Zabar’s in Manhattan
By Margaret Core, Vice President, Marketing and Industry Relations, Food Marketing Institute
Being a part of the Emerge community has the benefit of being with other brands and exploring and sharing experiences.
Recently, with Stanley Zabar and Scott Goldshine as our hosts, 35 FMI guests were welcomed by Zabar’s for a store tour. Everyone loved seeing the famous neighborhood spot where you can buy eggs, a Kitchen Aid, a bagel, an Instapot, coffee and exotic cheese all in one place. It’s simply a dream store.
The store website shares, “Louis and Lillian Zabar started the business back in 1934, opening a 22-foot-wide shop along NYC’s Broadway at West 80th Street. Louis was a real stickler for quality, roasting his own coffee, and personally visiting smokehouses to sample and inspect the fish – rejecting far more than he accepted.” In visiting Zabar’s, “you can see the principles and practices of the founders continue to guide business today, including: Respect the customer. Never, ever stint on quality. Offer fair value. And last, but not least, keep searching for the new and wonderful.” Bagels and nova salmon, Rueben sandwiches, and bakery items are their basics and the Zabar’s shelves are packed with emerging brands with lots of attributes consumer’s desire these days from gluten-free, heritage foods, plant-based and more.”
Goldshine, our store tour host, spent the day touring the Summer Fancy Food Show, where FMI had a booth showcasing the SQF Food Safety Program and FMI Emerge for companies growing their grocery shelf presence. During our store tour, Goldshine shared how he works directly with the producers and brands the store carries, keeps their cell phone numbers handy and maintains open conversations about the sales and supply. Zabar’s has their own storage warehouse and a separate office where the finances, controller and IT groups work.
Always innovating, Zabar’s has moved into the omnichannel arena and has a fantastic catalog and online business offering their fine delicacies to be shipped globally. Their specialty is their Kosher gift baskets. They have a full line of private brand goods featuring mustards, preserves, sauces and more. The cheese department has more than 800 cheeses and their coffee roasters are at the ready features their own blend.
A heartfelt thanks for your FMI Membership, Zabar’s, and for hosting and inspiring our group!
