NRS and Krasdale host more than 250 retailers at Citi Field appreciation day

National Retail Solutions and Krasdale Foods brought more than 250 merchants and employees to Citi Field in Queens on July 30 for their annual Customer Appreciation Day. The event mixed a tailgate with a New York Mets game and highlighted the companies’ support for independent retailers.

Why it matters: - The event recognized the independent merchants who anchor both NRS and Krasdale Foods. - The gathering also underscored the year-round support both companies provide to small retailers through technology, distribution, merchandising, marketing and other services. - The annual celebration offered a rare in-person chance for store owners, staff and partners to connect outside the business day.

What happened: - National Retail Solutions and Krasdale Foods welcomed more than 250 merchants and employees to Customer Appreciation Day on Thursday, July 30, at Citi Field in Queens, New York. - The day included a tailgate outside the ballpark followed by the New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins game. - NRS/IDT employees joined NRS and Krasdale partner retailers for the outing. - Many attendees met face-to-face for the first time after years of doing business together.

The details: - NRS framed the event as a thank-you for partnership and hard work. - Independent merchants are central to both businesses. - NRS supports retailers with point-of-sale technology, NRS Cares initiatives and related merchant services. - Krasdale supports retailers with distribution, merchandising and marketing backing. - Elie Y. Katz, president and CEO of NRS, said seeing more than 250 partner retailers and employees together at the ballpark is what Appreciation Day is about. - Katz said the evening of food, company and Mets baseball was a small way to say thank you to the people behind the counter and behind NRS. - NRS is a subsidiary of IDT Corporation and operates point-of-sale systems and NRS Pay payment processing services for thousands of independent retailers in the United States and Canada. - NRS also offers EBT/eWIC acceptance, e-commerce solutions, payroll services, business cash advances and other merchant services. - NRS serves retail segments including gas stations and convenience stores through NRS Petro. - Krasdale Foods is an 118-year-old, family-owned grocery distributor in the New York Metro area. - Krasdale supplies more than 3,000 independent retailers across the Northeast and Florida under banners including CTown, Bravo, Aim, Market Fresh, Shop Smart and Stop 1. - Krasdale and affiliate Alpha 1 Marketing provide distribution, merchandising and marketing solutions for multi-generational businesses. - More information on NRS is available at nrsplus.com. - More information on Krasdale Foods is available at krasdalefoods.com.

Between the lines: - The event doubles as customer outreach and relationship-building for two companies that depend on independent retailers for growth. - A ballpark outing creates a low-pressure setting for partners who usually interact through logistics, payments and store operations. - The scale of the turnout suggests both companies can mobilize a broad retailer base around a shared brand moment.

What's next: - NRS and Krasdale are likely to keep using Appreciation Day and similar events to reinforce loyalty with retailers. - Both companies will continue leaning on their support services to deepen ties with independent store owners.

The bottom line: - NRS and Krasdale used a Mets game and a tailgate to turn customer appreciation into a public display of retailer partnership.