7 Ocean County ShopRite Stores Sold To Saker Family

KEASBEY, NJ — Seven Ocean County ShopRite stores that have been operated by the Perlmutter family have been sold to the Saker family, officials announced Tuesday.

News of the impending sale first made the rounds in October. The sale of the Perlmutter stores gives the Saker family, who have been in the grocery business for more than 100 years, 39 ShopRite stores across the state.

The Perlmutter stores, operated under the Perlmart Inc. corporate name, are the Fischer Bay store in Toms River, and the Manahawkin, Lacey, Manchester, Jackson, Bayville and Waretown stores.

"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 CEO of Saker ShopRites Inc. "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."

Both family companies were also early members of the retailer-owned cooperative, Wakefern Food Corp., which this year marks its 75th anniversary. Richard Saker’s father Joseph joined the new cooperative in 1947, the year before Julius Perlmutter, Michael Perlmutter’s father, joined Wakefern and opened a store in downtown Toms River, the company said.

"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. "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."

The Perlmutter Family has supported hundreds of organizations, including the Ocean County College Foundation, local hospital foundations, first-aid squads, volunteer fire departments, food banks, and others.

In support of the community, the Perlmart stores were opened during the height of Hurricane Sandy and prepared and donated 50,000 meals for first-responders.

The Saker family has been in the grocery business since 1916, when Richard Saker’s great-grandfather first opened a small mom-and-pop grocery in Freehold. Richard’s father Joseph eventually took over the family business and today, Richard, along with his brothers and son, represent the fourth and fifth generations of the family-owned Saker ShopRites.

Saker ShopRites own and operate 32 ShopRite supermarkets, which include 30 in-store pharmacies, two liquor stores and Dearborn Market and Garden Center in Holmdel. The company employs more than 8,000 associates, and supports more than 1,300 nonprofit organizations.

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