Shoprite Supermarkets: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

ShopRite's origins trace to 1946, when a Del Monte Foods sales representative introduced eight independent grocers in Newark, New Jersey, to the concept of cooperative buying as a way to compete with larger emerging supermarket chains after World War II. Seven of the grocers each invested $1,000 to formally establish Wakefern Food Corporation on December 5, 1946. For the first several years, individual member stores continued advertising under their own separate names, until members agreed in 1951 to unify under a single brand: ShopRite. The rebrand drove an immediate jump in sales, and within a year Wakefern's membership grew to more than 50 grocers.

Wakefern experienced a major setback in the mid-1960s when its largest member, Supermarkets General Corporation, left the cooperative after a lawsuit over store location allocation, forming what later became the Pathmark chain and cutting Wakefern's wholesale volume roughly in half. The cooperative rebounded within a few years through renewed expansion and improved purchasing and marketing strategies. Wakefern is now headquartered in Keasbey, New Jersey, and remains structured so that each independently owned member company has an equal voice in cooperative governance, regardless of size.

Today, Wakefern comprises around 45 to 50 independently owned member companies operating more than 320 to 380 ShopRite stores, along with related banners including Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, Di Bruno Bros., and Morton Williams, across New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and other Northeastern states. Wakefern reports more than $20 billion in annual retail sales and employs roughly 80,000 people across its member store network. ShopRite's workforce includes cashiers, department staff such as bakers and butchers, pharmacists, and store managers, with each individual store independently owned and operated by a Wakefern member.

Company culture and employee programs: ShopRite and Wakefern emphasize community engagement, including the long-running ShopRite Partners In Caring program, which has donated tens of millions of dollars to food banks since 1999. The cooperative also operates the Supermarket Careers program, launched in 1989 to train individuals with special needs for careers in the supermarket industry. Because each ShopRite store is independently owned by a different Wakefern member, workplace culture, benefits, and scheduling can vary by location; candidates should confirm specifics with the store's ownership or management during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the grocery retail industry, including ShopRite store owners, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, provided they comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

ShopRite stores are generally reported to conduct background checks as part of their hiring process, which is standard for grocery retailers, particularly for roles involving cash handling, pharmacy access, and inventory management. Because each ShopRite location is independently owned, specific screening requirements and vendors can vary somewhat by store.

The hiring process for store-level positions at ShopRite typically includes an application, an interview with a department or store manager, and a background check prior to a final offer.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a grocery retail role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws may extend or restrict this timeframe depending on the type of record and jurisdiction.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis by the individual store owner, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to the role. Some states in ShopRite's operating footprint, including New Jersey and New York, have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when employers can ask about criminal history during the hiring process.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what a ShopRite store may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to ShopRite or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.