Partnerships make the world go around, especially in the specialty foods industry. Recently working to fortify its industry presence, Wakefern has formed a new strategic alliance. Teaming up with Solutions for Retail Brands (S4RB), a global, consulting-led software business, Wakefern will be able to provide new information-sharing software for its brand vendors while expanding its operations.
“We are excited to join forces with S4RB and are confident the new platform will help us continue to elevate our own brand lines—and ultimately benefit our cooperative, retail members, and shoppers,” said Chris Skyers, Vice President of Own Brands at Wakefern. “We believe this will accelerate our ability to continually create innovative products that offer incredible quality and value for our customers.”
In November, Wakefern launched two new signature store brands, Bowl & Basket and Paperbird, which are available at ShopRite and select other banners in the cooperative. The launch kicked off a transformation of the supermarket’s own brands with newly designed and carefully crafted products that are anticipated to include over 3,500 newly branded products by the end of 2021.
According to a press release, S4RB’s Affinity platform will allow Wakefern to use a proprietary online portal and database to provide real-time data and analytics, enabling the retailer to collaborate with new and existing vendor partners and continue to grow its own brand portfolio. The platform will integrate with existing Wakefern systems through all stages of its private brand process, from the development and launch of new products to product sales and post-purchase reviews.
“This new software will help Wakefern identify the best and most innovative suppliers and work with them to deliver on brand strategy,” said James Butcher, CEO of S4RB. “This platform allows Wakefern to work with suppliers as one team with improved communications, information sharing, and support.”
Supplier relationships are essential, and new partnerships will continue to pop up as a result. What will be the next alliance for Wakefern? Follow along with us at Deli Market News to find out.
