Wakefern Food Corp. is aiming to bring more local and regional products into its 380-plus supermarkets throughout the Northeast.

The Keasbey-based cooperative announced its 2027 local supplier summit June 16. The program offers growing brands a chance to showcase their products to key decision-makers and buyers from Wakefern’s family of supermarkets.

The co-op’s banners include ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, Di Bruno Bros., Morton Williams and Dearborn Market.

As a retailer-owned cooperative made up of many family-run grocery stores, Wakefern says supporting local businesses remains central to its mission.

Through its annual local supplier summit, Wakefern aims to discover standout, on-trend products and help emerging brands scale within its retail network. Previous winners have included sauces, spices, frozen meals, frozen desserts and healthy snacks.

For the latest summit, Wakefern will accept applications from companies across a range of categories, such as food, beverage, beauty, personal care, hygiene, baby, school, travel, pet and home. The organization also encourages suppliers involved with produce, meat, seafood, deli, foodservice and fresh baked goods to apply.

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Montville-based Day Out Snacks, one of the winners of Wakefern’s Local Supplier Summit in 2024, recently scored a national rollout at Target stores nationwide. Find out more here.

According to the co-op, applicants must be headquartered in states where Wakefern has supermarkets locations:

• New Jersey
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Rhode Island
• New Hampshire

Next steps

Those who qualify will receive an invitation to participate in virtual meetings with Wakefern in early August.

From there, 10 finalists will be chosen to present and pitch their products in person this fall for the opportunity to secure a minimum one-year placement at ShopRite stores. Wakefern noted that there is potential for expansion across additional Wakefern banners.

Applications are due by June 26. Click here for more information or to apply.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 12:37 p.m. June 18, 2026, to include the application due date.