More than a Grocery Chain

BY JENNIFER SELVAGGI

AS ONE OF THE LARGEST SUPERMARKET CHAINS in Delaware, Delaware Supermarkets, Inc.—or Kenny Family ShopRites of Delaware—maintains a commitment not just to quality for its customers, but to its employees as a great place to work. Bernie Kenny, owner and president, opened the first ShopRite in 1995. Since then, it’s grown into a six-store chain in northern Delaware. Over time, the company’s leadership has expanded to include three generations of the Kenny family and seen dividends from adopting a family atmosphere in each of the stores.

As an embodiment of that philosophy, the company strives to foster new talent through promoting associates from within the stores’ ranks by identifying those interested in moving up and providing those who qualify with a full range of training designed to foster success. The company has always operated like a close-knit family business, fully supporting every member of the team. That includes investing in their employees and setting them up for the best chance of success. The family believes in working with and investing in people who have goals and dreams for their lives.

The company has numerous programs and benefits for its employees, including tuition discounts, scholarship opportunities, special associate events, and training and mentorship programs. Partnerships with organizations like the National Associate of Mental Health and Sanare Today recovery center help ensure their associates have the necessary wraparound care for any non-work, personal, or health-related issues.

The Kenny Family team also believes in giving second chances and eliminating barriers to employment. We provide the foundation to all in an effort to help those who are struggling to obtain a job and provide for their families. Our goal is to help give back to the community and those in need so we partner with the Plumber Center, Project New Start, West End, the Department of Labor, as well as Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution.

All our employees—with their various backgrounds and skills—make ShopRite the success that it is. Second chance employees are excellent workers because their dedication to start and create a new path forward makes them valuable. We have many second chance employees in our business who have thrived and been promoted into leadership positions. People from any and all backgrounds can find a rewarding career and advancement opportunities through this locally owned and operated grocery chain.

In 2008, Bernie Kenny started the Kenny Family Foundation to serve as an active supporter of the local community through investing in well-being, improving quality of life, and supporting a sustainable future. Actions, though, speak louder than words. The Foundation supports more than 1,000 charitable organizations. Since 2008, it has raised more than $1 million in philanthropic contributions.

Under the Foundation are the Young Consumers and Active Partners programs. The Young Consumers Program emphasizes teambuilding and discipline in the areas of health and financial literacy. The Active Partners Program provides micro-grants to Delaware nonprofits. In the supermarkets, the produce that is past its prescribed shelf life—yet still fresh—is donated to the Food Bank of Delaware. These are only a few examples of the ways the Foundation has given back.

For the more than 1,000 employees and thousands of families that live in the greater Delaware region, Kenny Family ShopRite is more than a grocery chain. It’s a place that keeps true to its values as a family business.

Jennifer Selvaggi is director of human resources at Delaware Supermarkets Inc. (Kenny Family ShopRites of Delaware).