News Briefs | Progressive Grocer

Retailer cooperative Wakefern Food Corp., the logistics, merchandising and distribution arm for ShopRite stores, has revealed that several associates in its corporate and retail organizations have received the 2022 YWCA Tribute to Women and Industry (TWIN) Award.

Winners this year from Wakefern and ShopRite were (left to right in photo) Wakefern’s Jami Espinosa, category manager, produce, Cooper City, Fla., and Maxine Nigro, pharmacy systems and support supervisor, Gillette, N.J., and ShopRite’s Jessica Valentino, controller for Cherry Hill, N.J.-based Ravitz Family Markets, and Amanda Fischer, marketing, business development and outreach manager for Springfield, N.J.-based Village Super Market.

The YWCA TWIN Award recognizes the achievements and significant contributions made by women within their industries in managerial, executive, supervisory and/or professional roles, and is hosted by the YWCA Union County, a Kenilworth, N.J.-based nonprofit organization. The awards also honor businesses whose policies and practices encourage high achievement by women and that promote equal advancement opportunities for women of diverse backgrounds. The virtual awards ceremony will be livestreamed on May 6.

The largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative in the United States. Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern comprises nearly 50 members that independently own and operate 363 supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Together with its member companies, Wakefern employs nearly 80,000 people. The company is No. 23 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 listing of North America’s top food and consumables retailers in North America. ShopRite, a registered trademark of Wakefern, has nearly 280 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, serving millions of customers each week.