Listen to this article

Wakefern Food Corp. will move forward with a reorganization that it expects to impact nearly 80 positions. The move comes as part of a broader shake-up of the organization’s sales and marketing operations.

Under the plan, the Keasbey-based retail cooperative will replace 79 existing jobs with 73 new roles. The moves are both within the company and at an outside media agency, according to Wakefern Chief Communications Officer Karen Meleta

Through the restructuring, Wakefern will create 54 new internal jobs to offer exclusively to impacted employees. Another 19 positions will be available at Wakefern’s outside media partner Quad, Meleta said in a statement.

The changes take effect May 16, according to Meleta.

Since its founding in 1946, Wakefern has grown from eight independent grocers in New Jersey into a cooperative of 380-plus supermarkets across the Northeast. Its banners span ShopRite, Morton Williams, Di Bruno Bros., Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market.

Across its stores, Wakefern employs nearly 80,000 associates.

Changing times

Meleta said the restructuring “reflects how Wakefern has grown and changed” over the years. It also “reflects a shift in how we communicate with our customers.”

“The continued growth of our digital and social media marketing has reshaped how our advertising, content development and circular are created and delivered,” she said.

“Nearly two decades ago, Wakefern’s advertising and circular production was handled by a third-party agency when it was decided to bring that function in-house. In response to evolving business needs, and consistent with earlier approaches, Wakefern has now decided to move that function to media agency Quad,” she explained. “There will be no disruption to circular production; work will continue as usual.

This change allows Wakefern to focus on more strategic, customer-facing and sales-building work that helps our business continue to grow.
—Karen Meleta, chief communications officer, Wakefern

“This change allows Wakefern to focus on more strategic, customer-facing and sales-building work that helps our business continue to grow.”

Meleta said the co-op believes most impacted employees “will choose to accept new roles within Wakefern or the third-party agency but except some may see this transition as a chance to pursue a new path.”

“Our goal is to retain as many team members as possible – either continuing at Wakefern in their new roles, without interruption, or transitioning to Quad,” she said.