Price Chopper/Market 32 in Schenectady, N.Y., and Tops Friendly Markets in Williamsville, N.Y., announced that they will host a Local Supplier Summit to provide opportunities for all local food, beverage, wellness, beauty, and general merchandise suppliers to collaborate with the two New York state-based grocers.
The event is set to take place in Buffalo, N.Y., on Tuesday, Nov. 14, and in Schenectady, N.Y., on Thursday, Nov. 16.
The summit will provide entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with the chains’ decision-makers, share their products, and receive feedback with the ultimate goal of being stocked on local shelves of some of the combined chains’ nearly 300 stores in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.
This event marks Tops Friendly Markets and Price Chopper/Market 32 first collaborative and proactive effort to expand local circles of supply since their merger under parent company Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI).
“Many suppliers connect with us through industry channels. This summit broadens those channels to ensure that we are considering as many high-quality local suppliers as are interested in the possibility of partnering with us,” said Blaine Bringhurst, president of Price Chopper/Market 32.
Related Article: Northeast Grocery, Parent Company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets, Strengthens its Executive Team
All sourcing and product submissions will be made through RangeMe, the industry-standard online product discovery and sourcing platform operated by ECRM. Applications for participation in the Summit will be accepted through Sept. 25, 2023, at https://www.rangeme.com/pricechoppertopslocalsummit.
ECRM will qualify suppliers, create curated meeting schedules, and facilitate face-to-face meetings with Tops and Price Chopper/Market 32 category business managers so that suppliers can introduce new and innovative products into the marketplace.
ECRM’s dedicated support team is available to address questions about the application process via [email protected].
“Supporting local has always been at the core of our business practices, and this only further enhances that commitment to the communities we serve,” said Ron Ferri, president of Tops Friendly Markets. “We’re excited to launch this new initiative and anticipate an outpouring of local entrepreneurs who have been waiting for a moment like this to connect with the right people in our business. We can’t wait to meet and form new partnerships!”
Headquartered in Schenectady, NY, Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI) is the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets, which collectively operate nearly 300 supermarkets across New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire and employ more than 30,000 teammates/associates.