Updated:
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1262
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1262 administers a defined-benefit pension plan for union members employed primarily by food retailers in the New York...
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1262
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1262 administers a defined-benefit pension plan for union members employed primarily by food retailers in the New York metropolitan area. The fund is grounded in labor agreements with employers including Wakefern Food Corp (operator of the ShopRite cooperative), Stop & Shop, and Acme Markets. Rather than operating as a state-level public pension, it functions as a jointly trusteed Taft-Hartley plan, with governance split between union-appointed trustees led by President Harvey Whille and management trustees representing the contributing employers. On strategy, the fund allocates heavily to private equity secondaries, a posture that sets it apart from peer plans that often split commitments across buyouts, venture capital, and credit. Secondaries provide a mechanism to acquire seasoned fund interests at a discount, compressing the J-curve and allowing the fund to project nearer-term liquidity for benefit payments. Asset-class exposure is confined almost entirely to limited-partner stakes traded on the secondary market, a concentrated approach that demands rigorous pricing discipline. The geographic scope, while global by virtue of institutional fund exposure, is ultimately anchored to the economic health of unionized supermarkets in New Jersey. Beyond investments, the broader institution oversees a Health & Welfare Fund and maintains a physical headquarters at 1389 Broad Street in Clifton. Harvey Whille serves as President and Union Trustee Chairman, while John Colella Jr. holds the Secretary-Treasurer post. The local is an affiliate of both the UFCW International and the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, placing it within a wider network of labor capital. A UFCW Local 1262 Scholarship Program distributes educational grants to members' dependents, adding a defined philanthropic footprint. The fund's structural differentiator is its pure secondary-market mandate within a Taft-Hartley framework. Most union plans pursue diversified private-market portfolios; Local 1262's near-total reliance on secondaries concentrates portfolio risk but aligns with a need for steady distribution pacing. Succession risk sits squarely with the trustee appointments negotiated between labor and the contributing grocers, making governance continuity a function of multi-employer bargaining cycles.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Clifton
Corporate office
1389 Broad Street, Clifton, NJ 07013, United States
Principals
Harvey Whille
President and Union Trustee Chairman
John Colella Jr.
Secretary-Treasurer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at UFCW Local 1262?
Investment decisions are governed by a joint board of trustees. Harvey Whille, the local's President, chairs the union-appointed trustees. Secretary-Treasurer John Colella Jr. also holds a senior administrative role. The board typically delegates day-to-day manager selection and portfolio oversight to an investment consultant, though the specific consultant is not publicly disclosed by the fund.
Is UFCW Local 1262's pension plan a multi-employer Taft-Hartley fund?
Yes. The fund is structured as a jointly trusteed, multi-employer Taft-Hartley defined-benefit plan. This means trustees from both the union and from contributing employers — primarily New Jersey grocery chains — share fiduciary responsibility. Its fortunes are tied directly to the collective bargaining agreements that mandate employer contributions.
How concentrated is the fund's commitment to secondary strategies?
The fund is overwhelmingly concentrated in private equity secondaries. Unlike typical public or union pension plans that diversify across primary fund commitments, co-investments, and credit, Local 1262's known investment posture is to acquire existing LP positions on the secondary market. This strategy seeks to reduce the early-year negative returns common in primary commitments.
Which major employers contribute to the UFCW Local 1262 pension fund?
Contributing employers include Wakefern Food Corp (the cooperative behind ShopRite stores), Stop & Shop, and Acme Markets. These chains dominate the grocery landscape in northern New Jersey and the wider New York metropolitan area where Local 1262 members work. The financial health of these companies directly affects contribution levels to the pension plan.
What philanthropic structures are associated with UFCW Local 1262?
UFCW Local 1262 operates a Scholarship Program that awards grants to the children and dependents of union members. The local is also an affiliate of the broader UFCW Charity Foundation, which is the international union's vehicle for community giving and disaster relief. These structures are separate from the pension and health funds.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on pension funds?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: