Small New England Grocers Are Running Out Of Dairy And Produce Ahead Of Thanksgiving As A Wholesaler Strike Drags On Since October 17

Susan Parker

1 hour ago

The dairy cooler at Richardson’s Market in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is nearly bare, and the store’s owner is worried about what the shelves will look like when the holiday shoppers arrive. The reason is a strike at the warehouse that supplies hundreds of independent grocers across New England.

Workers at wholesaler Associated Grocers Northeast, known as AGNE, have been off the job since a union contract expired on October 17, according to a union representative quoted by WBZ-TV in Boston. With Thanksgiving a few weeks away, small stores that count on those trucks are scrambling.

“We Are Running Out Of Stuff” Says Portsmouth Market Employee As Delivery Never Arrives

Shirley Stretton, an employee at Richardson’s Market, told WBZ-TV that the store normally receives thousands of dollars of produce every Wednesday on an AGNE truck. Last week, that delivery never came.

If the strike continues, the market could miss another one. “We are running out of stuff,” Stretton said.

The market has posted a statement on Facebook backing the workers, and it is looking for local suppliers to keep shelves stocked for now. Owner Greg Danilowski said he sympathizes with the drivers, but he worries about the weeks ahead.

Owner Says Neighborhood Stores Are “The Last Place You Can Go” For Forgotten Thanksgiving Items

Around Thanksgiving and Christmas, Danilowski said, “we’re that last place you can go to stock up on things you forgot.” Anyone who has run out for a second can of cranberry sauce or an extra stick of butter on the holiday knows exactly what he means.

That is why an empty dairy case hurts more than usual this time of year. Butter, milk, cream and eggs are the backbone of holiday cooking, and a small store cannot simply drive to a big warehouse club to restock.

The Fight Behind The Picket Line Is About Pensions, Not Paychecks Alone

The strike involves truck drivers and warehouse workers represented by Teamsters Local 633 at AGNE’s distribution center in Pembroke, New Hampshire. The union says about 255 members are involved, and WBZ-TV describes the walkout as hundreds of workers.

At the center of the dispute is retirement. The company wants to leave its pension plan and replace it with a 401(k) that has no employer match, according to the union. Local 633 business agent Keith Judge has called the pension a “nonstarter,” saying other issues such as health insurance and wages can be negotiated.

According to a report from the Concord Monitor republished by New Hampshire Public Radio, loader Nathaniel Howard said longtime workers see the change as a loss of benefits they have earned. Workers authorized the strike in September with 98% support, according to trade press coverage.

Wholesaler Says It Has A Plan While Stores Wait For Trucks

AGNE has not gone into detail about how it is keeping goods moving. The company gave WBZ-TV a short statement: “AGNE has a contingency in place to ensure that we move into the holiday season with certainty of service.”

Reports say the warehouse is operating with non-union staff. The union says that very little product is actually moving, and stores report missed deliveries.

Associated Grocers Northeast was known as Associated Grocers of New England until this year. It started in Concord in 1946 as a purchasing cooperative for independent grocers, and the union says it now serves up to 1,000 independent retailers across several states.

Vermont Shop Owner Warns Soup And Canned Goods Could Be Next To Go

The trouble is not limited to New Hampshire. At Cambridge Village Market in Vermont, co-owner Ron Frey told WCAX that shelves are stocked for now, but a missed Thursday delivery leaves no clear date for the next truck. He said that “a week or two down the road,” shoppers might not find items like soup.

Canned goods, frozen foods and other nonperishables could run low first, while sandwiches and locally sourced items should be fine. Local farms can fill in some produce gaps, but they cannot replace shelf-stable staples.

Matt Cota of the Vermont Retail and Grocers Association said the disruption mostly hits independent grocers, and that they can keep operating if customers keep shopping with them.

Local Food Pantries Are Feeling The Squeeze Too

Many small markets quietly feed their neighbors. Richardson’s Market donates to a local food pantry, and Stretton said the pantry “really need[s] our delivery every week.” With the store short on stock, the pantry is hurting.

In Vermont, the Cambridge market also supplies a local food shelf. Its Monday delivery covered the order, but the next one is not expected to happen if trucks stay parked.

How To Keep Your Holiday Table Stocked While The Strike Drags On

You do not need to panic, but a little planning goes a long way. Here are some sensible steps for shoppers near an affected store.

Make your Thanksgiving list now and buy shelf-stable items early, a few at a time, so you do not clear the shelves for your neighbors.
Ask your local store what it can order locally. Many are working with nearby farms and bakeries.
Check the dates on the butter, cream and eggs in your fridge and freezer. Butter freezes well if you want to stock up in advance.
Take stock of your pantry before you shop. Decluttering the back of the cupboard often turns up cans and boxes you forgot you had.
Keep shopping at your independent grocer if you can. The owners say that business is what keeps them open through a disruption.
Consider a donation to your local food pantry, which may be short on supply right now.

Neither side has announced a deal. For now, the owners of small markets are doing what they do every holiday season, which is trying to make sure their neighbors can find what they need, even if the trucks are late.