The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC), the state’s largest organization of food retailers and suppliers, turned 50 years old in 2019.
NJFC members commemorated the historic occasion on December 5 with a 5 with a celebration & reunion at the Park Chateau Estate & Gardens in East Brunswick.
“This event is more than just celebrating our history but creating our next chapter with members who continue to carry the torch for a healthy and prosperous NJ food distribution industry,” said Linda Doherty, NJFC’s longest serving President. “There are so many accomplishments and achievements over the past 50 years and members where eager to celebrate together.”
The evening’s highlights included a video of the association’s rich 50 year history, a
3-dimensional baked cake of the gold dome of the State House that stood nearly 6’ high donated by Calandra’s Bakery and Coke bottles specially labeled to commemorate the anniversary by Liberty Coke.
Doherty added, “We are so grateful for the support of our sponsors because 100% of the ticket sale proceeds from the celebration raised $25,000 for our Educational Scholarship fund.”
Richard Saker of Saker ShopRite, concluding his term as NJFC Chairman shared with the crowd, “The New Jersey Food Council was conceived in my father’s living room in 1969, a time when New Jersey’s supermarket industry lacked a strong, unified voice.” His father, Joseph Saker was among the NJFC’s founding members, along with Alan Bildner of Kings Supermarkets and Joe Azzolina of Food Circus Foodtown, an elected member of the State General Assembly.
“It is the vision of our Founding Fathers that has held this organization together all these years. It continues to guide us in 2019 – a time of challenges, but also of major accomplishments,” Saker added.
Doherty agrees, highlighting NJFC’s progress this year on legislation regarding issues of direct importance to the grocery industry.
This organization is incredibly well-positioned to influence policy in New Jersey, which is why the NJFC is consistently one of the `Top 25’ most influential lobbying organizations in Trenton, according to several NJ business publications.
“None of this progress would have been possible without our active and engaged member partners,” she said. “This is a special time to reflect on our hard work over five decades and I think our founding father would agree Job Well Done.”