Staten Island-based Key Food Stores Co-op, Inc. is a cooperative of independently owned supermarkets which are found in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The cooperative also operates stores under the Key Food Marketplace, Key Fresh & Natural, Food Dynasty, Urban Market, Food World, Food Universe Marketplace, SuperFresh, and former A&P banner The Food Emporium. This past Thursday, Michelle Gissi, Key Food’s integrated marketing manager announced the launch a new private brand called Urban Meadow designed to optimize and consolidate their private brand portfolio. The announcement came as a part or the cooperative’s annual Vendor Summit.
The new brand debuted recently with a limited number of peanut butter SKUs in 20 stores, Gissi said. If that test proves successful — “and we believe it will be,” Gissi remarked — the company will roll out the name on a category-by-category basis throughout 2017, beginning with items such as olive oils, that are due for repackaging.
According to Gissi the brand could eventually replace a tiered selection of Key Food-branded shelf-stable and fresh items.
