Greetings, produce professionals!
Algebra is not the focal point of this week’s article, but I do want to touch on some of the frequently asked questions I've heard while training the next produce superstars.
I am a pretty curious guy and always have been, especially growing up working in the produce department and wanting to grow my knowledge in this amazing industry.
My very first reset back in 1988 had me asking questions like “Why are you putting bosc pears next to golden delicious apples?” and “Why are we wrapping our lettuce?”
More from Brian: Resetting your produce department
I remember asking these questions like it was yesterday, and I had my mentors and trainers explain in detail – very patiently, I might add – to help me understand the how’s and the why’s.
Admittedly I did (and still do) ask a lot of questions, especially when it comes to ways to hone my craft and be a better produce trainer and mentor. In my opinion, one of the easiest ways to grow is to ask questions, whether you don’t know the answer at all or whether you just want another perspective from someone who might do things differently.
I guess we have all heard the phrase, “May I ask you a stupid question?”
To me, there really are no stupid questions. In training and developing new staff, we look at every inquiry as a sign of a person’s willingness to improve their knowledge and hone the fine art of being a produce clerk or manager. And, as trainers of new produce professionals that are starting their journey in the stores, we all take great pride in helping develop the skills required for this work.
More from Brian: Onboarding your next produce superstar
While each training session might have roughly the same content, the flow of dialogue often is dictated by the questions that are asked within that session. I have had training sessions with produce folks that have completely derailed from the agenda by some super and insightful questions that prompted detailed discussion on those topics. And, as with any industry, there are a lot of the same questions that come out of training (and some of these with actual consumers) that we hear more than others.
Produce retail FAQs
“Why do we/should we have to soak our lettuces and greens before we put them out on the wet rack?”
This is probably the one I get the most. While it might be difficult for someone to grasp the science of rehydrating product, reviewing the basic steps on how to do it often helps explain why it matters, and seeing the difference in the product afterward really drives that home.
One thing that also helps is to mention the journey that the product takes after harvest.
Being on the East Coast, romaine that is harvested in California might not have had a “drink” in six or seven days by the time it gets to their stores. Putting it that way is often an eye-opener.
More from Brian: Wet Rack Wisdom
“Why are rotation procedures different for some commodities?”
Following the general rule of FIFO (first in, first out) is important, but there are those items for which ripeness is the key rotation factor.
Bananas, tomatoes and tropicals are among those items that won’t follow the FIFO rules, and neither (of course) do packaged items that have best by dates.
This is a good time to go over banana care and handling as well as storage procedures regarding which commodities should not be put in the cooler.
“Why should every display box we use in waterfalling displays be and look the same?”
Uniformity in displays works best aesthetically and is the basis for eye-appealing displays. Different-size boxes and box tags can take away from an otherwise strong visual presence.
Setting up a side-by-side comparison of a display with random boxes and a display with uniform boxes often proves the point well in training.
You want the shopper’s eye to focus on the produce, not be distracted by the display boxes.
“What do ‘false bottoms’ and ‘dummy up’ mean?”
These two terms are used when we repurpose some sort of material to build up layers inside a box to create a fuller look without whole cases being out on display.
These are used frequently in bigger displays and waterfalls as well as in areas with lower volume or slower movement.
The goal is to create a larger or more mass look without incurring a lot of shrink.
Some term this a “smoke and mirrors” method.
“Is culling the same as rotating?”
Although the end result is similar with each process – having the freshest produce on display – culling is an act of pulling off and sorting through product on the counter still good for display, while rotating is the process of removing the old product, placing new on the bottom and then backfilling with the old, still sellable produce.
“Is there a difference in how organic and non-organic produce is handled?”
Absolutely there is a difference. We just did a full article on this earlier this year, in fact.
“Why are we adding in product from other areas of the store into our produce displays?”
Cross-merchandising is a great way to tie together meal ideas and build basket size, as well as get customers to potentially try something new that they might not have before based on the ingredients around it.
Whip cream with berries, olive oil with broccoli rabe, and chips with avocados, for instance. These are all tied together for bigger rings at the register.
And here’s a bonus FAQ:
“Did you go to school for this?”
For sure. The school of hard knocks, also known as the produce department!
The example above are really great questions and start a lot of dialogue with trainees. There are others, of course, but these are the few that I can count on at every training session I do. All great questions and starting points for conversations.
It is also important to note that, even as trainers passing on our knowledge, it is also key for us to ask questions of the people we are training.
It’s just as great for you to get to know the people that you are furthering along their produce careers as it is for them to hear about why the cold chain is so important.
Some of my FAQs for trainees are:
“What attracted you to work in the produce industry?”
With this question, I get to know their thoughts on why they chose the absolute greatest industry on the planet, and I get to share with them what this business has meant for me.
“What is your favorite fruit or vegetable?”
An oldie for sure but also a timeless question, in my book, for us produce afficionados!
“What section of the aisle do you feel most comfortable starting in, and what section would you like to challenge yourself on next?”
When an associated has had all of their questions asked and answered on where they are, they will often want to understand more about a different area next.
More from Brian: Encouraging and empowering your future produce superstars
And finally, of course, my favorite:
“If Produce Truck A leaves the warehouse going 60 miles an hour, and Produce Truck B leaves that same warehouse one hour later going 70 miles an hour, how many miles will it take for Produce Truck B to catch up with Produce Truck A?”
Questions, anyone?
A very sincere thank you for all that folks do at store level to keep the fresh produce industry going!
Brian Dey is the senior merchandiser and natural stores coordinator for Ephrata, Pa.-based wholesaler Four Seasons Produce. He’s an industry veteran with a serious passion for helping produce teams to achieve great presentation and results in their departments.
- Maximizing your apple merchandising
- Perfecting your pear merchandising
- Wet Rack Wisdom – Part 1
- Wet Rack Wisdom – Part 2
- Wet Rack Wisdom – Part 3