Kings Food Market Celebrates Move to Gillette

Kings Food Market has left the building. But fear not local gourmands – they haven’t gone far.

The specialty food market is relocating little more than two miles from its previous location in Berkeley Heights to nearby Gillette, with grand opening celebrations kicking off today at 10 a.m. at 977 Valley Road.

“As not only an associate of Kings but also as a community member who truly loves great food and loves sharing my passion with customers, I am so proud to be opening this location and serving both our shoppers and the greater community,” said Kings Gillette General Store Manager Donna Lewis.

Store representatives cite the new location as an opportunity to enhance shoppers’ experiences based on the needs of today’s customer. As part of the chain’s recent brand relaunch, the Gillette store will introduce several new concepts, notably its MarketSquare located at front of the store.

MarketSquare will feature Inspirations-To-Go, where shoppers can pick-up fully prepared meals including Hibachi dishes, gluten-free and vegetarian soups, and brick-oven Neapolitan-style pizza.

MarketSquare will also house a flower boutique, an international cheese shop, and a coffee house that serves cappuccino, espresso, and pastries. Additionally, shoppers may enjoy their purchases in the Wi-Fi-enabled Inspirations Café.

“Our entire team has worked hard over the last year to ensure that inspiration strikes our customers in every aisle, in every department – just as our tagline suggests,” said Judy Spires, president and CEO of Kings Food Markets. “Our Gillette location brings this brand promise to life in such a multi-sensory way for our shoppers; it truly is an opportunity for our customers to see, hear, smell, touch, and taste a full culinary experience.”

To bring about this full culinary experience for its customers, Kings endeavored to expand their offerings of local and organic produce, much of which will be offered within 24 hours of harvest, locally-sourced meats, fine cheeses, and sustainable, “top of the catch” seafood. The Gillette store will accommodate their larger stock with 21,000-square-feet of selling space, making the store one of Kings’ largest.

The larger store also means new job opportunities. According to Kings representatives, all 45 associates from the Berkeley Heights store were invited to transition to the Gillette location, leaving room for at least 35 more associates interested in joining the Kings team.

“Kings is a family, and I look forward to continuing to grow that family in Gillette,” Lewis said.

To welcome the community to the Gillette location, the store will host a weekend-long celebration. Beginning with Kings’ signature pasta-ribbon cutting ceremony, the celebration will continue with special remarks from Spires, Lewis, and Long Hill Township Deputy Mayor Cornel Schuler.

The first 500 customers who join Kings on Friday will receive complimentary whisks, and customers may enter drawings for Kings gift cards and a personal nutrition consultation with nutritionist and registered dietitian Shari Bilt Boockvar.

Shoppers may enjoy a cooking demonstration between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. from Chef Franco Lania, who will be preparing Carrot Ginger soup and Baci di Ricotta. They can also enjoy more than 20 signature tastings throughout the weekend.

From 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., customers may also partake in “shopping cart makeovers” with Boockvar, who will show them how to eat for energy, heart health, or feeding the whole family. Boockvar will also be on-site Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.

New Jersey Monthly’s Rosie Saferstein will be on hand from 2 to 4 p.m. to trade restaurant and chocolate recommendations. Shoppers will also have the chance to win dinner for two at Pluckemin Inn, one of her favorite culinary hotspots.

As part of the opening ceremony, Kings will make a $7,500 contribution to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey through its “Act Against Hunger” initiative, which aims to end hunger in the communities Kings serves.

Kings Gillette will also hold a food drive to benefit St. Vincent de Paul Church in Stirling. Shoppers who visit the store between April 1 and April 30 can support the food drive by purchasing a pre-packed bag of non-perishables or by picking up a list of “most-needed” items to shop for their own contributions. 

“I have worked for Kings for more than 28 years, transitioning from part-time cashier to store manager and I could not be more proud of the Gillette team,” Lewis said. “Every associate has worked tirelessly to bring only the best to this community.”

The store will be open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.