Inserra Supermarkets Expands Partnerships with Local Farmers

MAHWAH, N.J. - Feb. 1, 2017 - PRLog -- This year, Inserra Supermarkets is expanding its partnerships with New Jersey farmers, bringing locally-sourced produce to all of its ShopRite stores. In New Jersey, the family-owned chain's 17 ShopRites are located in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic Counties, and in New York, the company has 5 stores in Rockland County.

"On an ever increasing basis, our customers are seeking locally-sourced produce that has been conventionally or organically farmed," said Eric Beelitz, director of produce of Inserra Supermarkets. "We are proud to offer our customers the best of the best from local growers while supporting the hard-working farming community."

Inserra Supermarkets recently hosted a Farmer Appreciation Event at the Capital Grille in Paramus, N.J. Honored attendees included Jim, Sr., Jim, Jr., Anna, and Pam of the Abma family of Abma's Farm in Wyckoff; Rob Guarino of Guarino Sons Produce in West Deptford; Mikey Azzara of Zone 7 in Ringoes; Guy Matro of Winslow Junction Farm in Winslow; Anthony Scordo of Scordo Farm in Hammonton; George Cassaday of Cassaday Farms in Monroeville; Santo Maccherone of Circle M Farms in Salem; and Neil Pastore of Pastore Orchards in Hammonton, among numerous other leadership members of these farms.

In 1954, Patsy Inserra opened Inserra Supermarkets' first grocery store in Lyndhurst. Today, under the direction of the Inserra family's third and fourth generations and Ron Onorato, president and COO, the company is well-known for its mission "to care deeply about people and help them to eat well and be happy."

"We have the utmost respect for the local farming community," said Lindsey Inserra, vice president of marketing and corporate retail health and wellness of the family-owned chain, which is based in Mahwah. "Many of the farms and produce distributors have been in families for generations just like our company. Because of that, they understand the commitment to quality, service and value that is inherent in our 'from our family to yours' foundation and mirror it."

Abma's Farm and Inserra Supermarkets: Farm to Table in One Day

Inserra Supermarkets has a long-standing partnership with Abma's Farm, Bergen County's only produce and poultry farm which has been in the Abma family for four generations. For years, Inserra Supermarkets has sold Abma's produce in some of its ShopRite locations, and, in 2017, will increase offerings, particularly Abma's sweet corn, to all of its stores. "We are appreciative of Inserra Supermarkets and pleased to expand our partnership with them going forward," noted Jim Abma, Jr.

"Last summer, Abma's Farm would pick the corn at 4 a.m. and deliver it to our stores the same morning," said Beelitz. "The corn would often be on our customers' dinner tables in the evening. That is farm to table at its finest. Our customers could taste the freshness and couldn't get enough of it."

Inserra Supermarkets primarily sources its organic produce and herbs from Zone 7, a distributor that works with 120+ sustainable farms 52 weeks a year. Zone 7 was founded on the aim to make produce more affordable and accessible. Inserra Supermarkets also partners with Guarino Sons Produce, Inc., a family-owned and operated wholesale produce distributor.

"We are in constant communication with Abma's Farm as well as all of our local growers and distributors in order to better understand the current harvest season and best serve our customers," added Beelitz. Under Beelitz's direction with that of the Inserra leadership team, the company has turned produce into one of its signature departments.

On a regular basis, Inserra's in-store dietitians host "Produce Pick" events featuring locally-sourced items and offering health tips on incorporating more fruits and vegetables into one's diet. The company has registered dietitians at 14 of its 22 stores and continues to expand its In-store Dietitian Program. In addition to servingasfreenutritionandwellnessresourcesatthestoresonadailybasis, the dietitians host an array of programs,includingcooking workshops,nutritioncounselingsessionsand weight managementclasses, among many others.