Wakefern pledges $500MM to support local produce

July 6, 2026 Edison, NJ – In advance of its annual Local Produce Supplier Summit on July 15, Wakefern Food Corp. BB #:101244, the largest retailer-owned supermarket cooperative in the United States, today announced a $500 million commitment to sourcing fresh produce from local and regional farmers and growers across the Northeast over the next five years.

Wakefern’s summit will be held at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center and brings together growers, Wakefern members and industry leaders to strengthen partnerships and expand access to locally grown produce and products.

The $500 million investment commitment to local and regional growers marks a significant boost to the regional economy and reinforces Wakefern’s long-standing relationships with local farmers, while strengthening its retail banners ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, Dearborn Market and Morton Williams.

“By bringing our family-owned stores and local, family-owned farms together, we create a win for everyone. Our customers enjoy access to fresh, high-quality produce, our Wakefern members deepen their local connections, and we continue to make our supermarket banners premier destinations for farm-fresh foods,” said Travis Riepenhoff, Group Vice President of Fresh at Wakefern. “We are especially excited to share the news of our $500 million investment in local growers at this year’s local produce summit.”

The summit will feature special guest Ed Wengryn, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture, who will participate in a panel discussion with growers and other experts about the state’s celebrated “Jersey Fresh” program.

Wakefern’s local produce summit is designed to meet increasing customer demand for locally sourced foods and provides a unique platform for farmers, suppliers, retailers and industry leaders to come together.

This year’s summit will also bring together Wakefern members, produce associates and more than 20 existing local suppliers, while introducing potential new growers to the cooperative. It reflects the continued power of collaboration between local agriculture and community-based retail.

Through its latest investment commitment to local growers, Wakefern hopes to source more produce from farms that operate in the states where its supermarket banners are located, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

About Wakefern Food Corp.
From a small, local cooperative that began with eight grocery store owners, Wakefern Food Corp. has grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States. Founded in 1946, the cooperative is made up of members who today independently own and operate hundreds of supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, Di Bruno Bros., and Morton Williams banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. For more information, please visit www.wakefern.com.