The produce aisle has its share of internal jargon.
Depending on the state or even region, you might overhear a produce manager shouting out directions in a busy backroom. “Tony, consolidate these pallets. Make sure the jack is charged and the U-boats cleared so we’re ready for the load in two hours.” To anyone outside of fresh produce or retail, none of this would make much sense.
Take for another example, names for various produce shifts.
Most managers might refer to opening shifts, early, middle or closing shifts, depending on where everything falls on a labor schedule. These references may vary depending on how many shifts there are to begin with. A busier store with multiple daily shifts can call each one out in reference to individual duties, such “mid-table shift” or “wet rack early shift” and so on. Meanwhile, in slower volume stores, these could be as simple as “opening and “closing shifts.”
One important shift I haven’t touched upon much over the years? The middle, or “swing,” shift.
When manufacturing people talk about swing shifts, it’s typically an early afternoon until midnight-type of shift. Very similar to what produce managers might call a closing or late shift, as, by p.m. or so, most retail operations are winding down, even closing, for the night.
However, a swing shift in produce is more likely to fall in between the early, or opening, shifts and the 2-10:30 p.m. (or later) closing shift. Thus, a produce swing shift is more along the range of a 10:30-7 p.m. or 11:30-8 p.m. This doesn’t have the pressure of getting the produce department in shape for the opening bell, nor does it place the closing responsibilities on the clerk, either. The swing shift encounters both the opening people and the closers; hence, the “swing shift” name.
Related: Predawn summer thoughts of a produce manager
Despite the middle-ground reference, the swing is as important a shift as it gets in retail. A good swing shift usually means that stock standards are maintained from a strong, fresh set in the morning. The clerk working the swing shift ensures the night closer has adequate support so the stocking standards are upheld until late in the day, and so the closer can perform all expected tasks and have minimal (or no) overtime for the day.
If this sounds clinical, or dry, it’s because, in our internal jargon, it’s also commonplace. A lot can go wrong during the course of a day: late deliveries create a catch-up scene you may not recover from, a sharp or unexpected bump in business will make everyone fall behind, and so much more.
That’s why a strong swing shift person is just as key an individual as anyone in the produce aisle.
When an accomplished, experienced swing shift clerk is in place, they can help bridge or catch-up whatever stocking tasks fell behind from a weaker set-up shift. A strong swing shift clerk can hustle and set the tempo so that when the closing shift arrives in mid-afternoon, that closer (many times, the least experienced clerk) can benefit from walking into a produce department that’s in good condition. The closing goal then becomes much simpler: Keep standards in place for the duration of the evening.
It's a lot of work, and often involves working multiple areas of the department: tables, rack, prepping. The “swing shift” name certainly applies.