BY JENN McDOWELL

Associated Grocers in Pembroke saved food banks across New England more than $60,000 in Thanksgiving turkeys.

The grocery distribution company, which supplies to major grocery stores throughout the New England states, was able to get the best price for an order of about 44,500 turkeys for the New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester and two others in Boston and Rhode Island.

Rick Wheeler, vice president of Wholesale Merchandising and Procurement, said Associated Grocers supplies cheap turkeys to the New Hampshire Food Bank for the past few years, and this year was the first time going out of state with the program.

A former advisory board member to the New Hampshire Food Bank, Wheeler said most of the cost to Associated Grocers comes from storing the turkeys, for which there is ample space at their distribution center behind Grace Capital Church off of Daniel Webster Highway.

While most food banks have national suppliers, there is still a need every year for Thanksgiving turkeys and the fixings. Typically, food banks accept bids from grocery suppliers to get the best deal on buying turkeys in bulk.

The New Hampshire Food Bank, which serves more than 300 pantries and soup kitchens throughout the state, is going through a major shortage right now, and have had to break into emergency rations of food that are supposed to be saved for catastrophes.

“We worked really hard to get the best possible price. My feeling is that if I can do that, the money I save the food banks can be used to purchase, let’s say, the rest of the meal,” said Wheeler.

Most of the turkeys have been delivered in the past two weeks, but there are still thousands being prepared for shipping in the warehouse freezer.

“It’s certainly not a moneymaking effect. We actually lose money on the whole thing, but that’s not what it’s all about,” Wheeler said.

He added that a food bank in Connecticut has already contacted him to get on their turkey list for next Thanksgiving.