A Conversation with Jenny Longo

When it comes to her job, family is everything to Jenny Longo. As director of private brands at Longo Brothers Fruit Markets — and the daughter of Joe Longo, the retailer’s cofounder — she enjoys the opportunity to create new and exciting own-brand products and strategies while using the principles and values of her father and his brothers as a guide along the way.

Private Label ⇨ Store Brands asked Longo to discuss what’s going on with her company’s store brand program — and the store brand industry overall.

Private Label ⇨ Store Brands: What are the most exciting store brand categories right now, and what makes them so exciting?

Jenny Longo: Our most exciting categories right now are those that offer truly innovative food experiences. Our new Longo’s frozen chicken and veal cutlets — convenient pre-breaded cutlets — offer all the homemade taste you love in a convenient frozen format. And our Fresh Meals Made Easy kits offer fresh ingredients in innovative packaging that are ready in minutes. We are really focused on a great food experience that also makes our customers’ lives easier.

PLSB: Which categories aren’t getting the attention they deserve in terms of product development?

Longo: We’re committed to offering quality food and promoting better-for-you and all-natural products. We have recently focused our attention [on] all-natural grains and flours and [are] very excited about their development. Our challenge is not as much the product development, but giving these products the marketing development they require with customer education and packaging. Our packaging is very simple — a resealable bag with a black-and-white label — but we may need to work on further development to give it [better] presence on shelf.

PLSB: What is your favorite store brand product?

Longo: I have too many favorites — they’re all my babies! My favorite of all time is our Longo’s Signature Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce. Simple, homemade and delicious. I have converted so many people to this sauce instead of making their own. My new favorite is our new Longo’s Tuscan Gorgonzola Premium Dip and spread. It’s thick and cheesy, with real Gorgonzola, and is great for dipping or using as a stuffing or topping for pasta.

PLSB: What is your fondest memory in your career so far?

Longo: Too many to name. My fondest [memories are] probably when I meet someone, and they find out I work at Longo’s, and they mention how much they enjoy a particular private label product I helped create. Another would be as a family when our three founders — my father, Joe, and uncles, Tom and Gus — were awarded the CFIG (Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers) Lifetime Achievement Award. It was the last time all three of them received an award together, and we were all so proud.

PLSB: Who is your greatest hero, and what makes him or her such an inspiration?

Longo: Greatest hero is my father, Joe, who — along with his brothers — overcame a lot and sacrificed a lot to create a better life for their family. He is such a great inspiration not only because he’s my dad, but because everywhere we go, people always talk so highly of him... He and his brothers started Longo’s in 1956 in an effort to allow their father to quit his arduous job in a Toronto mill shop.

PLSB: How would you sum up your work philosophy?

Longo: Work hard and love what you do. My work philosophy is trying to mirror the values that have been instilled in us. Longo’s has built its success on a strong commitment to its vision and values. We strongly believe that family values are essential to community growth. Since our company beginnings, the Longo’s team continues to participate in many initiatives [that] demonstrate the ongoing commitment to the wellbeing of the communities that we serve.