“You gotta go where they tell you.”
That’s all the advice I recall getting from my store manager upon being assigned to my first produce manager position. If you want the job, management tells you where and when.
I knew I was fortunate as part of a group of candidates considered for the opportunity. I knew if someone like me turned an offer down, there may not be a second chance.
It’s sort of like the NFL draft. When a player gets the call, they also go where the job is and are generally happy just to have been selected. That’s when the work really begins — when a steady job is far from guaranteed.
Just like in the produce industry.
And most newly promoted produce managers get assigned to a small-to-medium-sized location. What? You don’t start at the top? At the chain’s flagship location that has all the latest — everything? The latest fixtures, the highest volume, the most experienced crew?
Not a chance, bub.
A new produce manager generally goes to the dregs of the chain: a lower-volume store in (sometimes) a less-than-desirable neighborhood. Like the younger sibling in a big family, you inherit the clunker vehicle, if you will.
Your challenge? Fix up the store and get it looking good and operating as well as possible.
Here are a few thoughts to carry with you.
You will have to wear all the hats: At least be prepared for this. At a lower-volume store, you may serve as the opening clerk as well as the manager. Oftentimes you will have to work late. I’ve seen stores that have maybe two eight-hour shifts and a four-hour part-time closer in a day. When someone calls in sick, you are likely working the “B” shift that day — that is, you “be” there in the morning, and you “be” there to close shop.
You’ll have a smaller crew: Many stores only staff a produce manager, one or two full-time employees and the same number of part-timers. Lower volume means more salary constraints. Your challenge is to coach, train, emphasize the team concept and get the most out of the few people you oversee.
Count on covering other departments of the store: This one is tough, but it’s the hard truth. I’ve seen lower-volume produce managers who are compelled by the store manager to help in what they refer to as a “total-store mentality,” meaning you may have to sometimes unload other departments’ deliveries, cover for a break in the bakery or jump in the checkstand during a rush. Just keep working hard, and keep a stiff upper lip. This won’t last forever.
Your schedule will be a challenge: As Forrest Gump said, “Sometimes, I guess there just aren’t enough rocks.” Same goes for the schedule. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours available. Get acquainted with neighboring store produce managers so that when you (or they) need extra bodies, that’s an option. Another one is to train someone in another department in your store to help cover produce schedule gaps.
Your challenge is to meet your goals and make a statement: Take the experience you’ve learned to this point and do all you can to drive sales, build a respectable gross profit and minimize shrink. At every chance, build prominent (or prominent-looking) displays to show off your marketing skills. Take advantage of every opportunity to make your produce department shine, just like the big stores.
Ultimately, your goal is to move to a higher-volume store: Stay in constant touch with your produce management team, as well as the district manager and produce director. Keep them posted on your results, work hard to maintain a positive attitude, and at every point, let them know you’re ready for the next step: the store with more challenges, the bigger the crew, the higher volume.
Keep in mind: A higher-volume store is easier to manage, but you also need experience to handle this step, just like steering a bigger ship — but you must pay the dues; you must show that you’ve managed the smaller vessel through rough seas and that you’re ready to progress in your produce journey. Wherever that may lead.
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much …” — Luke 16:10
Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years of experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions.
Related: More insight from Armand Lobato
