VALDOSTA, GA — The produce manager in the loud red silk tie, suspenders and shades has a problem — he just does not know it. As produce peddlers ply him with free booze and small talk, his department is falling apart around him. But this is not a typical morning in a supermarket — it is actually the annual Produce Seminar Workshop sponsored by General Produce, Inc. of Atlanta, GA.

General Produce Sales Manager Andrew Scott with George Wiley, who handles business development and exports, as his alter-ego, produce manager Mullet Lightlatch, at the company’s annual Produce Seminar Workshop, held this year in Valdosta, GA. (Photo by Chip Carter)Produce managers from Georgia, Florida and Alabama have packed a conference room of the Holiday Inn Conference Center, here, and the produce manager in the wacky outfit is actually George Wiley, who handles business development and export sales for General.

The character is Mr. Wiley’s alter-ego, Mullet Lightlatch, perhaps the most incompetent — and unrepentant — produce manager in history.

The hilarious Mullet sketch is the centerpiece of the annual workshop. Mr. Wiley created the character in 1985 and has been portraying him ever since.

Mullet is the living embodiment of everything modern produce managers should not be. The workshop, on the other hand, shows them everything they should be.

Guests like Walter Johanson of USA Pears and David Darling with packaging manufacturer Bunzl keep produce manager up to date on what suppliers are doing. General Produce staff, like Merchandising Manger Donnie Rountree, who planned and hosted this year’s event, fill in the gaps and show produce managers how to make the most of their departments. Presentations cover the basics, like how to rotate and stack product and properly clean equipment, to more advanced material like boosting value-added and pre-cut sales.

“I actually started doing these in 1985. I did my very first one from scratch,” Mr. Wiley said. “Donnie took the lead this year and did a good job mixing it up and giving them what they needed. They had a lot of new blood there, new to the job, and they really needed to hear the basics from someone other than their merchandiser who walks in the store every week.”

In addition to the major annual seminar, General also hosts smaller, regional seminars. Attendance continues to grow each year and “pretty much speaks for itself,” Mr. Wiley said. Attendees are primarily General customers, but “If you want to come participate and see what we’re all about, by all means you’re invited, no strings attached, you can come as a guest — we actually had two there this time, one gentlemen who represented an 11-store group in Alabama and they’re not buying a dime from us. But we’re sure he has a lot better feel of what we’re all about right now.”

Best of all, there is no cost for the seminars.

“Like Mullet says, ‘My favorite flavor — free,’“ Mr. Wiley cracked. “We don’t charge a dime, it’s a win-win. This is one of many things General offers its customers that is not found among many produce wholesalers. We believe in investing at our customer’s operational level.”

General Produce’s Facebook page offers more information about the next workshop.