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News Archives

MaineSource Ithaca Opens May 5, 2010 on Route 13

Central New York Hit Hard by Florida Produce Freeze - News Release, January 2010

MaineSource is coming to Ithaca, NY in 2010

MaineSource Food & Party Warehouse, Scranton, PA is NOW OPEN - August 2009

MaineSource Ithaca Opens May 5, 2010!

MaineSource Food & Party Warehouse in Ithaca is now open!  The newest MaineSource is located at 100 Commercial Ave. (Route 13).  Our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on May 5 was followed by fun, food, music and spectacular storewide sales!  Join us Saturday, May 8 for a live remotes from the Cayuga Radio Group! 
 
 
Ithaca MaineSource Grand Opening in the news - click here for full article.
 
MaineSource will give the value-conscious yet quality-driven consumer exactly what they’re looking for; restaurant-quality meat and seafood, the freshest produce, party supplies for every occasion, a complete line of smallwares and the newest kitchen gadgets.

 

NEWS RELEASE

CNY Will Be Hit Hard By Florida Produce Freeze;  Maines' Produce Expert Gives Insider Tips for Consumers on Shopping Smart

SYRACUSE, NY, January 14, 2010 - "Consumers will not be able to escape the effects of such devastating conditions," says Produce Insider Peter Grannis. Beginning on January 2nd and lasting through January 12th, Florida experienced 10 consecutive days of below-freezing temperatures, making this the most severe freeze since 1956. The conditions will cause produce prices to skyrocket in grocery stores all across the Northeast, including right here in Central New York. "When grocery shopping, it is important to remember that you have options," advises Grannis.

As Produce Specialist for Produce Express, a division of Maines Paper & Food Service, Peter Grannis is armed with information on several types of produce: "Tomato crops have experienced almost a total loss. Cherry and grape tomatoes have been completely devastated. Expect shortages of supply, extremely high prices and lower then normal quality and ripeness." Peter suggests substituting tomatoes with carrots, radishes, red peppers or red cabbage; "If you need color for you salad, you don't have to use tomatoes." 

How can customers prepare for the aftermath of the freeze? Here is the forecast straight from Produce Expert, Peter Grannis:

Peppers: Prices are skyrocketing as supplies are extremely limited due to freeze.  Demand will shift to West Coast and Mexico, but supplies will not be able to keep up with demand. 
 
Cucumbers: The majority of stocks are coming out of Mexico and off-shore this time of year. Stocks should be adequate and quality good. Prices will increase slightly in reaction to the freeze in Florida but shouldn't be sustained.
 
Green Beans: Don't even bother. Crops have been completely devastated. Expect very high prices and low quality.
 
Corn: Belle Grade is home to most of Florida's winter corn crop which is predicting 70-80% loss.
 
Squash: Most of Florida's supplies have been damaged. Prices are increasing dramatically. Product out of Mexico is good, but stocks are very tight. Supplies cannot meet demand.
 
Strawberries: Expect volatile markets. Florida quality and quantity will be limited due to freeze. California will struggle to meet demand.
 
Watermelon: Florida supplies are scarce due to freeze. Stocks are limited in Texas and Mexico. Expect prices to continue to rise.
 
Oranges: It is too early to know, but it appears Florida will sustain 15-30% loss, which is much lower then originally feared. Market is stable for now.

Peter Grannis has the inside story on the Produce Freeze, and he has plenty of alternative solutions for the consumer. As a grocery shopper, it is important to know what to expect this coming season. "Knowing what produce to buy is half the battle; it will end up saving you money on groceries in the end."

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Above is Keystone Associates' architectural rendering of the new MaineSource Food & Party Warehouse, 100 Commercial Ave., Ithaca, NY.

October 2009

New Ithaca MaineSource Food & Party Warehouse breaks ground on October 12, 2009!

On Monday, October 12 groundbreaking occurred for newest MaineSource Food & Party Warehouse in Ithaca, NY. The new MaineSource, to be located at 100 Commercial Ave., will give the value-conscious yet quality-driven consumer exactly what they’re looking for. Anticipated to open in late spring 2010, the 25,000 SF environmentally-friendly facility is being constructed under the direction of The Pike Company, Inc., of Rochester, NY, with architectural services provided by Keystone Associates, LLC of Binghamton, NY.
 
 

August 2009

Brand New Scranton MaineSource Store Opened August 19th, Making It Easier to Get High-Quality Bulk Food and Party Supplies

At 9:00am Wednesday August 19th 2009, the doors swung open on the new and expanded MaineSource Food & Party Warehouse store in Scranton. At MaineSource, we know that today’s consumer is increasingly interested in cutting food costs without sacrificing quality. The new MaineSource store, located at 733 Davis Street, will give the value-conscious yet quality-driven consumer exactly what they’re looking for.

 
The new MaineSource store replaces the former one previously located at 737 Oak St. which opened in 2006. The new store boasts over 19,000 sq. ft. of floor space allowing for expanded departments. The Scranton MaineSource store has approximately 45 employees, an increase of 25 from the previous store at Keyser and Oak (associates from the old store were offered positions at the new store). The expanded staff is evidence that MaineSource is committed to customer service.
 
Vice President of MaineSource, Steve Ross, expressed enthusiasm about the new state-of-the-art building and its advantages for customers:
 
“This isn’t your typical bulk warehouse; you can tell by our expanded departments and our customer service that it rivals a small, upscale grocer. Take our meat department – Meat City – for example. There, a professional butcher custom-cuts meat to order. Walk over to the produce section and you’ll notice only the choicest fruits and vegetables are displayed in an organized manner. Finally, our party supply section is so expansive; it’s like a store within a store!”
 
In addition to making it easier for customers to find quality bulk food and party supplies, the new MaineSource store also features the latest green technology. The store is outfitted with motion-detecting switches and high-efficiency lighting and an environmentally friendly Glycol refrigeration system, which has an anti-sweat heating system that reduces energy requirements.
 
The MaineSource store located at 900 Rutter Avenue in Forty Fort, PA was also recently remodeled and expanded. The updated store is also a spacious 19,000 sq. ft. and provides many more services and products to shoppers.
 
The new MaineSource Scranton store and the updated Forty Fort location will continue to give loyal customers high-quality bulk food and party supplies. The goal is to also attract new customers to MaineSource through the state-of-the-art departments (meat, freezer, produce, and party supplies), exceptional values, and superior customer service.