FOOD BAZAAR — Local services in West New York

UPDATE April 2022

I have gone back to Food Bazaar for occasional stocking up, in addition to Green Way (formerly FreshCo) and deliveries from Target and Amazon Fresh. Prices are way better than Green Way on most items, and selection on produce, dairy, meat, and seafood is head and shoulders above the other options. Haven't been purchasing a lot of meat here again yet, but will probably have to start due to prices at Green Way and poor availability at the others. Will update again if I see any issues similar to the past. They also added a large refrigerated area in the produce section for Korean staples like kimchi, a wide selection of tofu, miso and gochujang and other items, which I view as a plus, even though I don't use those things often.

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Produce quality and selection has improved a lot in the last few years since I've been in the area. It was once very poor but is now about average. You still need to select the best package or piece from what's available, but it's no longer like digging through a compost heap sometimes.

Great selection of Latin foods from around the world, aisles organized by country, plus frozen sections by country, and an entire Goya aisle. Really good selection of fresh and frozen fish and seafood. Large butcher counter as well, but I haven't used it, so don't really know the quality.

The reason for the mediocre star rating is that I have purchased packaged meat a few times that went bad almost immediately, days before the expiration date. (Usually chicken, sometimes beef.) Other times I bought packaged meat without looking at the date, only to find at home that it was dated use by the same day or next day. Once I tried to return about $20 of bad meat that went green and smelly before the expiration date, but was told by the manager they could not accept it, even for store credit, without the receipt, even though it was clearly from that store based on label/packaging. Who keeps a grocery receipt?

After that experience I started shopping primarily at FreshCo up on 64th and Park. The prices are slightly higher, but so is the quality of the goods, and the service. Food Bazaar wins on selection, but I now go there...

The food here is good, and the variety is nice, but the customer service leaves a lot to be desired.

We saw they offered delivery. My boyfriend and I don’t have a car and live about 20 blocks away, so I called to ask how it works. A girl on the phone says “You have to come here and spend more than $60 and they deliver it for you.” Great. We bike down, do one big shop and spend over $200. I asked the girl at check out how delivery works and she says, “You have to fill the form and ask the guy.” No other help. I was very confused. So we figured out where the form was, filled it out, and couldn’t see a guy. Finally I found someone, but he didn’t speak any English. I tried to make myself understood but I don’t speak much Spanish. So he pointed to the form and I nodded, then he pointed to outside where we had to put our cart. I rolled it round there, checked with him and he nodded, and my boyfriend and I waited for about 15 minutes, before we were like...I guess we just leave?

So we biked home and called to check the status. And the manager, in broken English as well, yells at us that we need to come back and that we were supposed to ride in the van with the delivery guy (what???). I tell him no one told us this, and we’re home, and can they just deliver it to our address. He said no. My boyfriend biked back there an there’s no room for his bike in the van. Absolutely ridiculous, inefficient system. You have to ride with the delivery person????

I also hate to be this person, but at least someone on your staff needs to be able to communicate to your English-speaking customers. Most of the staff seems to be Spanish-speaking, and the manager speaks what I believe is Mandarin. I had a really hard time getting any help, and on top of the language barrier people were rude...

I have been a customer for many years, but unfortunately have had to look at other options for food shopping because Food Bazaar's prices are too high. I've noticed trash bags and a few other items that cost less at Walgreens & Walmart. The hot meals they have available are charged by weight and it does not make sense that a small container costs the same as a large container. Produce is not always fresh and some canned or boxed items are near expiration date or have expired. I don't understand how they have so many employees yet items/are not being removed and restocked with new inventory. Just about 2-3 weeks ago there Taro/Malanga was absolutely horrible. There is very few plant based vegan products. There is no oat/cashew/coconut or almond milk ice creams. When your walking in there not only do you have the security guards there but also some of whom I assume are the owners walking around looking at people like they have 2 heads. Also please fix the whole/bumps on your parking lot. Another thing, not sure how the hiring process works at this location but I referred a friend who has applied several times online and has asked in person if they had any openings available and was repeatedly told no by several employees. After going to the market several times in the past few weeks, I have seen a lot of new employees. So again, not sure what there hiring process is. Lastly, some if not most of the Employees (Cashiers) have mad, upset, bitter looks and not very enthusiastic to say hello when helping Customers. The one positive thing the market...