Associated Grocers of New England Associated Grocers of New England Associated Grocers of New England (AGNE) is a retailers' cooperative serving over six hundred independent grocery stores and convenience stores, in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1946 as New Hampshire Wholesale Grocers and took the present name in 1969. AGNE is a member of Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates. It distributes Shurfine products in its stores. It is based in Pembroke, New Hampshire. AGNE operates Vista Foods supermarkets in Laconia, New Hampshire and Newport, Vermont, Harvest Market in Bedford, Hollis and Wolfeboro New
Cuisine of New England local apples. As with Maine and Vermont, French-Canadian dishes are popular, including tourtière, which is traditionally served on Christmas Eve, and poutine. Corn chowder is also common, which is similar to clam chowder but with corn and bacon replacing the clams. Portsmouth is known for its orange cake. Rhode Island and bordering Bristol County, Massachusetts are known for Rhode Island clam chowder (clear chowder), quahogs (hard clams), johnny cakes, coffee milk, celery salt, milkshakes known as "cabinets" (called "frappes" elsewhere in New England), grinders, pizza strips, clam cakes, the chow mein sandwich, and Del's Frozen Lemonade. Another food item popular