New Jersey Food Council

08/12/2026

- This week we're excited to welcome International Spice as a new member. The company has proudly served retail , boutique shops, distributors, and fine dining establishments across the United States. They are SQF Certified, FDA approved, and kosher certified. Their expertise lies in , custom blends, specialty , and curated gift sets.

International Spice offers flexible packaging options to suit your needs, including pouches, multi-packs, gift sets, and bulk containers – all designed to meet your brand’s unique requirements. They would love to assist you with your project and help grow your brand, and can get you running quicker than you think!

07/17/2026

We are proud to Mary Demos of Whole Foods Market and Jonathan D'Orsi of ShopRite of Carteret to our Board of Directors! We also extend our deepest thanks to Len Sitar for nearly 50 years of exceptional and , the longest Board tenure in NJFC history. Read more from The Shelby Report:

NJFC elected Mary Demos and Jonathan D'Orsi to its board as Len Sitar steps down after nearly 50 years, the longest tenure in NJFC history.

07/15/2026

- We're excited to welcome Formica Freitag Bakery & Cafe as a new member this week. Founded in Atlantic City in 1919, by Francesco and Rosa Formica, the company is a fourth-generation family that has been producing premium breads and for more than 100 years. For over a century, Formica Freitag Bread is famously known for being made with America’s Purest Water from New Jersey’s renowned Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer. Best known for its legendary Atlantic City sub rolls, the company supplies restaurants, delis, casinos, retailers, and distributors throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, other surrounding states, and soon to be distributed nationally.

In addition to its signature rolls, Formica offers a wide variety of , sandwich rolls, buns, pizza products, flat breads, and custom solutions, with fresh, frozen, along with par-baked and fully baked-frozen options designed to meet the needs of retailers, restaurants, distributors, and foodservice operators.

To learn more about Formica Freitag Bakery's wholesale products, delivery network, retail offerings, or custom baking capabilities, please contact Frank D. Formica at [email protected] or (609) 839-3904. You can also visit their website to learn more about the company's products, history, and partnership opportunities.

07/08/2026

This year, the NJFC Educational Development Foundation was incredibly proud to provide 32 scholarships totaling $102,500 to outstanding accomplished . "The overall goal of this program is to invest in and provide for the hardworking families and associates who are the foundation of New Jersey’s ,” said NJFC CEO & President Linda Doherty. Join us in congratulating the 2026 recipients!

The New Jersey Food Council’s (NJFC) Educational Development Scholarship Foundation recently held a virtual reception with the winners of $102,500 in scholarships.

07/08/2026

This week we're excited to welcome Gasket Guy of North Jersey as a new member. The company has been and installing commercial door for more than 20 years and is the largest gasket and in the United States. They help , operators, centers, restaurants, and other businesses reduce cold-air loss, frost buildup, temperature issues, product spoilage exposure, and unnecessary strain on refrigeration — all by addressing one of the most overlooked but important parts of the cold chain: the door .

Gasket Guy is built to make gasket replacement simple, documented, and easy to manage. Their team inspects cooler and freezer doors, identifies failed or borderline gaskets, and offers free quarterly preventative maintenance checks to help operators stay ahead of small issues before they turn into larger refrigeration problems. Gasket Guy also works cooperatively with refrigeration contractors, facility teams, and third-party work order platforms, making it easy to fit into existing vendor workflows rather than disrupt them. Nationally, the company is connected with more than 15,000 customers through third-party work order systems, including ServiceChannel, Corrigo and EcoTrak, and has experience serving grocery and brands such as Costco, Walmart, , Food Lion, Superior Grocers, Target Distribution Center, The Kroger Co., and .

06/10/2026

- We're excited to welcome Clear Demand as a new member this week. The company is a platform built for regional and retailers. They bring competitive intelligence, price optimization, and promotion planning into one system, so pricing and merchandising teams can watch their come to life. More than providing recommendations, ClearDemand identifies what happened after every decision and uses machine learning, so the next recommendation is sharper than the last.

The platform provides one place to see what competitors charge across every store, SKU, and zone, to set prices grounded in demand science and your own business rules, and to plan promotions built on forecasts instead of gut feel. Guiding all of it is the company's co-pilot designed to identify blind spots, explain the reasoning behind every recommendation, and act on decisions within the strategic guardrails your team sets. ClearDemand serves 30+ grocery and banners on the platform, who've seen up to 20% gross profit uplift and 100+ hours a week returned to their teams. The company is an IDC MarketScape Leader in retail price optimization for 2025-26.

06/03/2026

"Millions of New Jersey families count on these loyalty programs to stretch their grocery budgets." A powerful message in Food World/ Food Trade News from NJFC President & CEO Linda Doherty on why proposed legislation could have unintended consequences for New Jersey shoppers. Read More Here:

New Jersey lawmakers have to get this one right...

06/02/2026

We had a really incredible "Night of Distinction" celebrating four industry leaders: Anthony Calandra of Calandra's Bakery and Restaurants, Jim Dorey of Inserra Supermarkets, Ronald S. Murphy of Murphy's Fresh Markets and Colleen Wegman of Wegmans. Click to see the photo album of our amazing night:

May 20, 2026 The Palace at Somerset Park Somerset, NJ

05/27/2026

- This week we welcome Food Sign Pros as a new member. For over 25 years, the company has helped retailers, , and operations improve performance at the point of purchase with heat-safe, food-grade signage and labeling solutions built for real-world environments. Under new ownership led by Christopher Toppi, the company is continuing to strengthen its commitment to , customer experience, and dependable service throughout the industry.

More than just a sign company, Food Sign Pros provides solutions designed to support , improve food presentation, streamline operations, and help businesses sell more food safely. Their patented products are built to withstand the demanding conditions of foodservice while delivering a professional and effective customer experience.

05/27/2026

Thanks to BINJE for sharing our Night of Distinction honoring four industry leaders: Anthony Calandra of Calandra's Bakery and Restaurants, Jim Dorey of Inserra Supermarkets, Ronald S. Murphy of Murphy's Fresh Markets and Colleen Wegman of Wegmans. Click to see the highlights:

Explore the New Jersey Food Council's Night of Distinction celebrating industry leaders and networking for grocery executives.