Big Y Opens 2 New Stores

On Thursday, November 7th, Big Y will be celebrating the opening of their two newest World Class Markets at 656 New Haven Avenue in Derby, CT and 150 Boston Post Road in Milford, CT. Cake cutting ceremonies at 10:00 AM in Milford and 1:00 PM in Derby will officially mark the openings where state and community officials are expected to attend.

Construction commenced on the 55,060 square foot Milford market in January of this year. Big Y held several job fairs and has hired 135 new employees.

Joseph Fetcho, store director in Milford, has been with Big Y since 1996, holding various positions including night manager and grocery manager. He has been a store director with the company since 2003. Prior to working with Big Y, he worked in various positions with Finast/Edwards supermarkets beginning in 1986.

Construction on the Derby 59,502 square foot market also began January, 2019 where 90 employees were hired to staff this store.

Bob Rainville, store director in Derby has been with Big Y for over 31 years and as store manager for 24 years. He started at Big Y in 1988 as a night crew clerk. He has held several positions including assistant grocery manager, dairy manager, and grocery manager. He participated in Big Y’s store manager training program in 1992 and became a store director in 1993.

Both stores will be open from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Sundays.

According to Big Y’s president and chief operating officer, Charles L. D’Amour: “All of us at Big Y are excited to offer these communities a brand-new shopping experience and a new option for their grocery and lifestyle needs. We know that our customers will appreciate the selection and quality of our fresh and local foods and the variety and value that our new stores have to offer.” Big Y held a “Local Producer Discovery Tour” to find artisans, farmers, food entrepreneurs and craft food people to sell at this location.

These state-of-the-art markets boast many new innovations both inside and outside of the stores.

Both of these World Class Markets boast an eat-in café where the Big Y kitchen serves authentic restaurant quality hand-tossed pizza, made fresh to order using fresh store made dough, fried and rotisserie chicken, rotisserie chicken pot pies, wings and appetizers, 5 varieties of hot soup daily and fresh to order sandwiches.

Headquartered in the fertile valleys of Southern New England, Big Y’s produce buyers take advantage of a full array of top quality native grown fruits and vegetables whenever possible. In addition to local produce, Big Y’s team sources high quality fresh produce from throughout the United States such as Driscoll’s Strawberries. Big Y also offers almost 100 varieties of organic herbs, fruits, and vegetables including native ones in season.

A full service floral department is bursting with bouquets, arrangements, balloons and foliage plants.

The old fashioned butcher custom cuts meats including American grass fed beef, free to roam in open pastures and containing no antibiotics or hormones, all Natural Choice Angus Beef, no hormones, no antibiotics ever and 100% product of the USA; all natural lamb and Smart brand Organic chicken, an air chilled chicken providing better tasting poultry.

The full service seafood department offers dozens of varieties of fresh fish from New England piers and is staffed with certified seafood handlers. They emphasize the best fish and chips around with fresh haddock, shrimp, clams and scallops cooked in zero trans fat canola oil. Store made Sushi is produced fresh every day by fully trained Sushi chefs. Big Y has made a long term seafood sustainability commitment with the Marine Stewardship Council.

The Big Y Delicatessen, where all meats and cheeses are freshly sliced to order, offers premium all natural, gluten free World Class Deli selections as well as a wide variety of local and international cheeses and an olive and antipasti bar with a dozen varieties of imported olives, fresh mozzarella balls, and stuffed grape leaves. Big Y has certified cheese merchants available to assist in making any cheese selections. Big Y’s “Just Like Mom’s” salads are made fresh and without preservatives.

Offering full bakery shops with cake decorators on staff to prepare cakes for any occasion, the stores also offer a full selection of “Just Enough” single serve desserts. Local offerings include Italian pastries and cannoli as well as award winning breads. “The Finest in New England” fruit pies from Lyman Orchards are available in apple, blueberry and more.

The grocery aisles not only stock items typically found in a modern supermarket, but also a wide variety of specialty, local and gourmet foods. The store features an expanded Living Well Eating Smart section with a natural, organic and gluten free products allowing customers to a live a healthier lifestyle. Stonewall Kitchen gourmet products are featured at the market with their outstanding quality and unique offerings. In addition

Big Y’s Beer department includes a broad selection of craft and local beers.

Big Y continues their efforts to be environmentally responsible and energy efficient including:
EV charging stations in the parking lot; LED lighting in the refrigerated cases and throughout the store saving energy; full store building management system optimizing equipment and refrigeration operations; and, composting and single stream recycling programs.

Another exciting new feature in each store is 6 self-scan registers to speed up the checkout process for customers.

As part of the Grand Opening celebrations, Big Y Foods, Inc. will be donating $1,000.00 to the Connecticut Food Bank which the company supports daily with food donations for those in need.