Food Circus Super Markets honored with Jersey Shore Partnership’s Business & Industry Award after years of commitment to preserving New Jersey’s coast

By:  | July 20, 2024 |  Features |  Monmouth County

By Rebecca King

It’s not uncommon for people to think Food Circus Super Markets are run by a massive company, said the company’s President and CEO Lou Scaduto, Jr.

But, in reality, those Circus Foodtowns dotted up and down New Jersey are run by one big family – the Scadutos and Azzolinas. And those local ties are what make Food Circus so focused on New Jersey when it comes to giving back. Where other national chains may opt for major charities to donate to – all worthy in their own right – the Azzolinas and Scadutos have focused a portion of their philanthropy on preserving something nearly every New Jerseyan holds dear – the shore.

For years, Food Circus has donated to and collaborated with the The Jersey Shore Partnership, New Jersey’s leading advocate of beach replenishment and restoration to protect the state’s coastline. At this year’s Summer Celebration, an annual fundraiser thrown by The Jersey Shore Partnership that this year took place on June 10 in Sandy Hook, the Food Circus team was honored with the Business & Industry Award. The Scaduto and Azzolina families were chosen to receive the award “due to their long-standing and unwavering support of the Jersey Shore Partnership since its inception over 30 years ago,” said John Gagliano, chairman of Jersey Shore Partnership, and Grace Hanlon, executive director of Jersey Shore Partnership.

Circus Foodtowns regularly run a program at their registers where customers can round up their change to donate to the Jersey Shore Partnership. Senators Tom Gagliano and Joe Kyrillos, who founded the Partnership, worked closely with Joe Azzolina, Sr. when the organization was first starting out.

“Circus Foodtown and the Scaduto and Azzolina families have remained tremendous supporters of the Partnership since those early days,” Gagliano and Hanlon said.

“We are very humbled by receiving this award,” said Scaduto. “We take pride in being philanthropic. We believe in giving back to the local communities.”

They also take pride in being a family-run operation.

“Not every customer is going to be able to call the president and CEO of a company, but here, they can. We work very hard to deliver the best possible product,” he added.

A Family Affair

Circus Foodtowns’ roots can be traced back to John and Angelina Azzolina, Scaduto’s grandparents who moved to New Jersey from Italy in the 1920s. They opened a candy store in Highlands and worked there for many years with their children, Scaduto’s mother and uncle. Food Circus was incorporated in 1956, and the family opened their first larger supermarket in Middletown. The company now operates four Circus Foodtowns and six Circus Wines, Beer & Spirits

“My grandfather and grandmother were certainly pioneers and proved that America was the spot to come to make a better life. I’m proud to be a third-generation grocer,” said Scaduto, who runs the company with executive vice presidents Phil Scaduto and Joe Azzolina, Jr., Scaduto’s brother and cousin, respectively.

And now the fourth generation – Scaduto’s own kids and nieces and nephews – are in on the family business. His daughter Nicole Scaduto Calabrese is, in fact, a major player in the company’s involvement with The Jersey Shore Partnership as a member of the organization’s Young Professionals Committee. Scaduto Calabrese, who studied marketing in college and initially managed the company’s social media account, now runs Food Circus’ floral department, Grace’s Garden, named after her grandmother.She made the transition to coordinating floral arrangements for events after her own wedding had to be adjusted due to COVID.

“I realized we had the buying power to get flowers at more affordable prices,” she said, adding that joining the family business was always a no-brainer for her. “I have always gravitated toward my family and felt very comfortable with them. That just excited me to go into the business. We provide so many jobs for people, and it’s really rewarding work.”

Preserving the Best of New Jersey

Scaduto Calabrese, as part of the Young Professionals Committee, has made it a mission of Food Circus to preserve the state’s shoreline by giving back to The Jersey Shore Partnership.

“We were born and raised on the beach,” she said. “That’s where I grew up and where I now want to raise my kids. It’s important to be able to come back to the shore year after year.”

The Partnership’s Summer Celebration has run annually for more than 25 years and is intended to raise money for the organization and engage supporters on the very land the Partnership is protecting. It typically attracts over 500 attendees, including business leaders, elected officials, and tourism stakeholders, according to the Partnership.

This year’s celebration continued the tradition of having an array of Jersey-fresh foods, including a raw bar, donted by local fisheries and restaurants. And, as always, the band Brian Kirk & The Jirks performed.

“The Jersey Shore Partnership's Summer Celebration is not only a significant fundraising event, but also a vibrant and enjoyable gathering that underscores the importance of beach replenishment and restoration, while fostering valuable connections among New Jersey's business and political communities,” said Gagliano and Hanlon.

For Scaduto, the event is a chance to, “see all the local officials and get to see our community. It’s one of my favorite events of the year.” 

Of course, the real reason hundreds of people flock to the celebration each year is a dedication to protecting New Jersey’s beaches and shoreline.

“I don’t think people realize we have 130 miles of coastline,” said Scaduto. “It’s fundamental that we preserve it. It gives the community a great sense of pride and commerce.”

Gagliano and Hanlon chose to recognize Food Circus with its Business & Industry Award for this very commitment, stating, “The Scaduto and Azzolina families have consistently demonstrated exceptional generosity and commitment. Their contributions, both in terms of time and donations, have been pivotal in ensuring the success of our annual Summer Celebration year after year. The Scaduto and Azzolina families embody the spirit of community and philanthropy that the Jersey Shore Partnership stands for, making them truly deserving of this recognition.”