Merchandiser Brian Dey and produce managers Dylan Terwilleger and Roger Reyes received top honors April 2 during PMG’s Produce Artist Award Series Winter 2021 Results Webinar.
Dey, with Four Seasons Produce, and Terwilleger and Reyes, with Central Market, wowed the selection committee with their creativity and execution across a variety of displays.
Watch the full recording of the webinar here!
Check out the videos below to see the winning entries and the feedback they received from longtime produce retail professionals Mike O’Brien, Joe Watson and Armand Lobato. O’Brien is the former vice president of produce for Schnuck Markets, Watson is the former director of produce for Rouses Markets, and Lobato has held a range of produce retail positions over the years, from produce manager to supervisor to buyer. All three also give back to the industry by sharing their expertise through columns for PMG.
Winning produce manager entry
“When I look at these pictures, every one of them are a destination,” Watson said, noting how the displays are designed to draw the consumer in with tasteful signage that can be seen from a distance and how the variety of the assortment gives shoppers a plethora of options.
“They did a fantastic job with this,” Watson said.
O’Brien noted the Buddha's hand display as particularly impressive. That space commitment for a less familiar item is risky, but when done correctly it enhances the overall image of a department, he said.
Lobato noted that specialty items can be smart investments even though the shrink might be higher than for some other items.
“It sure slows customers down so they come look at a display,” Lobato said.
He recalled that, when he swept the floors of produce departments over the years, he would often look at the shopping lists that got dropped. Many items would be specified, but produce was often left open.
“When it came to produce, it said, ‘fruit’ and ‘stuff for a salad,’” Lobato said. “And so that meant that they were open to suggestion, open to impulse, and so much of produce sales is impulsive selling.”
Winning merchandiser entry
“He is obviously unafraid to try anything, and I like that a lot about him,” Lobato said. “This is the kind of thing where you walk in and you think, ‘Oh, I have never seen that before – I’m going to steal it and try it.’”
Watson noted that, in Dey’s capacity working with numerous retailers, he likely has to make a case for big, creative displays, and every time they pay off with more sales, it’s a great return on investment.
“What Brian is doing in his work that we have seen here is he is helping to expand demand and consumption,” Watson said.
O’Brien mentioned that Dey’s vegetable displays are a great example of combining relevant items, showcasing a product – asparagus – with a high dollar ring, and highlighting vegetables.
“Sometimes our displays are focused around fruit because they’re so seasonal, but there’s a lot of great opportunities with vegetables, too,” O’Brien said.
A look at a wet rack set recently by Dey spurred another conversation on the importance of variety in assortment.
“I guarantee, when someone knows that you carry everything and word gets around, ‘I like to shop at that produce department because they carry everything,’ you will sell much more of everything else, which will make up for some of the shrink you do have in the specialty section,” Lobato said.
O’Brien agreed, adding that carrying a larger variety so people can find what they need for recipes and other more occasional purchases is key.
“If a competitor has it or they have to drive somewhere else, you may lose their entire shopping basket,” O’Brien said. “So it’s not about that one item; it’s about the whole big picture.”
More on the Produce Artist Award Series
The webinar April 2 covered trends from the season – contest displays, supplier point-of-sale material and flexible fixtures – and showcased some of the top displays from seasonal categories like potatoes and citrus. You can watch the full recording here.
For PMG, the webinar serves as the culmination of a season of celebrating great merchandising. As part of its seasonal Produce Artist Award Series program, PMG shares photos submitted for the contest on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to recognize the work of creative produce managers and merchandisers across the country.