CLEVELAND — Price Chopper/Market 32 in Schenectady, N.Y. and Tops Friendly Markets in Williamsville, N.Y… announced today that they will host a Local Supplier Summit to provide opportunities for all local food, beverage, wellness, beauty, and general merchandise suppliers to collaborate with the two New York state-based grocers. The event, set to take place in Buffalo, N.Y. on Tuesday, Nov. 14 and in Schenectady, N.Y. on Thursday, Nov. 16, will provide entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with the chains’ decision-makers, share their products, and receive feedback with the ultimate goal of being stocked on local shelves of some of the combined chains’ nearly 300 stores in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.

While both Tops and Price Chopper/Market 32 have long supported the local economy through their commitment to bring locally grown, produced, and manufactured products to market, this Summit marks their first collaborative and proactive effort to expand local circles of supply since their merger under parent company Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI).

“Many suppliers connect with us through industry channels. This Summit broadens those channels to ensure that we are considering as many high-quality local suppliers as are interested in the possibility of partnering with us,” said Blaine Bringhurst, president, Price Chopper/Market 32.

All sourcing and product submissions will be made through RangeMe, the industry-standard online product discovery and sourcing platform operated by ECRM. Applications for participation in the Summit will be accepted through Sept. 25, 2023, at https://www.rangeme.com/pricechoppertopslocalsummit.

ECRM will qualify suppliers, create curated meeting schedules, and facilitate face-to-face meetings with Tops and Price Chopper/Market 32 category business managers so that suppliers can introduce new and innovative products into the marketplace. ECRM’s dedicated support team is available to address questions about the application process via [email protected].

“Supporting local has always been at the core of our business practices and this only further enhances that commitment to the communities we serve,” said Ron Ferri, president, Tops Friendly Markets. “We’re excited to launch this new initiative and anticipate an outpouring of local entrepreneurs who have been waiting for a moment like this to connect with the right people in our business. We can’t wait to meet and form new partnerships.”