Produce managers tell it like it is during United session
Produce managers tell it like it is during United session
CHICAGO -- Eleven retail produce managers were front and center to answer questions about what makes their departments successful and to share stories about their customers' behavior during an education session held here May 6 at the United Produce Expo & Conference. The session was moderated by Steve Lutz of the Perishables Group.
Mr. Lutz noted that the panel, all winners of United's Retail Produce Manager Awards Program, were selected from nominations submitted from across the country and are among the better produce managers in the United States.
The panel, which hailed from stores big and small, gave candid and straightforward advice to the audience, which packed the room to hear their stories.
When asked what was most important in their departments and why they were successful, the answers came without hesitation. "Communication with my staff and dedication day in and out," said Mike Dickerson from Winn Dixie in LaPlace, LA.
"I want it to look like the grand opening every day," said David Thompson from the Kroger Co. in Fayetteville, GA.
Training and development were very important to George Brundage of Clemens Family Market in New Hope, PA. "We need to build strong teams. I can't be there all the time," he said. "We have to be creative, and we change our displays weekly so nothing is stale."
"Consistency and quality produce are the keys," said Kenny Dale of Food Lion in Troutman, NC.
When Mr. Lutz asked what gets items in customers' baskets and what shippers could do to help that, Dee Mabry of the Brookshire Grocery Co. in Shreveport, LA, said, "More signage and point-sale- materials. Recipes are also good because people are looking for something different day after day."
Todd Haubrich of Roger & Marv's in Kenosha, WI, suggested that growers provide free samples, or possibly an allowance for them to retailers.
Mr. Lutz asked panel members what they saw as destination categories and the answer across the board was packaged salads.
"Bagged salads move out like crazy," Mr. Dickerson said. "Pre-cut fruit is doing well also."
"Packaged salads are growing by leaps-and-bounds, but pre-cut is building too," Mr. Brundage added.
"We have a lot of locally grown strawberries right now and they are at the front of the store and they are doing very well, said Doyle Robinson of Food City K-VA-T in Kingsport, TN.
"We also have a home-grown department and I have 8-by-10 photos that I have taken of the fields and the growers out with the product," Mr. Mabry said.
Mr. Dickerson said "organics were starting to move well," and the rest of the panel agreed that organic bagged salads were doing well, with fruits starting to come along.
When asked about which promotions they have used to drive business, Mr. Robinson said that he has all of his staff wear T- shirts when Louisiana's home-grown season is in full swing. "We have to put those products in high-traffic areas," Mr. Dickerson said. "You can't sell it if it's in the back room."
Mr. Brundage noted that he promotes his state's home-grown produce in a special area of the department.
Mr. Dale talked about a fruit basket promotion he ran before the holidays at the end of last year. "The first thing you see in the store is produce and the first thing you saw in the produce section was the fruit baskets," he said. "We made announcements [on the public address system] and used butcher paper to make signs in the store. Our sales were up 600 percent over last year's, and since Christmas, we still get two to three requests a week. You just have to get out there and talk to customers."
Mr. Dickerson referred to an old adage he uses for his promotions: "Eye appeal is buy appeal."
When asked if nutrition plays a role in their customers' decisions, many on the panel noted that when an item gets written up in the media or shown on the Food Network, requests pour in and they see a spike in sales.
"Customers will tell me 'I've seen these on Rachael Ray and what is this and where can I get it?' " said Laraine Ramierez from Vons in Las Vegas, NV.
"We recently saw a boost in sales when there was a media story on pomegranate juice," Mr. Brundage said. "We would like to know how we can link the two."
When asked how packaging affects sales, the reaction was mixed. "When bagged salads came out, I thought everything by now would be that way," Mr. Robinson said.
"I think that forcing [packaging] on them was a mistake," Mr. Thompson said. "My customers like to go through things, like apples, but I would like to see grapes in a clamshell."
Mr. Dale said that people still want to go through the product and when he has packaged corn (when losse corn is out of season), customers will ask him if he has any bulk corn for them.
"I offer it both ways," Mr. Mabry said. "Some people want convenience, some want to search for the perfect one."
When Mr. Lutz asked how the panel embraces and markets new items, Mr. Dale said that he "has always been aggressive" and will do what he can to make sure new items sell well.
"I bend over backwards to push that item," Mr. Dale said. "If it fails it reflects on me."
Mr. Lutz noted that the panel, all winners of United's Retail Produce Manager Awards Program, were selected from nominations submitted from across the country and are among the better produce managers in the United States.
The panel, which hailed from stores big and small, gave candid and straightforward advice to the audience, which packed the room to hear their stories.
When asked what was most important in their departments and why they were successful, the answers came without hesitation. "Communication with my staff and dedication day in and out," said Mike Dickerson from Winn Dixie in LaPlace, LA.
"I want it to look like the grand opening every day," said David Thompson from the Kroger Co. in Fayetteville, GA.
Training and development were very important to George Brundage of Clemens Family Market in New Hope, PA. "We need to build strong teams. I can't be there all the time," he said. "We have to be creative, and we change our displays weekly so nothing is stale."
"Consistency and quality produce are the keys," said Kenny Dale of Food Lion in Troutman, NC.
When Mr. Lutz asked what gets items in customers' baskets and what shippers could do to help that, Dee Mabry of the Brookshire Grocery Co. in Shreveport, LA, said, "More signage and point-sale- materials. Recipes are also good because people are looking for something different day after day."
Todd Haubrich of Roger & Marv's in Kenosha, WI, suggested that growers provide free samples, or possibly an allowance for them to retailers.
Mr. Lutz asked panel members what they saw as destination categories and the answer across the board was packaged salads.
"Bagged salads move out like crazy," Mr. Dickerson said. "Pre-cut fruit is doing well also."
"Packaged salads are growing by leaps-and-bounds, but pre-cut is building too," Mr. Brundage added.
"We have a lot of locally grown strawberries right now and they are at the front of the store and they are doing very well, said Doyle Robinson of Food City K-VA-T in Kingsport, TN.
"We also have a home-grown department and I have 8-by-10 photos that I have taken of the fields and the growers out with the product," Mr. Mabry said.
Mr. Dickerson said "organics were starting to move well," and the rest of the panel agreed that organic bagged salads were doing well, with fruits starting to come along.
When asked about which promotions they have used to drive business, Mr. Robinson said that he has all of his staff wear T- shirts when Louisiana's home-grown season is in full swing. "We have to put those products in high-traffic areas," Mr. Dickerson said. "You can't sell it if it's in the back room."
Mr. Brundage noted that he promotes his state's home-grown produce in a special area of the department.
Mr. Dale talked about a fruit basket promotion he ran before the holidays at the end of last year. "The first thing you see in the store is produce and the first thing you saw in the produce section was the fruit baskets," he said. "We made announcements [on the public address system] and used butcher paper to make signs in the store. Our sales were up 600 percent over last year's, and since Christmas, we still get two to three requests a week. You just have to get out there and talk to customers."
Mr. Dickerson referred to an old adage he uses for his promotions: "Eye appeal is buy appeal."
When asked if nutrition plays a role in their customers' decisions, many on the panel noted that when an item gets written up in the media or shown on the Food Network, requests pour in and they see a spike in sales.
"Customers will tell me 'I've seen these on Rachael Ray and what is this and where can I get it?' " said Laraine Ramierez from Vons in Las Vegas, NV.
"We recently saw a boost in sales when there was a media story on pomegranate juice," Mr. Brundage said. "We would like to know how we can link the two."
When asked how packaging affects sales, the reaction was mixed. "When bagged salads came out, I thought everything by now would be that way," Mr. Robinson said.
"I think that forcing [packaging] on them was a mistake," Mr. Thompson said. "My customers like to go through things, like apples, but I would like to see grapes in a clamshell."
Mr. Dale said that people still want to go through the product and when he has packaged corn (when losse corn is out of season), customers will ask him if he has any bulk corn for them.
"I offer it both ways," Mr. Mabry said. "Some people want convenience, some want to search for the perfect one."
When Mr. Lutz asked how the panel embraces and markets new items, Mr. Dale said that he "has always been aggressive" and will do what he can to make sure new items sell well.
"I bend over backwards to push that item," Mr. Dale said. "If it fails it reflects on me."
