What chess and produce share when it comes to success

Checkmate.

Managing a produce operation in many ways is like playing chess. And chess, as described by the late grandmaster chess champion Mikhail Botvinnik, is the art of analysis.

I thought about this yesterday as I stopped into a newer Fry’s Marketplace in Gilbert, Ariz., as I shopped for some dinner. I marveled at how massive and complex a produce layout is today versus the humble and simple footprint I recall starting out in the 1970s.

One thing remains the same: The stock conditions were obviously a challenge to keep up with, despite having several clerks on duty, hustling to keep pace. Even clerks need an analysis of sorts, setting their time and listing priorities for peak efficiency.

To be clear, while I love the game of chess, it doesn’t mean I’m any good. In fact, my 7-year-old grandson is already starting to beat me, and it’s not like I’m letting him, either.

What I love about chess, like managing a produce department, is that everyone involved — directors, specialists, buyers, produce managers — must think in terms of what their next series of moves will be in an allotted amount of time.

Related: More insight from Armand Lobato

As I wandered the produce aisle, it made me think about the month of March now upon us. It’s a pivotal period for executing marketing changes, for planning beyond. Consider these few March merchandising points you might anticipate:

• March Madness — Just when the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl food-related ads are behind us, along comes an ever-growing interest of shoppers who celebrate and follow in many ways the progression of college basketball. What will you do to capture added sales as the tournament brackets narrow and fans gather to follow the games? One obvious item of is avocados for sandwiches and dips, but many other items can be pushed as gathering-worthy and healthy choices, such as tomatoes, onions and garlic as well as relish items such as celery, green onions, parsley, cukes, zucchini, mushrooms, radishes and more. 
• St. Patrick’s Day — Celebrated to a much larger degree in the U.S. than even Ireland, St. Patty’s Day ads and displays are sure to include promoting volumes of cabbage, onions, red potatoes, and other stew vegetables. Merchandising opportunities include posting recipes for corned beef and cabbage, potatoes for shepherd’s pie and lamb chops with snap peas, to name a few. 
• Spring break — It begins in March for schools, and this means more kids are spending more time at home, and thus, eating more at home than at school. When this happens, retail volume goes up. Are you merchandising and ordering in anticipation of the build-up? You should be.
• Easter — This year’s holiday is on March 31. The recurring joke in our department meetings was, “What day does Easter fall on this year?” — said in trying to catch anyone sleeping, as we all know the holiday date may fluctuate, but the day is, of course, always on Sunday. Merchandising-wise, Easter sales are near to, and sometimes on par with, Thanksgiving. And many of the traditional, similar fare can be expected to sell well. In fact, some spring-related produce items will move especially well, such as strawberries, potatoes, asparagus, green beans, leafy greens, carrots, herbs, vegetable relish items, sweet potatoes, pineapple, dips, fresh cut fruit and, with the rising tide of overall store sales, most all produce item’s sales rise as well.
• Eye on the horizon — As March winds down, a produce manager will be wise to think about the six to eight weeks beyond. How’s the summer help shaping up? Have a labor plan in place to hire, promote and train new clerks? As winter citrus winds down, spring and summer categories such as melons, berries, cherries and stone fruit will increase, and with these, a need for additional labor to manage the increased volume, sales, profit and shrink potential.

In chess, life or managing the humble fresh produce game, it’s good to focus on the step or two directly in front of you, lest you stumble. However, it’s wiser yet to have a commanding view and a plan that takes you through the next month and beyond. A merchandising and labor plan formed ahead of time will help ease stress, smooth the transition and have experienced hands ready to help manage it all.

When a store manager remarks to his produce manager, “You make this look easy,” it’s a compliment. But only because the produce manager anticipated every step — and made all the right moves.

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.