The Food Emporium, a banner of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. (A&P) will serve for the second time as an official Signature Sponsor of the ING New York Marathon 2009, which this year place on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. Now in its 40th year, the 26.2-mile New York City Marathon is widely considered the largest and most spectacular marathon in the world.

As part its sponsorship, The Food Emporium is serving as the Official Gourmet Specialty Store of the event. During the marathon a designated “Food Emporium Cheer Zone” will be set up at The Food Emporium BridgeMarket store on 59th & First Avenue. The Cheer Zone, which marks Mile 16 of the course, enables sideliners to cheer on runners from a great vantage point. The banner will offer Cheer Zone spectators product samples, coupons and cheer sticks.

Additionally, via The New York Road Runners, which holds the annual marathon, the gourmet grocery chain will work with TNT to promote a new comedy show, “Men of A Certain Age.” The aforementioned Food Emporium Cheer Zone will host the cable network’s fan club/cheer squad, where supporters will root for the “Men of A Certain Age” running team, which consists of 40 participants over the age of 40.


The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon attracts almost 105,000 applicants, including many world-class professional athletes. The event offers $600,000 in prize money and is witnessed by 2 million spectators, with a worldwide broadcast audience of 330 million.

Montvale, N.J.-based A&P operates 435 stores in eight states and the District of Columbia under the A&P, Waldbaum’s, Pathmark, Best Cellars, The Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, SuperFresh and Food Basics banners.