Two female entrepreneurs will see their products hit ShopRite shelves, marking the culmination of their participation in Wakefern Food Corp.’s Total Store Local Supplier Summit in 2024. Becky Dheri and Sarah Hartmann, winners of Wakefern’s summit, exemplify the passion and dedication that Wakefern values in its local suppliers.
Becky Dheri, a pharmacist turned food entrepreneur from Fair Haven, founded Day Out in 2019 to provide convenient, healthy snacks that combine homemade flavor with nutrient-dense ingredients. Her bite-sized protein balls, naturally sweetened and available in flavors like cinnamon bun and brownie batter, are marketed for health-conscious individuals.
Sarah Hartmann, based in Oneonta, N.Y., founded Vesucre to bring plant-based frozen desserts to life. Her vegan treats are without dairy, soy, gluten and refined sugar. Wakefern says Vesucre distinguishes itself through its commitment to sustainability as a zero-waste company and its dedication to empowering neurodiverse individuals within its workforce.
Dheri and Hartmann stood out during Wakefern’s Total Store Local Supplier Summit, a program designed to identify and support local suppliers who create exceptional products. Both entrepreneurs impressed the judges with their creations while displaying their strong ties to their communities through their women-owned businesses.
Those qualities earned their products a place at ShopRite and, potentially, other Wakefern Food Corp. supermarket banners. Wakefern is the largest retailer-owned supermarket cooperative in the U.S. with family-owned member companies that operate stores under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Di Bruno Bros., Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners.
