Pathmark Store Boasts Bigger, Better Kosher Selection

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. (A&P) has completely renovated its Bergenfield, N.J., Pathmark store, which now features an expanded kosher foods section with a meat department overseen by a certified mashgiach. With three times the previous assortment of kosher products and the availability of fresh kosher meat and seafood, the upgraded Bergenfield location is a one-stop-shop for kosher shoppers, according to Montvale, N.J.-based A&P.

The 54,000 square-foot-store, which also carries a wide assortment of non-kosher products, including specialty brands, was overhauled to make shopping easier for local residents. “We are committed to serving kosher customers in the Bergenfield community,” noted A&P President and CEO Sam Martin. “This remodeled store offers added convenience, a friendlier store environment, and a wider selection of items to meet the specific preferences of our neighborhood shoppers.”

“From fresh glatt kosher meats to an expanded assortment of kosher grocery items, this revamped store puts everything kosher right at our customers’ fingertips,” added Barry Eizik, kosher category manager at A&P, which operates 336 stores in six states under the A&P, Waldbaum's, Pathmark, Best Cellars, The Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, Superfresh and Food Basics banners.

The Bergenfield Pathmark now offers such prepared kosher foods as egg rolls, fried chicken, stuffed cabbage rolls, kugel and knishes. Customers can also purchase kosher appetizers, including a new assortment of kosher cheeses, and the re-merchandised kosher bakery carries kosher bread and a huge selection of kosher sweets like chocolate and cinnamon babka.

For further convenience, the store is open 24 hours a day and staffed by specially trained associates who are knowledgeable about the store’s kosher offerings. In accordance with community practices, the kosher meat, deli and seafood departments close two hours before sundown on Fridays and remain closed all day Saturday, the Jewish sabbath. However, kosher meat and seafood products in refrigerated cases and displays can still be bought at those times.

“It is wonderful to see A&P embrace different ethnic cultures and address their grocery needs,” said Shmuel Sophar, the store’s certified mashgiach. “This revamped store shows A&P’s commitment to the diverse communities it serves.”

Among the additional features of the expanded kosher section are a separate deli offering MealMart, Hod Golan and Empire brand deli meats, as well as sliced-to-order Acme sable and lox, five varieties of kugel and three kinds of knishes; fresh fish from all over the world delivered daily, including “fresh-never-frozen” fillets and steak fish, and a wide selection of smoked salmon; and more than 1,000 private brand items exclusive to A&P’s family of supermarkets.