Thirty-six years ago, Andre Santori opened a small produce store across from Bader Field in Atlantic City with little more than determination and a willingness to learn. At 23 years old, he had no experience in the produce business. “I literally had no idea what I was doing,” Santori said with a laugh. “You learn fast when you start losing money.”
Today, Santori’s Produce & Deli Market has grown into a trusted South Jersey staple with locations in Somers Point, Galloway, and Vineland, thanks to a simple philosophy: provide the freshest products possible at prices families can afford.
Santori still personally shops for much of the produce sold in the stores. Several times a week, he travels to the Philadelphia Food Distribution Center, climbing pallets of watermelons, opening boxes of fruit, and tasting products before making a purchase.
“If you were to follow me when I buy produce, I’m looking at everything,” he said. “I’m cutting watermelon, tasting grapes, checking cantaloupes. We don’t sell anything I wouldn’t eat myself.”
That hands-on approach is what Santori believes separates his stores from larger chain supermarkets.
“Chain stores have products that go through multiple warehouses before they hit the shelves,” he explained. “I buy what I need and keep it moving so it stays fresh.”
Family has also played a major role in the company’s success from the very beginning. Santori said when he decided to enter the produce business, his mother strongly supported the idea, while his father came out of retirement to help at the original Atlantic City location.
“It reminded him of when he was young working at my grandfather’s corner market on California and Arctic Avenue,” Santori said.
Today, the business remains a true family operation. Santori’s wife handles the bookkeeping for the company, while his brothers, John and Gino, help oversee deli items, grocery products, and day-to-day operations.
The business has evolved over the decades. After opening the Somers Point location in 1996, Santori expanded into Vineland and Galloway. While the original Atlantic City location is no longer open after the property was sold several years ago, the company continues operating successful stores in Somers Point, Galloway, and Vineland. Despite the growth, the company has maintained the feel of a neighborhood market.
“You’ll find one of us in the stores at any given time,” Santori said. “We’re hands-on. I still love stocking shelves, talking to customers, and suggesting things for people to try.”
Customer service remains a cornerstone of the business. While many supermarkets have shifted heavily toward self-checkout systems, Santori has intentionally kept cashiers and employees front and center.
“I thought about self-checkout, but our employees are friendly and customers know them,” he said. “People come in and have conversations. It feels like a neighborhood store.”
Santori credits many longtime employees for helping create consistency across all locations, with new workers learning directly from experienced staff members. Many customers know employees by first name and stop to chat while shopping, something Santori believes has become increasingly rare in today’s retail environment.
The produce industry itself, however, has never been easy. Santori has weathered soaring food costs, devastating freezes in Florida that destroyed crops, truck fires, and breakdowns on the Walt Whitman Bridge while transporting produce.
Even during periods of high prices, Santori said the company’s focus remains on volume and affordability rather than increasing profits.
“When prices are high, we actually make less,” he said. “We make our money by selling volume. When prices come down, we can move more product and pass savings on to customers.”
Still, he says the challenges are worth it when customers continue returning year after year.
“With all the competition out there, we’re still here 36 years later,” Santori said. “We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be the best we can be. I just want customers to walk out feeling like they had a great experience and wanting to come back.”
