MAY 2020 /RETAIL NEWS

ONLINE GROCERY SALES TO GROW 40% IN 2020 FAIRWAY CLOSING PARAMUS LOCATION • U.S. online grocery sales grew 22% in 2019 and, propelled by high demand from nationwide COVID-19 lockdowns, stand to The popular surge about 40% this year said Tuesday that it is closing • Of 1,152 consumers polled, 52% had bought groceries online in the Paramus location effective the past 12 months — the first time that more than half of May 15 respondents had done so • TO BRING TWO- Almost half of shoppers reported that they are buying more HOUR EXPRESS DELIVERY TO groceries online or have started making online purchases because of COVID-19 2,000 STORES

Launch of Express Delivery, a “In the prior two years, expectations of buying online new online service, expedited in the next 12 months exceeded the proportion of to help customers during respondents that had bought online in the past 12 pandemic months by only a couple of percentage points or so. This year, we saw a major 10.5-percentage-point

difference between ‘had bought’ and ‘expect to buy’. The coronavirus outbreak likely fueled this jump in expectations.”

Deborah Weinswig, found and CEO of New York-based Coresight

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM Q&A UPDATED: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW (SEE SOBELCO SAYS ON PAGE 2)

• The SBA Paycheck Protection Program Loan Q&A was updated this week with some important information related to the "good faith certification" on economic uncertainty • The SBA will only be reviewing loans in excess of $2 million • If the SBA determines during its review that the loan request

lacked adequate basis for the certification, the loan will need to be repaid and no forgiveness will be allowed • SBA will not pursue administrative enforcement in these scenarios, if the loan is repaid

SOME N.J. ARE LIMITING MEAT PURCHASES. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE SHOPPING

• Many New Jersey supermarkets are limiting the amount of meat a customer can purchase at any one time • The decision comes after thousands of workers at meatpacking plants in the United States contracted COVID-19, forcing some plants to operate with skeleton crews and concerns that the food supply chain is breaking down

COVID-19 GROCERY SAFETY TIPS TO EASE ANXIETY Contact Us ABOUT SHOPPING TRIPS

SobelCo • Try to shop when stores are less crowded and use disinfectant 293 Eisenhower Parkway on the handle of your shopping cart or basket Livingston, NJ 07039 • Write your shopping list on paper instead of your cellphone. If you 973-994-9494 do use your phone, don't touch it at the store or put it to your face SobelCoLLC.com • Experts say avoid unnecessary shopping trips by getting everything you need at one time

SHOPRITE INTRODUCES #ESSENTIALTHANKS CAMPAIGN

• ShopRite has rolled out a campaign to thank necessary health care workers, first responders and supermarket associates everywhere • Essential Thanks gives consumers the chance to express their gratitude by posting thank-you notes to COVID-19 front-line workers by uploading them directly to ShopRite's www.EssentialThanks.com website or by tagging #EssentialThanks on Instagram or Twitter • The Fresh Grocer and Dearborn Market banners, will donate $1 for each message delivered, up to a maximum donation of $500,000, with the money going to food banks in the stores’ trading area

SobelCo Says: "While PPP loans under $2 million are not going to be audited by the SBA, it is still important for companies to maintain adequate records of their economic need. Keeping records of conversations between management and outside professionals as well as financial projections should still be part of every company's documentation for these loans."

WAKEFERN NAMES BRAND STRATEGY AND ADVERTISING LEADERS

• Laura Kind was promoted to vice president of brand strategy. Prior to joining Wakefern, Kind was director of brand at Jet.com, a Walmart e-commerce company, where she built the company’s private label brand, winning awards for its packaging and design • Ranjana Choudhry was welcomed as vice president of advertising and social media. She brings more than 25 years of experience as a global marketing and communications leader

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