The produce, stock-condition ownership encounter

Columnist Armand Lobato shares retail encounter.
Columnist Armand Lobato shares retail encounter.
(Armand Lobato)

I’m a calm, reasonable produce guy. Honestly.

Except that is, when a store pushes back on what I consider to be neglect of core tenets of its produce department. That’s when excuses or sometimes ignorance fires my nerves. Since I and so many others like me are profoundly passionate about retail produce operations, it pains me when a produce department is suffering — and the managers or clerks deny the obvious.

Take for example, my friendly local grocer. The produce department within has provided a bounty of column material, both positive and otherwise through the years. Last weekend was the otherwise.

I was doing my bi-monthly shopping which normally loads up a full-size cart. The produce department at mid-day was in rough shape. Mostly low stock conditions, despite counting five clerks stocking. I just needed one last item before checking out. I flagged down the assistant produce manager. I glanced around and asked if I was just missing the pears.

“Oh, they’re right there,” he said, pointing to a table in the back of the department stocked with about a half case of bosc pears. “You’re probably looking for the bartlett pears, right?” I nodded, ever so calmly and noticed the odd, under-allocated 12-inch by 12-inch empty space where the bartlett’s were supposed to be. “I’ll bring some out.” I thanked him and observed the assistant walk ever-so-slowly towards the stock room, stopping to chat with a deli co-worker on the way.

My produce, customer service nerves started to twitch.

After a few minutes the assistant was back, dropping the open carton on the mostly depleted banana table surface. “Here you go,” he said indifferently. “The pears are wrapped in tissue. You’ll have to unwrap them.” I thanked him but before he walked away, I tried to engage him in conversation.

“So, it’s pretty busy today,” I said.  “Got some catching up to do, eh?”

He seemed surprised. “Huh? Why no, we’re in pretty good shape.” I winced and asked how he could honestly say such a thing. I explained that I was a produce manager for many years, and judging by the numerous, gaping out of stocks everywhere, that simply wasn’t the case.

My produce-passion nerve was glowing red now. I laid a few specifics on him to demonstrate I knew a thing or two about the business. I pointed out how key items were depleted on the wet rack and mentioned how the clerks were stocking dried fruit and other secondary items, rather than filling bananas, tomatoes, ad items and more.

“Uh, yeah well the, the warehouse has shorted us so many items lately, um,” he offered. My produce manager and supervisor nerves now kicked into full gear. I could feel the blood rush in my head.

He was playing the deflection card — it’s someone else’s fault not ours, you see. I’m neither apologizing nor taking responsibility. Ugh.

I stopped and told myself, “hold on Armand, you’re just a customer now.” I thought all at once that this kid was probably the fourth assistant produce manager I’d seen in my store in the past year alone, and the produce manager I noticed nearby was just as unfamiliar, as the chain has struggled to staff the stores and often hires folks with little or no experience. I tried to stay mum but the nerves, those pesky nerves of produce passion deep within me coiled and uncoiled like a snake. I snapped out of my trance.

“Look,” I said calmly. “Don’t kid yourself. The produce department is not in good shape. Try to always take ownership of stock conditions, of standards — no matter what. I can see the load with pallets of produce through the backroom door from here. You’re behind. It happens. You must know what items take priority and direct your crew accordingly. Some sense of urgency will also do wonders.”

I placed my pear purchase in my cart before heading to the checkstand.

“Just some friendly advice, for whatever it’s worth,” I said in an even tone and walked away, my hands clenching the handle of the cart.

 

 

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