The Fresh Grocer
| File:The Fresh Grocer logo.svg | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Grocery |
| Founded | 1996 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Founder | Patrick J. Burns |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 24 (2024) |
Area served | New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania |
Key people | Patrick J. Burns (president and CEO) |
Number of employees | 1,500 |
| Parent | Wakefern Food Corporation |
| Website | thefreshgrocer |
The Fresh Grocer is a grocery store chain with its corporate headquarters in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. It operates 24 outlets throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area, Scranton region, the greater Pittsburgh vicinity, northern New Jersey, and Long Island, New York. Originally launched in 1996 as an independent supermarket, it became part of the Wakefern Food Corporation cooperative in 2013.
History
Patrick J. Burns founded The Fresh Grocer in Philadelphia in 1996, establishing prominent urban stores on Chestnut and Broad Streets. The company joined the Wakefern Food Corporation cooperative in August 2013; during this transition, one location was converted to a ShopRite, while the remaining stores continued under The Fresh Grocer brand. The Wilmington, Delaware branch ceased operations in December 2019.
In March 2016, four additional Fresh Grocer stores were inaugurated at former Pathmark sites acquired through auction in Wyncote, Upper Darby Township, Brookhaven, and on Monument Avenue in Philadelphia.
Since 2001, the University of Pennsylvania had sought to remove The Fresh Grocer from its Walnut Street premises. After the store did not renew its lease in 2017, it was requested to vacate the property. The Fresh Grocer initiated legal action against the university to maintain its presence; currently, that location operates as an Acme Markets store.
In 2018, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf delivered remarks at The Fresh Grocer regarding plans to broaden overtime pay qualifications for salaried workers within the state.
The year 2019 saw Nicholas Markets—previously affiliated with the Foodtown chain—join the Wakefern cooperative and rebrand its stores as The Fresh Grocer, expanding the total number of locations to 13. By the end of 2022, Gerrity's Supermarkets transitioned ten stores from the ShurSave brand to The Fresh Grocer banner, increasing the total count to 23.
In 2024, The Fresh Grocer expanded into New York by opening a new 26,000-square-foot store at Lighthouse Commons shopping center on Montauk Highway in Oakdale. This site occupies a former Best Market location and is owned and operated by the Thompson family.