COVER STORY | RETAILER OF THE YEAR
ShopRite has also introduced “Meal Deal” promotions designed to make meal planning easier and more affordable for customers. These offers typically allow shoppers to receive two meal ingredients free when purchasing one featured item. Merchandise teams display the Meal Deal items together in stores, while a dedi- cated Meal Deals landing page on ShopRite. com allows customers to shop for the sav- ings online. “The program has been well received by customers and supports both in-store and digital engagement,” the Wakefern spokes- person said. Driving the appeal of private label Caudill said the current environment of lingering inflation and ongoing financial pressure on consumers has driven demand for promotions and bargain pricing. The company’s percentage of ad-driven sales has increased “quite a bit” in the last few months, he said.
The Di Bruno Bros. brand extends Wakefern’s private label reach into the premium segment, fea - turing artisan-quality products that compete with specialty food shops and upscale grocers.
Expanding into new businesses and new markets During the past few years, Wakefern has made some key acquisitions in both the Philadelphia and New York City markets that could set the stage for additional sales growth in the future. In Philadelphia, the company acquired the retail stores and specialty products business of Di Bruno Bros. in 2024. “Di Bruno Bros. has been a strong strategic fit for Wakefern and is another example of how the cooperative grows through opportunities that build on exist- ing strengths,” the Wakefern spokesperson said. Wakefern now owns the Di Bruno Bros. trademark and wholesale business, which allows the company to expand product distribution and development while lever- aging the brand’s strong reputation in imported specialty foods. Brown’s Super Stores, one of Wakefern’s members with deep roots in the Philadel- phia area, continues to operate the two remaining Di Bruno Bros. retail stores, “bringing retail expertise and a commit- ment to preserving the unique experience that made the brand successful,” the
“The consumer is looking for more value, and they’re willing to pantry load, willing to cross-shop and go to competitors,” Cau- dill said. Key to addressing those demands is the company’s well-regarded private label assortment. Wakefern’s core Bowl & Basket and Wholesome Pantry lines provide competitive quality in traditional and better-for-you categories, respectively, while the Price Rite line includes hundreds of items at entry-level prices. Wakefern has focused in particular on creating eye-catching packaging for its private-label items, Caudill said. “No customer is embarrassed that it’s in their cupboard or that it sits out on the table when they are having tea with a neighbor,” he said. “Ultimately everything we sell goes back to what is the experience the customer has in their home.” For example, Wakefern recently unveiled a refreshed look for its Whole- some Pantry Organic and Wholesome Pantry Free-From products, with a mod- ernized logo, color cues that distinguish organic and free-from items, and clear design elements that help key product attributes stand out on shelf.
Bowl & Basket, Wakefern’s flagship private label brand, offers quality everyday essentials at competitive prices, spanning thousands of products across grocery, dairy, frozen and household categories.
24 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM SUMMER 2026
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