Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket Customer Asks What's Going On With Changes At Store - Changing Suppliers Focusing On Well Priced Items, Quality Groceries, Fresh, Natural, Organic Perishables & Customer Centric Says Exec

A long time Roosevelt Island Gristedes supermarket customer

shares this email sent last week:

Our Gristedes -- What's Going On?

First, our beloved Luis is transferred to a store in Manhattan. Our very good second-in-command, Tim is, thankfully, still here.The new manager, Angel, seems aloof at best.

The long-time staff is doing the best they can I guess.

While the store is clean, there is much to be concerned about. Today, there was a young man doing a serious repair of one of the refrigerator cases in the back of the store.

A new VP, we are told, is now in charge of supplying the store & there are new suppliers who frequently cannot get their merchandise here in a timely manner. It's almost impossible to buy a variety of brands & products & "pantry staples" here without weeks of asking & waiting.

Most Shop-Rite brands have now disappeared or are down to a precious few. They were mostly, but not always cheaper, than the new brands that seem to be replacing them.

I am worried that for those of us who do not shop on line, use Fresh Direct or Peapod, and are on fixed incomes & budgets, that we are screwed.

I asked Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis to respond to the Roosevelt Island customer's concerns. Gristedes Executive Renee Flores replied:

First and foremost, please know that the Catsimatidis family and I share a vision whereas our customers and the communities in which we serve are our number one priority.

Yes, we are in the process of changing suppliers and unfortunately as part of that process, some items will be discontinued, but many comparable, outstanding well priced items will be added in their place. As we say goodbye to the Shoprite private label we will say hello to the Greenway and Best Yet private labels. We believe that these two private labels will add to and enhance the organic and specialty offerings our Roosevelt Island Customers have been asking for.

We do ask for a little patience over the next few weeks while the transition takes shape.

Our goal is to emerge from this transition as a shopping destination for all Roosevelt Island residents with a focus on exceptional quality groceries, fresh, natural and organic perishables and the customer centric experience our Roosevelt Island Customers deserve and expect.

Here's my interview with Mr. Catsimatidis



at the March 2013 re-opening following renovation of the store.