Cingari Family’s Sustainable Food Waste Management Program Lauded as Industry Model

(PRUnderground) July 15th, 2024

Cingari Family ShopRite is proud to announce that it has been honored with the prestigious GroceryTech Innovation Award by Progressive Grocer. The award, presented last month at the GroceryTech event in Dallas, TX, recognizes the family-owned company’s successful program for reducing food waste.

GroceryTech Innovation Awards celebrate food retailers implementing the most innovative technological initiatives across the industry. Cingari Family ShopRite, based in Norwalk, Conn., was recognized for its “unique sustainability program for managing food waste that’s serving as a tech model for the grocery industry,” as noted by Progressive Grocer’s Editor-in-Chief, Gina Acosta, during the awards ceremony on June 6.

“We are deeply honored to receive this recognition from Progressive Grocer,” said Tom Cingari, Sr., CEO of Cingari Family Markets. “For nearly a century, our commitment to sustainability and community support has been a core part of our family legacy. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, and it reinforces our mission to lead by example and uphold the values that have guided us through generations.”

The Cingari’s multi-tier process for reducing food waste focuses on inventory management, increased fresh food donations, and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills through a unique composting program that turns food waste into energy.

Cingari Family ShopRite has worked to reduce waste with a special focus on:

• Community Donations: The company works to donate as much fresh food as possible from its stores to local food banks and charities, including the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, helping to reduce food waste while alleviating food insecurity in the community.
• Composting: Cingari Family ShopRite has focused on composting waste using technology from Hartford-based Blue Earth Compost. This initiative has enabled Cingari Family ShopRite to compost approximately 100 tons of organic material each month – compost that is converted to energy to power homes and businesses across Connecticut.

Over the past decade, Cingari Family ShopRite’s efforts have led to a remarkable 60 percent reduction in waste – even as the company has grown and expanded.

Important program and sustainability highlights are communicated weekly to employees and shared with customers through in-store signage at all 12 of the Cingari family’s stores.

Family-owned and operated for over 90 years, Cingari Family Markets owns 10 ShopRite stores and two Grade A Markets across southwestern Connecticut. Recently, the company debuted a newly rebranded Cingari Family Markets line of fresh foods and pantry staples and remodeled two of its stores, enhancing the shopping experience with new, contemporary amenities and improved layouts.

About Cingari Family Markets

Founded in 1929, Cingari Family Markets is a renowned name in quality grocering, embodying a rich family legacy that has flourished over four generations. Based in Stamford, Connecticut the company has established itself as a pillar in the community, known for an exceptional selection of fresh, locally-sourced, and homemade prepared meals, along with a meticulously curated range of pantry items. Cingari Family Markets’ commitment extends beyond providing premium quality food to creating genuine connections with customers and contributing positively to the community.

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Original Press Release.