Kings Debuts Premiere Store in Gillette, N.J.

“We have worked hard over the last year to ensure that inspiration strikes our customers in every aisle, in every department – just as our tagline suggests,” so declared Judy Spires, president & CEO of Kings Food Markets, who celebrated the grand opening of the grocer’s new premiere store in Gillette, N.J. on March 22. “Our Gillette location brings this brand promise to life in such a multi-sensory way for our shoppers; it truly is an opportunity for our customers to see, hear, smell, touch and taste a full culinary experience.”

The Gillette store incorporates a variety features that Kings has piloted in other locations since its brand relaunch in 2012, in addition to a series of new concepts.

The entrance of the new location features the MarketSquare where shoppers can enjoy Inspirations-To-Go, a section of chef-inspired meal options, including Asian-infused dishes from a Hibachi Station; brick oven Neapolitan-style pizza; hand-rolled sushi; grain exchange and mezze bars; hot soups including hearty and organic, gluten-free and vegetarian; as well as fully prepared sandwiches made on fresh-delivered breads with gluten-free options.

The MarketSquare will also include a full-service Coffee House with barista-brewed espressos, cappuccinos and lattes as well as fresh-baked pastries, muffins and scones; an International Cheese Shop with more than 300 varieties; an open-air Flower Boutique; and Patisserie offering premium desserts as well as new service breads, brought to Kings from New York bakeries each day.

In addition to the international offerings of the MarketSquare, Gillette shoppers will enjoy fresh organic produce in their neighborhood, much of which will be offered within 24 hours of harvest through the brand’s Local Fresh 24/7 program this summer.

Local and organic offerings extend into Kings’ Butcher Shop, where customers can purchase meats from local farms in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. In the Seafood Market, shoppers can select from fresh, “top of the catch” varieties, including preservative-free, sustainably sourced, wild-caught and farm-raised options. Other features of the store include a Candy Shop, WiFi-enabled Inspiration Café and special dairy cases that are 60 percent more energy efficient.

“At Kings, providing inspiration has many parts. It is offering both the freshest, highest-quality food from near and afar and the helpful guidance of our associates, who are all eager to share their love of food with our customers,” added Spires.

To mark the grand opening of Kings Gillette, the store hosted a weekend-long celebration on March 22 with special remarks from Spires, store manager Donna Lewis and Long Hill Township Deputy Mayor Cornel Schuler. As part of the opening ceremony, Kings made a $7,500 contribution to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey through its “Act Against Hunger” initiative, aiming to end hunger in the communities Kings serves.

To help continue the celebration into the following weeks, Kings Gillette will also hold a food drive to benefit Stirling’s St. Vincent de Paul Church, a local church collecting food to end hunger in the community. Shoppers who visit the store between Monday, April 1 and Tuesday, April 30 can support the food drive by purchasing a pre-packed bag of non-perishables or by picking up a list of “most-needed” items to shop for their own contributions.

Kings Food Markets, based in Parsippany, N.J., operates 25 stores throughout New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.