What's Trending?

• Organics are growing – Organic pasta, eggs, chips, strawberries, avocado, Romaine, and honey crisp apples are leading the charge.
• Hot in the Press – Self Checkouts. I’ve had calls about them from the Associated Press, Newsday, and NBC Nightly News. What’s the scoop? I compare self-checkouts to the launch of ATMs in the 1980s. My daughters have never been to a bank teller. What’s that? Sure, we use fewer cashiers, but it’s offset by human error (ringing up conventional bananas when you meant to pay for organic, as an example). Technology is improving rapidly, and computers will be able to use product recognition software, similar to having facial ID on your cell phone. About 20% of our shoppers use self-checkout, but there’s one thing I’ve noticed: most of those shoppers don’t have grey hair!
• WildTwist Apples – They’re a cross between a Honey Crisp and Pink Lady. Crunchy with a good mix of sweet and tart. We’ve been selling them for three weeks and they’re already our second-best selling apple. Watch out, Honey Crisp!
• Homemade Sausage –  We’ve been trying a few different flavor combinations and corned beef is our most popular flavor so far. You also loved the broccoli rabe with provolone sausages. The idea started in Danbury and now Norwalk has picked up the trend.
• Lobster Rolls – We use local, handpicked lobster meat for these, and it used to be they were only popular in the summer. Now, you want them all year round. 
• WOW! Non-alcoholic beer – My daughter Blake and her wine, beer, and spirits team can’t believe this is 10% of our beers sales. Athletic Brewing is brewed right in Stratford, Conn. We sold 1500 six packs over the holidays. Also, the Cycling Frog and CANN drinks with THC have been rocking it. I tried one and it gave me a relaxed, serene feeling. For home consumption only!

Stewie The Duck Swim School

After losing our son to a drowning, it makes our hearts GLOW watching your kids take lessons at the Swim School. We have 700 kids each week in the pool. Here’s what we have learned:

• 75% of our students are under 5 years old. We even have moms and dads in the water with their 6-month-olds!
• All kids learn at different rates. Some are petrified and need to slowly get water acclimated. Some of them don’t want to get out of the water! All our instructors are Red Cross Certified and will nurture your child along. At a parent-teacher conference for one of my own daughters, I remember a long-time teacher of kindergarten showed a chart of all the kids in the class and how many teeth they lost during the school year. Some lost 5, some lost none. She said, “This COULD be your child’s reading progress chart also. Some catch on early, some don’t, but they will all learn to read! Have patience.”
• Float, float, float. When we found our son, he was face down in the pool. Our 21-month year old son was around the water all the time but as young parents, we never thought to teach him to float. If he knew how to roll over on his back when he fell in the pool, it could have been a game changer! That’s why I am such an advocate on learning how to FLOAT!
• Watch out during springtime. Pools are closed now, but they’ll start to open when the weather gets warmer, plus there are visits to beaches and lakes. Sadly, Kim and I get phone calls from devastated parents every spring and summer telling us about their tragedy.
• We’ve added hours on Saturdays and Sundays at 8am and classes are filling up quickly!
• We’re giving our instructors a free lunch coupon if they get 5 positive Google Reviews from you! A couple of our instructors have already received coupons. The reviews are great feedback.