On a recent summer morning, Chris Keetch eyed the rows of Kennett Square, Pa.-grown mushrooms and stacked Eastern peaches in the locally grown produce display at the entry of the flagship Giant supermarket.Then he spotted a colleague near the apple display dotted with flavor-profile notes and gave Morgan Shreiber, director of fresh field merchandising, a casual fist bump before they caught up on the day's work news.
Keetch, director of produce and floral for The Giant Co., Carlisle, Pa., is the Produce Retailer of the Year in 2021.
“His expertise shines in all that he does, whether he's teaching our store teams or partnering with our local and global growers, and his passion for all things produce is second only to the care he shows his team, our customers and the community,” said president Nicholas Bertram.
Keetch has worked in produce for more than 27 years, starting as a closing produce clerk while he was in college for a business degree. That degree was supposed to be used toward the family business, but the produce retail industry lured him away.
Born to a ranching and farming family in Malta, Idaho, Keetch values the importance of supporting local agriculture while also offering global options.
He learned his work ethic from his father, Blair Keetch.
“My work does not stop until the job is done. You're working against a timeline in farming, and that's Mother Nature,” he said.
That work is paying off.
Besides overseeing sales growth in 2020, Keetch and his 23-member team reached an all-time high in produce sales the week of July 4.
“They've improved the quality of the produce and at the same time, lowered the price,” said John Ruane, senior vice president and chief omnichannel merchandising officer at the company, a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize USA. “It wasn't easy. You have to demonstrate you can drive sales.”
Keetch and his team have earned the company a record 71% produce satisfaction score by launching and maintaining several initiatives: sustainability; digital and e-commerce; local; organics; convenience; plant-based; tropicals; training and development; and the Discover Program.
At the popular Fresh Bar in the back of the flagship suburban store, staff members sliced wedges, cubes and halves of in-season watermelon and arranged Gourmet Luau Bowls of fruit as artfully as professional bouquets.
This back area used to be enclosed, where staff created the fresh-cut produce in private before wheeling it out on a cart to the front of the store for display.
But transparency is where it's at these days.
“We wanted to show our members cutting in front of customers. It's more engaging, plus it's more efficient. You cut and display right here. No need to cart it,” Keetch said. “Innovation is not just items, SKUs. It's how do we best present the assortment to our customers?”
Keetch embodies the company ethos of “For Today's Table,” promoting how modern families connect at mealtime.
A father who often does the grocery shopping, he uses the opportunity to visit different Giant locations each week.
“I think it's important to experience shopping at the store as a customer, not just a member of the support team,” Keetch said. Also, “I like to hear ideas and keep my ears open. I walk in a store and say, ‘Hey, what's working? What's not working?'”
None of Keetch's accomplishments would have materialized if he wasn't good at cultivating trust and good relationships with his colleagues, staff and suppliers.
In 2020 alone, Keetch added more than 20 new suppliers while maintaining strategic partnerships with existing suppliers such as Driscoll's, Dole, Chiquita and many local growers. He also ensured the annual local farmer summit continued, shifting to a virtual format during the pandemic.
He encourages volunteering and sustainability education with a Rodale Institute partnership. In 2019, when a fire closed the CTown Supermarket in a neighborhood with no other nearby options for fresh food, he organized a pop-up food giveaway event to help the community.
Keetch closes his weekly virtual staff meetings with a quote to help keep his team feeling connected while remote. Then he e-mails the quote after each meeting.
“He's good about positive feedback and is very supportive. He's a cheerleader to bring you up, and gives good criticism,” said Rebecca McCommons, vegetable produce buyer. "It's positive, like ‘Let's do this next time.'”
Keetch emphasizes produce knowledge and provides educational tours for newer and seasoned staff. Because if employees don't know how to eat a dragonfruit, how will customers?
“Chris is a servant leader,” said David Lessard, vice president of fresh. “He empowers his team to make decisions and take risks. Chris makes my job easier because I know he is always thinking through the details and sets up strong strategic plans.”
Standing behind those local mushrooms, Camp Hill store manager Denny Betson said Keetch visits the store frequently. “He makes everyone feel comfortable, and when you make people feel comfortable as a leader, you hear more and learn more,” Betson said. “He listens, and it's hard to find that.” Pmg
Supplier perspective on Chris Keetch
“Dialed in to the day-to-day, with a strategic focus on innovation and the future is how I would describe Chris Keetch. Chris understands the value of strong partnerships and relationships in the produce industry.”
— Jamie Postell, vice president of sales for North America at Chiquita Fresh North America LLC
“As a native of Idaho, he really understands potatoes and the potato category. Chris gets it! He understands the challenges on the farm (and) works with growers, cultivating relationships. Chris' ability to put together the local summit each year has been a tremendous success for growers to learn more about their industry and how they can be a part of the winning formula.”
— David Masser, president of Sterman Masser Inc.
“Chris is a true believer in supporting local agriculture. His farm roots come through as he speaks with authentic care and compassion to local farmers of all kinds. He was an early believer in BrightFarms and has been a strong supporter since. We are grateful for his partnership and leadership in the industry in supporting local produce.”
— Abby Prior, senior vice president of sales and marketing at BrightFarms Inc.
“I think that Chris is great at what he does because he sincerely respects and understands what it means to be a farmer. He appreciates the challenges we experience in growing, harvesting and packing our crops, remembering that all of the food on Giant's shelves starts with the farmer. Chris Keetch supports our supplier relationship completely, helping us bring new mushroom products to market, inviting us to participate in store events, and including us in The Giant Co. family outreach program. He is simply an outstanding, ethical, down-to-earth leader and industry professional.”
— Gale Ferranto, president of Buona Foods
“His open engagement style with the vendor community fosters a team approach to problem solving for the best outcome for the business, while taking into account the needs of both parties. He gets more out of his suppliers because of how he will approach opportunities in a very direct fashion with the necessary information provided, so a decision can be made. His collaborative approach to the business planning side is also a key attribute.”
— Chris Hill, vice president of retail sales in North America for Dole Fresh Vegetables