“With the majority of our perishables - meat, deli, bakery - there’s always a person on the other side of the counter who’s going to wait on you, get what you want, wrap it up and hand it to you. “We are an upscale, full-service grocery store and people who come here are coming, in part, for the experience,” says Timothy Devanney, whose family owns Highland Park. We aim to take the guesswork out of dinnertime for busy families.” Zach says.Īt Highland Park Market on Manchester Road, food shopping is less about stocking up on essentials and more about interacting with Highland Park’s food experts. “Grocery stores are much more sophisticated in their offerings today and we’re very proud of our diverse gourmet-to-go options. It has a large food prep area where associates cut fresh fruit, bake specialty pastries, make thin crust pizzas, and more. ShopRite of Tri-City Plaza in Vernon opened in March of 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic, the Cohen Family's third store. We're always steaming lobsters for our customers - We have full, robust scratch bakeries in our stores, fresh-cut fruit, sushi bars, made-to-order grinders and wraps, and hot bars with options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We also carry a variety of packaged meats, like local sausage from New Haven, and Bell & Evans chicken products. “We cut meat fresh every day in our stores. Also present is an extremely diverse assortment of spices and international food items to cater across all cultures and traditions. Expertly cooked filets of salmon with asparagus, racks of BBQ ribs, all types of pasta dishes, and more are all available to pick up on the way home from work.Ĭustomers can pick out a fresh cut of meat or fish in the Meat and Seafood departments, many of which are already seasoned with high-quality rubs and marinades. The rotisserie chicken was one of the first popular meal-to-go options (and remains so), but the ShopRite stores’ prepared food choices have evolved well beyond that. Our customers are busier than ever and convenience is paramount for many.” “We do our best to take the legwork out of having to prepare something for dinner. “We are always evolving our prepared food offerings,” says Zach Cohen, Director of Merchandising for Waverly Markets, owners of ShopRite stores in East Hartford/Glastonbury, Manchester and Vernon. Responding to an increasingly sophisticated shopper, today’s supermarkets offer diverse choices, from fresh-baked goods, on-site butcher services, gourmet heat-and-eat dinners, hot bars, sushi bars and a wide variety of ready-to-eat meals.
The first modern supermarket opened in New York City in 1930 and from that grocery store’s inauspicious beginnings supermarkets have evolved into a multi-level, one-stop shopping and culinary experience.