Apart from Diwali promotions and events, ShopRite has been engaging with the community in other ways as well
Our Bureau
New York
In an effort to court shoppers from the ever-growing Indian and South Asian community, ShopRite is committed to stocking its shelves with the staples used in Indian cooking.
ShopRite, a retailers’ cooperative of supermarkets, is a one-stop shop for all your needs. Whether it’s home products, groceries, gourmet cheese and meats, prepared foods, flowers or ethnic and Indian food, your neighborhood ShopRite has it all. Gone are the days when you had to schlep your way through the Indian and the American stores, doing your weekly groceries.
Participants of Shoprite Cooking Star contest. Nine contestants competed in the weekly cooking competition which was aired on Aapka Colors
An estimated 4 million Indian Americans make up 1.2% of the U.S. population. They are the largest group of South Asian Americans and the second largest group of Asian Americans after Chinese Americans. The state of New Jersey, and Middlesex County in Central New Jersey, are home to by far the highest per capita Indian American populations of any U.S. state or county, respectively, at 3.9% and 14.1%, by 2013 U.S. Census estimates.
In an effort to court shoppers from the ever-growing Indian and South Asian community, ShopRite is committed to stocking its shelves with the staples used in Indian cuisine. Whether it’s extra-hot chili powder, saffron, chapati flour and thin poha, or dry snacks and fresh lemon pickle, you will find them neatly stocked and prominently placed on the shelves in the ethnic foods aisle.
Teaming up with Renascent Media, the chain store has also been coming up with creative ideas to involve and assimilate with the South Asian American community.
For the last couple of years, ShopRite has been promoting specials for Diwali. This year, the company took a leap and sponsored a mega Diwali extravaganza at New York’s iconic Times Square. “South Asian community is a very important part of our community, and we want everyone to taste the Diwali Celebration with ShopRite,” the chain store said in a statement. The event aimed to bring the light of positivity in the lives of people especially since the dark days of the pandemic, and uplift the spirit of the community and share the message of love, togetherness, inclusion, and diversity. The festival showcased the ‘Colors of India’ featuring music and dance performances of different states of India, along with the performances by local and international talents. The highlight of the festival was the performance by superstar Jay Sean.
Apart from Diwali promotions and events, ShopRite has been engaging with the community in other ways as well. Last month also saw the innovative ShopRite Cooking Star contest. The weekly cooking competition was aired on Colors TV. Nine contestants competed for the title of ShopRite Cooking Star, which was eventually won by Milie Rajput.
On July 12, 2019, former Indian national cricket team captain and cricket world champion, Kapil Dev, who brought the World Cup home to India in 1982, paid a visit to ShopRite of North Brunswick to meet with fans and to pose for photos. Excited fans waited outside of the supermarket for the opportunity to pose for a picture with the cricket legend.
Other initiatives ShopRite has been involved with include the India Day Parade and Pakistan Day Parade.
But that’s not all, ShopRite stores are committed to helping neighbors in need throughout the communities served by their stores. ShopRite stores support local hunger fighting agencies throughout the northeast in communities served by ShopRite stores — through financial and food donations as well as through volunteerism. Since the program began in 1999, more than $40 million has been donated to local food banks.
All this makes ShopRite more than a one-stop place for buying American and Indian groceries. It’s a community.
