The Food Emporium
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Supermarket |
| Predecessor | Shopwell Inc. |
| Founded | 1919 |
| Founder | Louis Daitch |
Area served | New York and New Jersey regions |
Key people | Martin Rosengarten, Jay Rosengarten, Glen Rosengarten |
| Products | Premium, gourmet grocery stores |
| Parent | Key Food Stores Co-op, Inc. |
The Food Emporium is a supermarket chain serving the New York and New Jersey regions. Its origins lie in Shopwell Inc., which itself developed from Daitch Crystal Dairies, established in 1919 by Louis Daitch. The brand gained recognition for its premium, gourmet grocery stores. In 1986, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) acquired Shopwell Inc., facilitating the expansion of The Food Emporium brand across New York City, Westchester County, and Fairfield County, Connecticut. Throughout the 1990s, growth was achieved by converting existing A&P outlets and extending into New Jersey. However, heightened competition during the 2000s resulted in a downsizing focused mainly on Manhattan locations. At the time of A&P's 2015 liquidation, The Food Emporium operated 11 stores before being purchased by Key Food Stores Co-op, Inc., which currently manages thirteen stores under this name.
Foundational Years
The roots of The Food Emporium date back to 1919 when Louis Daitch founded Daitch Crystal Dairies, a publicly traded company on the American Stock Exchange. Initially concentrating on dairy distribution within New York City, the business transitioned into supermarket operations after World War II, experiencing significant growth during the 1950s. In 1955, Daitch merged its portfolio of 34 outlets with Shopwell Foods’ 18 supermarkets located in Westchester County; Shopwell was originally created by Sigmund Rosengarten, who shifted from butchery to retail. This merged entity expanded rapidly by opening new locations and acquiring the Diamond K chain.
By 1962, the combined store count reached 103; however, the company struggled with strategic direction. Attempts to diversify included launching Shop-Quik convenience stores and developing Shopwell Plaza in Westport, Connecticut, which featured a package liquor outlet. In 1973, the business rebranded as Shopwell Inc., under the leadership of Martin Rosengarten and his sons Jay and Glen. Expansion into Vermont and Massachusetts followed but proved financially unsuccessful; these divisions were divested in 1976 at an $800,000 loss.
A significant management overhaul took place in 1979 after discovering ambiguous reporting structures among executives—referred to as the "spaghetti chart." Leadership was streamlined from 33 vice presidents down to 12, with operational responsibilities delegated to Martin’s sons. The company prioritized profitability by closing poorly performing locations and reducing the chain to 65 stores. Market analysis revealed that Shopwell lacked a clear brand identity; customers tended to shop based on convenience rather than brand loyalty.
Introduction of Food Emporium in 1979
Amidst this contraction, the Rosengarten family identified an opportunity within affluent areas such as Manhattan's Upper East Side and Westchester County. Observing that upscale grocery retail was dominated by smaller specialty shops like Zabar's and Balducci's, they introduced the Food Emporium concept in 1979. This novel format integrated both conventional and specialty items on shared shelves, distinguishing itself from competitors who typically offered limited gourmet selections separately. The idea drew inspiration from innovators such as Byerly Foods in Minneapolis and aligned with emerging trends including Grand Union (supermarket)’s specialty initiatives in New York.
By 1983, Shopwell had transformed 17 out of its 55 stores into Food Emporium locations, with plans for seven additional conversions underway. Nevertheless, each store required approximately eighteen months to achieve profitability—twice the industry norm—resulting in expensive transitions. An attempt to penetrate the value market through a One-Stop Shop cash-and-carry outlet launched in 1984 was short-lived. These challenges contributed to a $3.4 million loss on $464 million in sales during 1985. After their father’s retirement, the Rosengarten brothers declared intentions to sell Shopwell in 1986.
A&P acquisition
In 1986, A&P purchased Shopwell for $64 million, acquiring a 91.5% stake in common shares along with 25 retail locations, three Value Center outlets, two distribution hubs, and a dairy facility. The key strategic advantage of this deal was incorporating the Food Emporium concept into A&P’s lineup. Having previously developed a comparable format known as "A&P Food Bazaar," the company discontinued that effort to prioritize the expansion of Food Emporium.
After A&P's 1985 purchase of the Canadian supermarket chain Dominion Foods, the Food Emporium brand was introduced in select Canadian stores throughout the mid-1990s to enhance market penetration.
Following its 1983 acquisition of Kohl's Food Stores in Wisconsin and Illinois, A&P rebranded several outlets as Kohl's Food Emporium and launched new stores under this banner. The Food Emporium concept remained integral to Kohl’s grocery operations until the chain ceased operations in 2003; this closure did not impact Kohl's department store business.
A&P bankruptcy and Key Food acquisition
A&P filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 12, 2010, and emerged from it on March 13, 2012. On September 11, 2012, the company revealed intentions to divest its 16 The Food Emporium locations to improve its financial standing. The brand struggled to attract major buyers; some stores were individually sold to Morton Williams and CVS, while leases for others were allowed to expire.
On July 20, 2015, A&P declared bankruptcy for a second time and proceeded with liquidation, selling most outlets to competitors and shuttering the remainder. At that point, The Food Emporium operated eleven stores in Manhattan and one in New Canaan, Connecticut. Nearly all sites were sold except for two underperforming Manhattan stores.
During the bankruptcy auction, Key Food Stores Co-op acquired The Food Emporium’s trademark, brand assets, website, and mobile application. Key Food also purchased four stores amid liquidation. Other locations were obtained by Morton Williams, Gristedes, and Acme Markets. Presently, affiliates of Key Food operate thirteen stores: three former Food Emporium locations previously owned by A&P and ten additional Key Food openings.
In popular culture
The Food Emporium is notable for its slogan from the late 1980s through early 1990s: "Someone Made a Store Just for Me".