KEASBEY, NJ - Fresh produce partnerships are a cornerstone of the industry. These fruitful relationships are truly what make the produce world go round, and Wakefern is dialing in on that freshness with a new partnership. The retailer-owned grocery cooperative is teaming up with Solutions for Retail Brands (S4RB), a global, consulting-led software business, to provide new information-sharing software for Wakefern and its own brand vendors and expand its operations.
“We are excited to join forces with S4RB and are confident the new platform will help us continue to elevate our own brand lines—and ultimately benefit our cooperative, retail members, and shoppers,” said Chris Skyers, Vice President of Own Brands at Wakefern. “We believe this will accelerate our ability to continually create innovative products that offer incredible quality and value for our customers.”
In November, Wakefern launched two new signature store brands, Bowl & Basket and Paperbird, which are available at ShopRite and select other banners in the cooperative. The launch kicked off a transformation of the supermarket’s own brands with newly designed and carefully crafted products that are anticipated to include over 3,500 newly branded products by the end of 2021.
According to a press release, S4RB’s Affinity platform will allow Wakefern to use a proprietary online portal and database to provide real-time data and analytics, enabling the retailer to collaborate with new and existing vendor partners and continue to grow its own brand portfolio. The platform will integrate with existing Wakefern systems through all stages of its private brand process, from the development and launch of new products to product sales and post-purchase reviews.
“This new software will help Wakefern identify the best and most innovative suppliers and work with them to deliver on brand strategy,” said James Butcher, CEO of S4RB. “This platform allows Wakefern to work with suppliers as one team with improved communications, information sharing, and support.”
As retailers continue to explore private branding, the innovation circle will keep expanding to meet consumer needs. As such, supplier relationships and product branding are two conversations that are continuing to be discussed within the industry. How will the conversation drive change? ANUK will continue to report on the latest.
