bar with Marty robot - Copy.png

The wing bar, shown here with the

“We know our customers are busy, and our new wing bars offer an easy snack, meal or entertaining solution for tailgates or at-home gatherings,” Mark Messier, executive vice president of merchandising at Stop & Shop, said in a statement. “In testing this concept at a handful of stores, the response has been fantastic. We’re excited to bring these new varieties and flavors to more customers across our footprint.”  

Varieties offered at the bars include breaded mild wings, breaded spicy wings, breaded honey wings, buffalo boneless wings, garlic parmesan wings, barbeque boneless wings, sweet chili boneless wings and pit-boss pork wings. More flavors — such as Kickin’ Bourbon Barbeque, Korean Barbeque and Mango Habanero — will be added seasonally.

Related:Stop & Shop opens refreshed stores on Long Island

Stop & Shop said it began deploying the wing bars at stores in October and expects the rollout to continue at locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey through November. Hours of operation for the wing bars are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

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The introduction of wing bars comes as Stop & Shop proceeds with a five-year capital spending plan — estimated at $1.6 billion to $2 billion — to refresh its 400-plus stores chainwide.

Dubbed “Reimagining Stop & Shop,” the initiative includes a modernized store format and a new logo that reflect a more customer-centric strategy based on convenience, particularly a wider array of fresh, fast, healthy and local food options. That includes more prepared foods — such as stir fry stations, sushi bars, hot bars and meats like brisket and pulled pork smoked in-store — along with in-store cafes offering smoothies, coffee and treats.

Stop & Shop unveiled the first remodels in October 2018 at 21 stores in the Hartford, Conn., area and last month held grand reopenings at 21 upgraded stores in Long Island, N.Y. Plans call for 60 to 80 stores to be upgraded annually under the program.

Related:Stop & Shop pilots bread-making robot

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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