Prime location: Whole Foods opening Parsippany store

Whole Foods Markets will up its store count here in New Jersey once again, with a new store set to open in Parsippany. As the company puts the finishing touches on the 47,000-square-foot store located at 60 Waterview Blvd., it is making plans for an opening day celebration at 9 a.m. Nov. 6. The first 500 customers will receive a custom Whole Foods Market Parsippany reusable tote bag.

“We can’t wait to welcome the Parsippany community into their new Whole Foods Market,” said Scott Earl, store team leader. “We’ve worked hard to create a store that our neighbors will love, from its responsibly-sourced, local, fresh and innovative product offerings, to its wide variety of grab-and-go options, to its in-store fast casual restaurant, Market Garden.”

Here are some of the special features you’ll find in the new store:

• Fresh produce department featuring seasonal fruits and vegetables and selections from more than 15 local growers as well as variety of items with Whole Foods Market’s Whole Trade Guarantee, which supports suppliers that are committed to ethical trade, working conditions and the environment;
• Full-service butcher department with a variety of ready-to-cook options, such as made-in-house sausages and freshly ground, dry aged and whiskey dry aged beef, as well as selections from seven local suppliers;
• Seafood department featuring fresh offerings from five local suppliers and a large selection of packaged and frozen fish, as well as in-house-made salmon burgers, stuffed salmon filets and lobster macaroni and cheese;
• Specialty foods section with a self-serve fresh pasta bar offering seasonal varieties and a selection of chocolates and cheeses featuring 30 local suppliers;
• Prepared foods department featuring a variety of self-serve hot and cold food bars, including stations for in-house-made signature sandwiches, pizza, rotisserie chickens, sushi, stir fry noodles, and Dish & Saucery, which features seasonal proteins and sides for a taste of home cooking on the go;
• Full-service coffee and tea bar offering nitro cold brew and tea and a variety of signature drinks; 
• Build-your-own acai bowl station and a self-serve juice bar with six juice blends on tap; 
• Beauty and body care department featuring products from 15 local suppliers;
• Market Garden, an in-store fast casual restaurant featuring artisanal salads, sandwiches and soups with indoor and outdoor seating.

The Amazon-owned grocery chain will also roll out some new benefits for customers. In addition to some benefits that Amazon Prime members who shop at Whole Foods Market already have, like discounts on dozens of select popular products each week and an additional 10% off many in-store sale items, now, eligible Prime members will receive 5% back on Whole Foods Market purchases when using the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card.

To celebrate joining the community, the company announced that 5% of the store’s net sales on opening day will benefit the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, an organization that aims to protect, restore and enhance the water and other natural and cultural resources of the New Jersey Highlands for the benefit of all citizens and businesses in the state of New Jersey.

Whole Foods Market Parsippany will employ approximately 200 full- and part-time team members, and the store will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. 

Whole Foods Market has 20 additional stores in New Jersey. 

Conversation Starter

For more information, visit wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/parsippany.

Ship comes in: UltraShipTMS lands deal with Country Fresh

UltraShipTMS, based in Fair Lawn, recently announced the latest addition to its portfolio of food shipping customers. A member of the Fresh Food Group, Country Fresh is a leading provider of fresh-cut fruit, apple slices, vegetables and snacking solutions in a variety of blends, sizes and packaging options. With eight facilities across the U.S. and three in Canada, the Fresh Food Group provides full-service fresh solutions for retail, food service, club and convenience stores, including merchandising and category support.

Country Fresh is just the latest high-volume food shipper to select UltraShipTMS to implement its award-winning platform, a logistics information technology solution favored by increasing numbers of agricultural producers, processors, national restaurant chains and other food shipping organizations. Country Fresh joins other companies using the UltraShipTMS platform, such as Blue Line Foodservice Distributors, Castellini Cos., Perdue Farms, Tyson Foods, Aurora Organic Dairy, KeHE Distributors, Giorgio Foods Xpress and others.

UltraShipTMS Vice President of Sales & Marketing Anthony Vitiello expressed readiness and excitement for a new customer implementation, saying: “We’re thrilled to welcome Country Fresh Foods as the newest member of the UltraShipTMS family of food shipping users. We’re confident Country Fresh will reap the significant level of benefits being enjoyed by the swelling list of food shipping companies using UltraShipTMS.”

Congratulations to Anthony Vitiello and the team at UltraShipTMS for “bringing on board” the new business.

Find out more about the company at: ultrashiptms.com.

They’ve got the goods: NJFC hosts annual celebration of government

Every year around this time, as the November elections approach, the New Jersey Food Council brings together elected officials, candidates for local government and members of New Jersey’s food retail community to break bread and discuss important issues. This year, the council, celebrating its 50th anniversary, hosted the 46th Annual “Good Government” Breakfast on Oct 2. at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township. 

There was no shortage of pressing topics at the morning gathering, as nearly 200 state lawmakers and food industry leaders discussed key business issues and honored industry professionals and policy makers making a huge difference for New Jersey consumers.

Attendees — including more than 40 state legislators — learned about the statewide rollout of the “Choose to ReUse NJ” campaign, developed by the Food Council and the New Jersey Clean Communities Council. The focus is to educate consumers about the need to bring their own reusable bags to the store, rather than plastic and paper bags that often become litter or garbage.

The annual event was sponsored by the Food Council Committee for Good Government, a nonprofit political action committee that aids and promotes the election of state lawmakers who support the priorities of food retailers. 

“Today, our food distribution industry is feeling an enormous amount of pressure from Trenton, but, remember, Food Council members are the anchor of our communities,” said Phil Scaduto, vice president of Foodtown/Food Circus Supermarkets and chairman of the committee.

Additionally, in light of the fact that all 80 seats in the state Assembly will be on the ballots on Nov. 5, the breakfast featured comments from both Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) and Deputy Assembly Speaker Dan Benson (D-Hamilton Square), both of whom stressed the need for better civic discourse and bipartisanship. Both also underscored the economic importance of the food industry in New Jersey.

Applause to Linda Doherty, president of the NJFC, and her team at this powerful food lobbying organization, which has such an important mission in the New Jersey food retailing industry. 

For more information about the New Jersey Food Council, go to: njfoodcouncil.com, or to learn more about this “Choose to ReUse NJ” campaign, visit choosetoreusenj.com.