New Food, In Addition To Music, Will Make Westbury Go Round

WESTBURY, N.Y., Aug. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairway Market (www.fairwaymarket.com) is pleased to announce the opening of its legendary super food store, a 68,000 square foot store in Roosevelt Raceway Center (1258 Corporate Drive, off the Meadowbrook Parkway) making the town a food and entertainment destination. This will be Fairway Market's 11th store in the tri-state area and the second on Long Island.

Fairway Market, with its roots on Manhattan's Upper West Side where it began as a fruit and vegetable stand almost 80 years ago, offers an exceptional combination of traditional, organic and specialty foodstuffs at great every day prices. Like all Fairway Markets, the Westbury store will be a fusion of the best specialty stores, organic markets and traditional supermarkets with the services of the neighborhood corner butcher, baker, cheese shop, and fishmonger and the freshness and variety of the farmer's market - all under one roof.

"We take great pride in providing a shopping experience that is unparalleled, which is why this and every new Fairway Market brings such great excitement to the neighborhood," said Charles Santoro, Chairman of Fairway Market and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Sterling Investment Partners, a middle market private equity firm. Sterling acquired a majority stake in Fairway Market in January 2007 to substantially expand the company.

"We are also very pleased to bring more than 450 new jobs to the area in these challenging times," added Santoro.

In the last five years, the company has grown rapidly, opening seven more Fairway Market locations and three wine & spirits locations. With the opening of the Westbury store, approximately 2,500 new jobs have been added to the tri-state region.

"We never forget what makes Fairway Market so special to so many people," said Herb Ruetsch, Chief Executive Officer of Fairway Market. "Exceptional service and staying true to its customer focused roots remain a constant as Fairway continues to expand."

Howie Glickberg, the Vice Chairman of Development and the grandson of the founder, said that Fairway Market is extremely community-minded and already has established partnerships with Long Island Cares and the Nassau County Firefighters Museum, among other groups.

"We always make an impact on the communities in which we are located," said Glickberg. "We are committed to giving back to the causes and organizations that make a difference in the lives of our neighbors."

As customers walk into the Westbury Fairway Market, they will see an amazing assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables, including a wide array of locally sourced, organic, and exotic items.  From there, they will experience delicious aromas from the made-from-scratch bakery, with its artisanal breads, pies and NYC-style bagels, all KOF-K certified kosher.

The seafood department, which is reminiscent of an old style fish market, offers the freshest varieties right off the boat packed in ice. The meat department is a full butcher shop where customized orders are its specialty and there is a large selection of pre-cut, kosher certified red meat, as well as fresh kosher poultry and 21-day, dry-aged prime steaks.

The New York classic deli and appetizing section provides a selection of pickled and cured foods, including more than 70 kinds of freshly marinated olives, as well as a number of smoked salmon options, including Fairway Market's house-smoked salmon. Shoppers will also find a full line and ever-expanding number of gluten-free products, more than 100 varieties of olive oils, and a great assortment of organic and natural health and beauty aids. The master coffee purveyors roast coffee beans from around the world on premises and the aromas are hard to resist.

As for cheese, Fairway Market is widely recognized as a driving force behind the artisanal cheese industry in the United States and this department has more than 600 cheeses from which to choose. Specialty foods abound throughout the store, virtually a food paradise with honey, nuts, dried fruits, candies, sardines, pastas and so many exciting imports from every part of the world, a great deal of which are exclusive to Fairway Market.

In the middle of the store is a sit-down cafe offering more than 50 hot and cold dishes, and stations for chopped salads, coffee, paninis, sandwiches and sushi. The cafe will also be home to food tastings, demonstrations, book signings and other informative and fun events.

Fairway will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. For more information, visit www.fairwaymarket.com or call 516-247-6850

About Fairway Market
Fairway was founded in the 1930s as a fruit and vegetable store in Manhattan, and it is now a growing chain of markets with an expertise in specialty foods. It is also one of the nation's highest grossing food retailers per square foot. Sterling Investment Partners, a middle market private equity firm,  acquired a majority share of the company over five years ago. Today there are 11 food stores and three wine and spirits shops in the tri-state area, employing approximately 3,900 people. In 2007, Specialty Food Magazine named Fairway one of the country's six Outstanding Specialty Food Retailers for the Specialty Food Trade. In May 2008, Fairway was named Consumer Deal of the Year b y M&A Magazine. Fairway was also listed on Inc.'s top 5,000 fastest growing private companies for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Learn more at www.fairwaymarket.com.

About Sterling Investment Partners
Sterling Investment Partners is a middle-market private equity firm that invests in companies with significant competitive strengths and growth potential. Founded in 1991, Sterling has completed investments, strategic or add-on acquisitions, and liquidity events with an aggregate transaction value of approximately $9.0 billion, representing nearly 100 transactions. Sterling maintains a broad industry focus, including business services, industrial and consumer value-added distribution, transportation and logistics, and niche manufacturing. www.sterlinglp.com

Contact: DKC Public Relations & Integrated Marketing
Bruce Bobbins / 212 981 5190
Susan Graziano / 212 981 5130
Gary Baronofsky / 212 981 5140

SOURCE Fairway Market