Saker becomes biggest ShopRite operator as deal closes on Perlmart Ocean County stores

Saker ShopRites, the Jersey Shore's largest supermarket operator, has extended its reach in Ocean County with the acquisition of seven ShopRite stores.

On Monday, Saker ShopRites, which now owns 39 ShopRites across New Jersey, and Perlmart Inc. said they have completed Saker's purchase of Perlmart’s cluster of supermarkets. The stores, formerly owned and operated by Michael Perlmutter, are in Toms River on Fischer Boulevard, Lacey, Berkeley, Manchester, Jackson, Waretown and Stafford.

The transaction's price was not disclosed.

The purchase has solidified Saker ShopRite's presence in the county where it already operated stores in Brick and on Route 37 in Toms River.

ShopRite is the market leader with a 29.8% share of food sales in Ocean County, amounting to $603.2 million in sales, according to a 2021 market survey by Food Trade News. That's up from $575.6 million, the 2020 survey says.

“Perlmart has been dedicated to customer and community service since they first opened their doors, and we are proud to continue those traditions as we welcome their stores and associates into our family of supermarkets,” said Richard Saker, president and chief executive officer of Saker ShopRites Inc.

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“Both the Saker and Perlmutter families share a love of the supermarket business, and we think this is a great way to pass the baton from one local, family-owned business to another.”

The purchase has solidified Saker ShopRite's presence in Ocean County where it already operated stores in Brick and on Route 37 in Toms River.

ShopRite is the market leader with a 29.8% share of food sales in the county, amounting to $603.2 million in sales, according to a 2021 market survey by Food Trade News.

None of Perlmart's 800 employees will lose their jobs as a result of the merger, said John Niccolai, president of Local 464A of the United Food and Commercial Workers.

"We're very pleased obviously that we, collectively, all the local unions involved, managed to place all our people from Perlmart with Saker," Niccolai said. "No one will lose their jobs."

Perlmart's workers will keep their seniority and their pay levels, he added. "We really have a seamless transition, which is the best kind of transition you can possibly have."

"It'll be transparent," added Harvey Whille, president of the UFCW's Local 1262. "They keep all their benefits."

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The Perlmutter family has been a part of ShopRite for 74 years. Perlmutter's father, Julius Perlmutter, made the decision to join Wakefern Food Corp in 1948. Richard Saker's father Joseph joined Wakefern a year earlier.

Keasbey-based Wakefern in Middlesex County is now the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States. With the purchase of Perlmart's assets, Saker ShopRite is now Wakefern's biggest member and largest ShopRite operator. The company has more than 8,000 employees.

"We are proud to have been part of the Ocean County community for more than seven decades and we are so grateful for the loyalty we've experienced from our customers and the dedication and friendship from our associates through the years," Michael Perlmutter said in a statement.

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"As a family operated business, we have viewed our associates as extended family members and our relationship with some go back 35, 40 and more years."

Besides the supermarkets, Saker ShopRites has 30 in-store pharmacies, two liquor stores and Dearborn Market and Garden Center in Holmdel.

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for more than 20 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Saker becomes biggest ShopRite operator with Perlmart sale