Swiss Farms Opens First Franchisee Store

Swiss Farms, the Broomall, Pa.-based drive-thru grocer, has opened its first franchise store. John Betz, a veteran Starbucks and Auntie Anne's franchisee, has opened the location in Somerdale, N.J.

“I am excited to bring this exceptional and unique shopping experience to New Jersey consumers,” he says. “We plan to open 2 additional Swiss Farms stores in Camden County over the next 24 month establishing more critical mass in our Jersey side beachhead.”

The store was built by A&E Construction, Inc. a construction management firm in the Philadelphia market, which also built the grocer’s corporate prototype store in Ridley Park, Pa., that opened in November 2009.

The newest location is almost double the size of many Swiss Farms stores at 1600 square feet. The store features two service doors on each side and a by-pass lane on each side; floor-to-ceiling glass walls on 3 sides rising vertically 14 feet; custom racking and refrigeration systems; and eight 46-inch LCD screens and a large LED pylon sign.

Swiss Farms was founded in 1968 and operates corporate stores in Delaware and Chester County, Pa.