Opinion
As a manager starting a new assignment, it’s tempting to start making changes to the produce department. But there is more to consider when taking over a well-run produce department, says columnist Armand Lobato.
“While innovation and new technology should be supported, we also need to be mindful of individuals and companies that may overpromise and underdeliver,” says columnist Tim York, CEO of the California LGMA.
How well does your fresh produce inventory “flow? Being proactive while items are still of good quality can help avoid aged inventory and minimize shrink, says columnist Armand Lobato.
Columnist Armand Lobato recalls how attending an industry gathering helped during a bleak time and reinforced why the camaraderie is beneficial to produce professionals.
While some view produce specialists’ as “retail cops” looking for trouble during unannounced store visits, columnist Armand Lobato says their actual goal is to help produce managers and departments prosper.
Columnist Armand Lobato discusses when and why produce leaders need to be on the sales floor to ensure top-notch conditions.
Multi-component fixtures complement traditional produce space with smart merchandising style, but the same old principles still apply when it comes to keeping them ready for customers, says columnist Armand Lobato.
While higher education can help further a career, lessons from on-the-job produce experience can also aid in the pursuit of a degree, says columnist Armand Lobato.
If produce sales jump after resetting the layout of the department, it has to be a success, right? Columnist Armand Lobato shares his own experience from witnessing the ups and downs of one merchandising modification.
Cyclospora is an emerging threat to U.S. fresh produce, but produce-specific help is coming, says Western Growers Association Science Programs Director Afreen Malik, writing on behalf of the Center for Produce Safety.
Any organization that deals with fresh produce works to meet both their external and internal customer needs — and that includes how its operations handle delivery delays, says columnist Armand Lobato.
Taking steps to minimizing food waste not only helps reduce shrink, but it also means fresher produce with a longer shelf life at the consumer’s home, says columnist Armand Lobato.
Worrying too much about operations and goals can hinder produce managers and their departments. Columnist Armand Lobato says focusing on these key steps can help alleviate the burden.
This column is from the September-October issue of PMG magazine.
Strong leadership is a two-way street that includes creating trust with employees who in turn are motivated to do the job right. Columnist Armand Lobato explains how to get there.
As the fourth industrial revolution blurs the lines between physical, digital and biological spheres, some of its most exciting changes are occurring in agriculture, Clarifruit CEO Elad Mardix says in this guest column.
Don’t miss out on sales because a customer wandered the store looking for an item they couldn’t find. Columnist Armand Lobato explains how your produce merchandising can help shoppers.
While there’s a need to reduce plastic waste, a Canadian proposal that would ban the produce industry from using plastic materials at this time would create catastrophic consequences, say Ron Lemaire and Dave Puglia.
If you wait for solutions to all your problems will flow downhill from a distant home office, you may be in for a long wait. Some of the best ideas sprout from those already around you, says columnist Armand Lobato.
Want to send a message to customers that your store is the place to shop for fresh produce? Columnist Armand Lobato offers some “neat” advice.
Columnist Armand Lobato explains one produce manager’s system of fixing troubled stores by committing to a monthlong push with no days off to get the ship righted.
While some chains use a combination of hand-stacking and gentle pouring, depending on available labor and time, columnist Armand Lobato examines the pros and cons of both methods to see how they truly stack up.
How many thousands of pounds of “perfectly good” romaine lettuce have been tossed in the past ten days?
Compared to immigration-related tweets and tirades in Washington, D.C., the fate of the stoic farm bill is considerably less entertaining.
As inexplicable as it may seem, exports of fresh fruits and vegetables for January to August are basically unchanged from the same period a year ago.
With more than 4,000 comments filed already, input is due Oct. 10 on the FMCSA’s advance notice of proposed rulemaking on hours of service rule regulations for commercial truck drivers.
Aldi is a company that I have always been fascinated by; with over 1,800 locations in 35 states, it has a revenue projection by retail analysts just north of $11 billion in 2018, yet they largely fly under the radar.
My recent Fresh Talk post about the resiliency of exports was a little too glib and simplistic for one West Coast produce exporter.
I received a welcome email this morning from a one-time employee at The Packer.