Jesse Jordan recently became the third Fred Meyer produce manager in five years to be recognized by the United Fresh Produce Association as part of its Retail Produce Manager Awards Program.
“To be a part of that group of people is just absolutely awesome," Jordan said. "What a great way to close out a tough year going through the pandemic and to start off a new year, moving on beyond the pandemic. Really excited about this.”
For Jordan, the tangible nature of produce retail is one of the highlights of the job.
“With produce it’s rewarding in the sense that at the end of the day you can always turn around and look back on your department and say, ‘Wow, that’s what I built,’" Jordan said. "And that’s what the customer sees, and just hearing the customers’ reactions to displays that you build and what not, it’s just really rewarding.
"And I show my team that, and that’s what keeps them going," Jordan said. "We try to make competitions out of it in a way, like saying, 'Hey, who can build the best display out of these oranges or apples?'”
He added that creating a consistent experience is essential for retail just like in foodservice, where someone returns to a restaurant after a great steak dinner with expectations they will get the same high quality again. Jordan credits his team for delivering that consistency to the customers in his store in Bellingham, Wash.
With summer approaching, Jordan noted that the team is making the switch this week from citrus to stone fruit and a large watermelon display is going up outside the store in time for Memorial Day weekend. For 2021 overall, he is looking forward to seeing organic sales grow after a recent remodel integrated the department.