Cirelli Marketplace, the retail division of New England broadline foodservice distributor Cirelli Foods, has rolled out the Catering Concierge, a program offering complimentary customized party-planning solutions to customers.

The initiative has seasoned Cirelli employees providing personal shopping assistance and guidance on such topics as the best types of food to choose, food preparation, number of portions, portion sizes, and beverage coordination.

Cirelli Marketplace manager John Santos and Mike Ioli in customer service are heading up the program.

"For over 40 years customers have been coming to Cirelli's to shop for restaurant-quality food for special parties and events, but sometimes figuring out quantities and the right combination of food and drinks can be daunting," the company said.

Additionally, customers will receive a free Catering Concierge brochure featuring tips on how to throw a great party, a store map so that they'll be able to find what they need, a portion list, food preparation suggestions, and a list of Cirelli-approved caterers in case they want to let others do the cooking.

The 17,000-square-foot Cirelli Marketplace, located at Cirelli Foods' Middleborough, Mass. facility, enables customers to shop for name-brand products at warehouse prices, with no membership fees.