Focus on fundamentals, says Rouses produce director

How can retailers engage their communities with events that excite shoppers about produce during a pandemic in its ninth month?

Go back to the basics, said Rob Ybarra, director of produce for Rouses Markets, Thibodaux, La. He spoke with Ashley Nickle of The Packer and PMG at the virtual West Coast Produce Expo in a Nov. 12 education session, “Lessons from Retail — Community, Events and Fresh Produce.”

“Right now, we’re just trying to focus on the fundamentals, keep the stores stocked, the teammates trained and be positive with them so they can take care of customers,” Ybarra said.

With stores in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, Rouses still hosted some traditional outdoor shrimp and crawfish boils (with potatoes and corn), but far fewer and with social distancing in place.

Rouses made use of its partnerships to survive those crazy first two weeks when there was a mad rush to supermarkets, and supplier trucks were filled with toilet paper and sanitizing supplies rather than produce.

The retailer’s major supplier, Associated Wholesale Grocers, collaborated with Capitol City Produce, Baton Rouge, La., a supplier of restaurants and schools. That connection, plus with Gulf Coast Produce, which supplies casinos and cruise ships, helped.

“Talk about food waste waiting to happen,” Rouse said.

Rouses was able to take the produce from Capitol City and Gulf Coast Produce, avoiding food waste as foodservice operators shut down.

“It’s just one of those things where you work together, you don’t work apart,” Ybarra said. “So, our stores were full of fresh produce for our customers. And that gave our customers relief.”

The store teams have been through a lot: first the pandemic and then hurricanes.

A great leadership team helped.

“You try to keep an even-keel demeanor about things. That was hard. That was really hard,” he said. “I think what we’ve become is just a closer, tighter-knit group.”

Rouses retail dietician April Sins has been an energetic force in building community with the Eat Right program and cooking classes online, among other events.

Also, Rouses partners with Produce For Kids and hands out coloring pages for children to use at home.

Then, there’s the most basic way to communicate with the community, besides good customer service: informational signage.

“What really helps categories sell better, it’s a three- or four-word sign, just little tidbits, little nuggets of information, that I’ve always been a big fan of. Because customers are looking for information as they shop,” Ybarra said.

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