Produce retail specialists are sometimes compelled to make difficult store visits. Aware of all this prior to a routine visit, the specialist is there to look at the store with experienced eyes. They’re checking to ensure company standards are in place.
Above all, the produce specialist is there to help, to teach and to be a resource.
This includes dealing with store managers who often have little or no produce background. I recall a visit to one such struggling store. Sherri, the recently promoted store manager, met with me to do an evaluation of the produce department.
“We’re in great shape!” Sherri said, gesturing around the produce area. “Our produce manager Tom is off today, but he is on all the programs. Look here, we have the sample item of the week, we have the current POS — or point-of-sale material — out, most of the variety posters up, and this past week all the signs have been updated. I’d say we’re on top of things.”
“Company direction, or programs as we often call them, are just a part of what we’re looking for,” I said. “This produce department has deeper, foundational issues, I’m afraid. Let me walk you through.”
Sherri took notes as I explained further. “Lately, this store has had shrink issues, in the bottom third of the company. Look at this apple display, for example. See how the couple of layers on top are fresh, and in fact still cold, but the bottom layers are aging.”
The example didn’t tell the whole story, but this was a snapshot of this department. And it negatively affects sales, additional labor and more.
Sherri felt the wrinkling skin of the dehydrating apples.
“That’s all unsellable product and heavy shrink,” I said. “This is poor rotation.”
We continued and found similar issues on the sales floor. When we walked the cooler, it was obvious that poor rotation existed on the receiving end as well, with new product stacked on top of the old.
“See the older warehouse dated tags below?” I pointed out. “Another red flag is some of the old product is buckling under the weight of the newer produce stacked on top.”
Sherri looked surprised. I explained that the company programs that she mentioned earlier were important, all right, but they’re just the icing on the cake. We examined more of what I called the foundational aspects, such as how much inventory was on hand. In this case it was heavy.
“Tom is a new produce manager,” I said. “This isn’t uncommon, but this is where excess shrink begins, and it’s part of things we need to work on here.”
Too often, a supervisor is seen as the “Gotcha!” person; the retail cop; the one who only points out the weak points in a department, writes a negative report and then vanishes without any follow-up.
A responsible retail team, however, approaches such a visit quite differently.
After walking the department closely, I arranged to return early the next day when Tom was in. I bought him a cup of coffee, then went over my concerns.
Tom and I wrote the produce order together, talking back and reasoning what was needed, or not, and why. Then we walked and culled the department. We made a to-do list for the day, consisting of what items must be rotated that day, what merchandise changes had to be made and all sanitation duties, among other daily chores.
The to-do list wasn’t too extensive, but I stressed, “This routine is your best friend, your list, your sense of urgency, your efforts and your follow-through.”
That was it. My job was to help, to be honest and to offer tips as well as constructive critique — not just point out all the weak points. Tom was coachable; he just needed a little guidance.
When I visited a couple of weeks later, Sherri, Tom and I walked the department again. To both of their credit, things had improved. While there’s always room for improvement, the inventory was under control, and I saw clerks rotating properly. The department was fresh, neat and clean.
All good — except for missing a poster or two. However, I assured them, this wasn’t nearly as important as everything else.
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.