Wakefern Food Careers in Edison, NJ

Following World War II, the end of food rationing and the lifting of price controls marked the beginning of a challenging time for the independent grocer. During the war, customer loyalty to independent grocers was strong, but afterward, the bigger self-service supermarkets were offering a wider selection at lower prices, and frugal shoppers took notice.In 1946, in an effort to assist these struggling grocers, a sales representative from Del Monte Foods introduced eight independent grocers from Newark, New Jersey, to the concept of cooperative buying. Collectively purchasing products in large quantities at a lower cost allowed these grocers to offer their customers the same goods at a competitive price. Pleased with the results, on December 5, 1946, this cooperative relationship was formalized.