QUINCY, Mass.- With summer finally in full swing, and fresh fruits and vegetables in season, there is no better time to stock up and enjoy locally grown produce.
In partnership with more than 41 farmers, an array of farm fresh produce grown within nearby communities can now be found at all Stop & Shop stores. Among the popular local produce items that are currently in season and available at Stop & Shop include corn, tomatoes, green beans, mushrooms, squash, blueberries, cucumbers and green peppers.
“Stop & Shop has a long history of partnering with local farmers to provide our customers with the best seasonal produce,” said Jack Keane, director of produce and floral merchandising for Stop & Shop New England. “Through these partnerships, we are able to get fruits and vegetables from the fields to our stores quickly to ensure quality and freshness. When you buy local produce from Stop & Shop, you know you are getting the freshest product.”
On Saturday, July 26th, Stop & Shop New England will host a "Here We Grow" event at all of its 213 stores from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate locally grown produce. Children attending the event will receive a “Buy Local” canvas bag, coloring book and seed packets will supplies last.
Stop by Stop & Shop’s Beverly, Mass. (224 Elliott Street), Somerset, Mass., Newport, RI (250 Bellevue Ave.), or Cromwell, Conn., locations to meet a local farmer whose farm fresh crops are delivered right to area Stop & Shop’s. Select stores will also be featuring produce sampling from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Stop & Shop bean bag toss games.
All Stop & Shop stores feature a fun photo cutout in the produce department. Customers are encouraged to snap a photo of themselves or their family with the cutout and post to Stop & Shop’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/stopandshop, now through the end of July for a chance to win a $25 gift card and a canvas bag. Two winners will be drawn each week.
Customers can visit www.stopandshop.com/local to find complete information about Stop & Shop’s local produce including, recipes and cooking tips for fresh summer produce, a complete list and map of where the produce is from and videos of featured local farmers such as Wally Czajkowski. Czajkowski’s “Plainville Farm” in Hadley, Massachusetts has provided Stop & Shop with fresh produce since 1978.
Stop & Shop has been a leader in the buy local movement for many years, supporting local farmers and manufacturers in the states where they operate stores. When customers and retailers purchase produce from within their own communities, local farmers benefit as money and resources stay within that community.
About Stop & Shop
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC employs approximately 59,000 associates and operates 395 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. The company helps support local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer and promote general health and wellness – with emphasis on children’s educational and support programs. In its commitment to be a sustainable company, Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA’s Smart Way program and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold company. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit www.stopandshop.com or www.facebook.com/stopandshop.
Source: Stop & Shop