Wakefern Food Corp., the New Jersey-based retailer-owned grocery cooperative behind ShopRite and Fairway Market, has struck an agreement to acquire Morton Williams Supermarkets, a respected family-owned chain operating 17 locations in the New York City metro area. The deal was announced in early August and is expected to close by the end of September. Under the terms of the agreement, Wakefern plans to continue operating the stores under the Morton Williams banner. Th president of Wakefern’s wholly owned subsidiary PRRC, Inc., Kevin McDonnell, will lead the transition and oversee day-to-day operations. Wakefern President Mike Stigers described the acquisition as an opportunity to extend the legacy of Morton Williams while enriching the business with Wakefern’s private-label products and value offerings. Chairman Sean McMenamin emphasized the move aligns with the cooperative’s strategic growth plan to expand wholesale distribution and market reach.
For Morton Williams, a supermarket chain founded in 1952 by brothers Joe and Irving Sloan and now run by the third generation, the acquisition offers sustainability amid intensifying competition from larger chains such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Wegmans. Avi Kaner, speaking for the Sloan-Kaner family, called the move a fitting match of two family-owned businesses, both rooted in neighborhood grocer traditions, and expressed confidence in Wakefern’s stewardship. The transition is set against a backdrop of industry consolidation and growing operating pressures. Morton Williams employs over 1,000 workers, many of them unionized. Upon completion of the acquisition, Wakefern’s operational network will span more than 360 stores under multiple banners across nine states. The acquisition enhances its presence in the New York metro market while preserving the Morton Williams brand and customer experience that has defined the chain for decades.
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