Giant Food’s Rob Nickels on making your supermarket a destination for fresh

The featured guest on this “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast episode is Rob Nickels, who handles category management, procurement and merchandising of fresh produce and floral for Giant Food.

two heads and a lettuce cartoon
two heads and a lettuce cartoon
(Photo: Amy Sowder)

Learn how to make your supermarket a destination for fresh from Rob Nickels, who handles category management, procurement and merchandising of fresh produce and floral for Giant Food.

Part of Ahold Delhaize USA, Giant Food has stores in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the Washington, D.C., area.

In this episode of “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast, Nickels covers several areas of focus to make your supermarket a destination for fresh seekers: variety, quality, value, local, consistency and floral. And he never forgets the taste, which is what it’s really all about.

    The produce department is quite a differentiator among stores, he said.

    “To me, it is the linchpin of the store, not just because I’m in produce and floral. But I believe, seen over my whole career, that people do make their shopping choice based on produce,” Nickels said.

    Another recent “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast episode: How ‘green teams’ help 3 California farms reduce waste by 2025

    Related:

    The Packer logo (567x120)
    Related Stories
    Dante Galeazzi joins “The Packer Podcast” to share why ignoring the trade pact will trigger a damaging domino effect of soaring inflation and small harvests.
    Creekside Organics is kicking off its 2026 California grape season under the Fruit World brand, featuring premium, flavorful organic Thomcord and Kyoho varieties packaged in new, sustainable and durable cardboard punnets.
    Driven by a 6.1% annual spike in fruit and vegetable prices, a new national survey reveals that more than a third of U.S. households are cutting back on fresh produce, prompting a consumer shift toward frozen alternatives and raising concerns about long-term public health.
    Read Next
    A combination of rising foreign imports and a domestic labor crisis is squeezing Southeast produce growers, creating what industry leaders call a direct threat to U.S. food security.
    Get Daily News
    GET MARKET ALERTS
    Get News & Markets App