Feeding Families
At Tops, we believe in Neighbors Helping Neighbors and have worked with our community partners to donate more than 68 million meals through a number of various organizations across our footprint.
Feeding Families
Eradicating hunger and improving the lives of children and families remains a core focus of Tops' mission. Standing shoulder to shoulder with local food pantries and soup kitchens, Tops is committed to helping neighbors in need throughout the communities we serve.
Each holiday season, Tops hosts its annual Food 2 Families/Food for Families campaign, best known for its iconic Little Brown Bag of Hope. During the campaign, customers can support local hunger relief by purchasing a $5, $10, or $20 Little Brown Bag of Hope paper icon at checkout or by rounding up their change. The 2026 Campaign kicks off November 1-December 24, 2026.
Last year's campaign alone raised more than $302,000 and resulted in nearly 69,000 Little Brown Bags being purchased-providing critical support to families facing food insecurity throughout our communities.
Empowering Our Youth
We improve the lives of children by supporting local schools through Tops in Education, which helps raise money for school improvements and programs.
Empowering Our Youth
We sponsor and support numerous youth sports and Little League teams in the community, and also work closely with youth-related programs like Junior Achievement , inspiring and preparing young people to succeed.
Providing a Secure Place
For more than 20 years, Tops stores in both Erie and Monroe Counties have served as a Safe Place for children ages 12-19. As a Safe Place site, children are able to come into our stores and remain in a safe environment while crisis counseling and/or shelter is coordinated.
Caring for our Kids
In an effort to better the lives of children and combat disease, we support children's hospitals with donations totaling more than $14.9+ million raised.
- Children's Hospital at Albany Medical
- Arnot Ogden Medical Center
- Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital
- Golisano Children’s Hospital
- Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital
- Kaleida Health Golisano Children's Hospital of Buffalo
- Saint Vincent Hospital
- Samaritan Medical Center
- University of Vermont Health Golisano Children's Hospital
- Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital
Together for Our Communities
Helping our community fight Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (JDRF), and show resilience despite birth defects, and special needs, we work closely with organizations such as:
Committed to the Fight
We work closely with a number of cancer-related causes and organizations in an effort to help fight the disease.
Honoring Our Heros
We believe honoring those who have served our country and protected our communities is more than a responsibility - itâs a privilege. Through our work with veterans and military organizations Tops continues to support active military organizations (some noted below) as well as honor those who have served our country with dignity.
Tops continues to support the Stars for our Troops program, having run the program twice over the past eight years, collecting over 58,000 to present to those who have protected our freedoms.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Tops' continued effort to help families and communities in need expands to community organizations including:
Conserving Resources
Tops has recycled nearly 149,592 tons of cardboard boxes, paper, newspaper, magazines and cardboard displays and 2,667+ tons of plastic shopping bags and stretch film annually. Tops has a long and successful relationship with Trex, who takes this plastic material and processes it with saw dust to make Trex decking, railing and trimming products. We were even recognized by Progressive Grocer as one of the Top 10 most Sustainable Grocery Stores
Proud To Be Recognized. Committed to Doing More.
We are honored to be recognized for our Sustainability efforts in grocery retail. It's a reflection of our ongoing commitment to reducing waste , improving efficiency, and building a more sustainable future for the communities we serve. This is progress worth celebrating and continuing.
Tops Totes For Change
In 2019 Tops began a new campaign that not only helps the environment, but important local causes as well called Tops Totes for Change. By purchasing a special charity-designed reusable bag for just $2.69 shoppers are not only helping Mother Earth but $1 from the proceeds are donated to your community's local organization. Since its inception the program has raised over $738,000 for local charities. We added a new charity to the lineup - our local schools. Look for our Tops in Education Bags in store and help your local schools today.
Food De-packing Program
For food that cannot be donated, Tops launched an enhanced Food Waste De-Packaging Program in six stores in April 2026. Working with Denali, packaged meat, dairy, bakery, prepared foods, and other organic materials are separated from their packaging and converted into compost. Since expanding the program, we now have 36 stores on board with the remaining stores in the chain being trained by year end. Since the program's inception Tops has recycled 439,560 tons of food waste!
COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE
Tops has been a proud member of the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) since 2023, enhancing its commitment to green initiatives. As a member we are able to join forces with other businesses equally committed to environmental causes and share ideas that drive actionable solutions.
REDUCING E-WASTE
Tops is proud to partner with ecoATM Gazelle, the global leader in mobile device re-commerce. Through this partnership, ecoATM enables shoppers to recycle and earn cash for their mobile devices. As a result, there is a significant reduction of E-Waste, including CO2 emissions, going back into the environment. Since 2024 Tops helped to keep over 46,055 devices (18,000 lbs.) of electronics from piling up in landfills thanks to this partnership.
From Scraps to Soil
At Tops, we believe meaningful change starts at the community level. Together with Farmer Pirates Compost, we're reducing landfill waste while empowering everyday participation in a more sustainable, locally driven system.
The From Scraps to Soil initiative is our first-ever retail composting program designed to serve customers' needs. This pilot program builds on Tops' existing partnership with Farmer Pirates Compost, a local, worker-owned company dedicated to reducing landfill waste, which provides commercial composting services at 18 Tops locations. To date, this partnership has successfully diverted approximately 455,289 pounds (over 228 tons) of organic waste from landfillsâtransforming it into nutrient-rich compost for local soils
To take part in the composting program customers can enroll at www.farmerpirates.com/compost-drop-off.
Optimizing Energy
Tops transitioned to new eco-fiber trays in many of its stores, making an environmentally conscious decision to shift our produce packaging from foam to fiber. Tops has also made a commitment to cut down on its fuel emissions by doing business with more locally sourced providers. Instead of bringing in produce from over 2,000 miles away, Tops is sourcing it from 45-75 miles away, 52 weeks a year.
Transitioning to a Cleaner Future
Tops recently transitioned over to clear trays for its chicken products that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly with partner Mountaire. Clearly Clean trays are made of PET - the same materials used in water bottles. These trays are durable and 100% recyclable.
Flashfood
Flashfood is an app-based marketplace that strives to eliminate retail food waste by connecting consumers with discounted food nearing its best-by date and is now available in over 70 Tops locations. Shoppers can buy items from Tops through the Flashfood app and pick them up in-store at great prices while collectively reducing food waste. This allows customers to save up to 60% off of the Flashfood items like produce, meat, deli, bakery, and dairy.
To date, Flashfood and Tops has diverted over 3.3 million pounds of food from landfills and saved shoppers over $8.9 million in groceries. Flashfood is a free app available on iOS and Android. For more information, please visit https://flashfood.onelink.me/yAxk/3jwl07a6
It's All in the Bag
Tops prides itself on working with partners who share the same commitment to environmental practices so it was a no brainer when Tops had the opportunity to employ BioFlex™ bags instead of traditional plastic bags for its potatoes.
BioFlex™ is a sustainable technology that increases the natural microbial activity in modern landfills and contributes 19 times more energy than that of regular plastic. The packaging is FDA compliant and safe for food contact. Furthermore, BioFlex™ packaging can be designed to maintain recyclability.
The new packaging is 100% recyclable and also biodegrades in landfills and converts into renewable methane gas. Tops is proud to be the first retail chain to adopt this technology and has the most distribution to date.
Reducing Waste
Our stores have recycled over 5,545 tons of organic scraps this year including unusable produce, floral, bakery cull, and unsaleable produce. By partnering with companies like Organix Recycling, Tops is able to divert food from landfills. We also partner with local organic recyclers like farmers, animal rescues, and sanctuaries who use this for feed. This is truly a win/win for all parties involved. Year to date we have helped 24 farm and animal conservation organizations across NY State.
Fresh Recovery Creates a Positive Impact
The Fresh Recovery Program that has been expanded at 130 Tops locations across NYS is revolutionizing the grocery store industry by tackling food waste head-on. Through strategic partnerships, efficient inventory management, and customer engagement, this program sets a benchmark for sustainability. The program has recovered over 1.6 million pounds of food.
At its core, the Fresh Recovery Program focuses on rescuing and repurposing fresh produce and perishable items that would otherwise go to waste including bakery, deli, meat, seafood, frozen and dairy items. Tops has operated a similar program of this nature for decades, partnering with local food banks, food pantries, and community organizations to ensure that surplus food is redirected to those in need. By redistributing these items, the program not only combats hunger, but also reduces the environmental footprint associated with food waste.
Reducing Waste
Tops Used Cooking Oil Program continues to work with our partners to recycle over 2,533 tons of used cooking oil, repurposing it into other products such as biofuels that help to reduce the world's carbon footprint.
Protecting our Environment
Working alongside the Department of Environmental Conservation, shoppers will find clearly designated disposal bins located in the Tops pharmacy departments where they can dispose of their unused and unwanted medications.
Tops is pleased to be able to offer this added convenience to the community year round. Proper disposal of unused, unwanted and/or expired prescription medications helps not only protect our environment, but more importantly saves lives.
Reducing our Carbon Footprint
Not only are Tops stores more environmentally conscious, but the corporate office is making strides in this arena as well by using "greener" cleaning supplies. From hand towels and bath tissues that carry EPA/FSC and eco certifications to coreless products, all of these items help reduce waste. Additionally almost all of the paper based packaging for the products used contain post-consumer waste. The use of HEPA vacs and auto scrubbers control water usage as well, cutting back on the overall environmental impact made by Tops.
E-Charging Stations
Tops is excited to offer our shoppers the convenience of EV charging stations so they can recharge while they shop. To date, Tops has six EV stations across our footprint in Cattaragus, Erie, Livingston, Dutchess, and Ulster Counties and will be looking to pilot more stations in the future.
Optimizing Efficiencies
Tops has drastically reduced its energy consumption throughout our footprint by upgrading our store's interior and exterior lights/fixtures through programs with Lime Energy Services and NOCO. Today 152 stores throughout the chain as well as our Corporate offices and mailroom have been fully converted from traditional fluorescent lighting to LED lighting. This results in a reduction of kWh by 42.72% and 54,334 KWH.
Optimizing Efficiencies
New vapor-tight LED fixtures have reduced energy consumption in our freezers by 69%.
Helping the Environment
In 2025 Tops converted 32,735 lbs. of refrigerant at 60 stores to a more environmentally favorable refrigerant. This reduces the amount of ozone depleting refrigerants in our stores and also replaces other refrigerants with a higher global warming potential.
Solar Efficiencies
Tops continues to increase its use of solar energy by partnering with Convergent Power + Energy and EDP Renewables to provide more than 80 stores with energy saving solar power.
Energy Management Program
Tops initially enrolled 26 stores into a case study program with the goal to improve energy performance and tracking and identifying low-cost efficiency opportunities.
Energy models were developed and reviewed where HVAC optimization, refrigeration & lighting scheduling were considered as quick wins. This opened the door for more stores to join the program and the leveraging of additional rebates and retro commissioning program with a focus on refrigeration.
As a result there was:
- an immediate savings from low to no-cost operational changes,
- 12 stores achieved significant O&M savings: 1.8% - 5.76% energy savings in year one and
- to date 42 Tops stores are now enrolled.
Building a Better Workplace
We have more than 14,000+ associates dedicated to our customers—and each other—through our culture that promotes a positive attitude, character, teamwork, dependability and trustworthiness.
Promoting Education
Our investment in education includes two different scholarship programs where more than 26,900 scholarships have been awarded and over $25 million has been provided to Tops associates in scholarships. In 2025 alone, the UFCW and Tops Markets awarded over 158 associates a total of more than $180,250 in scholarships and 23 students received $23,000 in scholarships. Tops is also proud to support our associate with reduced rates on tuition at local institutions like D'Youville University and Hilbert College.
Promoting Education
We're proud to offer tuition reimbursements toward advanced degrees and have a partnership with Niagara University to offer a preferred tuition rate for graduate level coursework.
Investing in Our Employees
We're dedicated to growing the careers of our employees and offer training and career advancement opportunities through on-the-job cross-training, the Tops School of Business, the Tops Leadership Academy and other competency-based management training.
Investing in Our Employees
Tops Years of Service recognition program celebrates the dedication and loyalty of our long-term associates. In 2025 we recognized a total of 274 associates reaching 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and even 50 year anniversaries for a grand total of 8,735 years of service.
Recognizing Achievement
Throughout the course of the year our associates are recognized as not only being experts in their areas of the business with awards like Produce Managers of the Year and Top Women in Grocery, but also being good corporate citizens. Tops is proud to have the best and brightest as part of the team.
Keeping it Green
We reduce our carbon footprint by optimizing deliveries to and from our central warehouse and frozen distribution center.
Keeping it Green
Tops continues to enhance its fleet of trucks with the purchase of 40 New CNG tractors with impressive sustainability benefits. This investment supports our long-term distribution strategy.
We will also continue to enhance our relationship with Chevron supporting a fully rebuilt and modernized CNG fueling station. This investment will improve fueling reliability, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability. This reinforces our commitment to alternative fuel technology and sustainable fleet operations.
To learn more about Tops fleet of CNG trucks visit: Engagement from Chevron (highspot.com)
Giving You Our Best
Tops CORE standards ensure that we provide our customers with sustainable and traceable products that are of a high quality, sourced responsibly and serve the environment's best interests.
Giving You Our Best
We offer more than 4,500 Certified Organic items, which are free of synthetic additives like pesticides, chemical fertilizers and dyes. All of our items labeled as Certified Organic contain at least 95% organically sourced ingredients.
Giving You Our Best
With cleaner and simpler ingredients, nearly 8,700 Tops Brand Products provide our customers with the highest quality options available.
Listening to You
We continually survey our customers to make sure that we always deliver an extraordinary shopping experience.
Finding the Right Match
We conduct extensive background checks on new suppliers to ensure they meet the Tops CORE standards, with a dedication to honesty, a commitment to creating value for our customers and practices that are socially responsible.
Finding the Right Match
We purchase commodities (i.e.: sugar, oil and cocoa) from suppliers that have the necessary trade certifications.
Proud of Our Partnerships
Take a closer look at the practices of some of our trusted partners.
Partnering with over 500 Local Produce and Dairy Farmers
Local farms bring Tops their freshest homegrown fruits, vegetables, and locally produced milk and dairy products, so you bring home the best to your family while supporting your neighbors. When we say local, we mean it. Our local dairy and produce is from nearby farms and orchards with generations of experience, so you'll always get the highest quality for your family.
Tops Loves Local
We support and invest in our local farmers and merchants, and that includes working with more than 200 local growers during homegrown season, some of which have partnered with Tops for decades, putting money back into our local economy.
A Thoughtful Approach to Egg Selection
Tops Friendly Markets embraces a local-first philosophy and is proud to support over 500 local farmers and more than 300 other local companies, representing thousands of items carried in our stores. Tops provides options for conventional, cage-free, and organic eggs and has made significant strides over the past few years to specifically increase the availability of cage-free. Today, a third of all eggs offered at Tops are cage-free.
In speaking with our local farmer partners, expanding cage-free offerings further at this time would place additional strain on the existing supply chain and could reduce availability for our shoppers. We will continue to closely monitor the environment and make informed decisions about future progress accordingly.
Recent enhancements include the addition of Pete & Gerry's Pasture-Raised eggs in October 2025, with Tops Cage-Free Brown 12-count eggs being introduced in January 2026. Work is also underway to develop Tops Medium Cage-Free 18-count, with timing and package design still in progress.
Partnering On Principals
Tops has recently partnered with the Rainforest Alliance to provide our customers with beautiful Sunshine Bouquets all while working with certified farmers who use more sustainable farming methods that protect forests and biodiversity. This improves livelihoods, promotes human rights, and helps them adapt to the climate crisis.
