United Fresh and Dole Honor Retail Produce Managers Gary Standing of Loblaw and Denise Kelly of Sobeys
UNITED STATES - United Fresh 2016 is upon us! And with it comes the time to celebrate the produce managers who have made an impact on the industry and the way that fresh produce is translated and brought to the consumer.
“While a store contains center-store grocery, pharmacies, and other departments, these Produce Managers run their departments as a ‘store within a store’ showcasing the color, flavor, and excitement of produce to develop a loyal customer base,” Jeff Oberman, Vice President, Trade Relations for the United Fresh Produce Association, tells me. “They each bring their own nuances and strategies to each of their spaces and it shows with all of them.”
Over these past couple of months, Jeff embarked on a tour in partnership with Dole Food Company, to visit the Produce Manager honorees on their turf and see what separates them from their peers. While we have brought you some of the highlights from the tour, including the honored Produce Managers from Schnucks Markets, Hy-Vee, and Coborn’s, Roundy’s, and Niemann Foods, we wanted to bring attention to two more Produce Managers, of the many, from Canadian powerhouse retailers Loblaw and Sobeys.
The United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program honors 25 Produce Managers chosen from hundreds of nominations submitted by retailers and produce suppliers across the industry from supermarket banners, commissaries and independent retail stores. This year’s honorees represent 19 different states and two Canadian provinces.
Gary Standing of Loblaw is one of these produce managers being honored this year by United Fresh, and Joe Turco, Senior Category Manager, Produce Business Unit at Loblaw Companies Ltd. shared a few words with me about Gary and the daily inspiration he brings to his department.
“Gary lives and breathes his work, or should I say his passion. He is known throughout his community and customers adore Gary as he is genuine and it is easy to see he loves his customers,” Joe said. “It is nothing to see Gary on the floor working hard one minute, then out of nowhere he has a crowd around him as he samples and educates on the fly like no one I have ever seen before. It is magical to watch.”
Denise Kelly of Sobeys was also honored among the 25 produce managers selected this year. Carl Cudmore, Denise’s Store Manager at Sobeys #628 talked to me about the role she plays at the store level and how she raises the bar in her ever-evolving role.
"We are very fortunate to have Denise Kelly on our team here at Sobeys West Royalty. She is a very passionate employee and a very dedicated part of our team,” Carl said. “Her goal each and every day has always been to provide fresh, top quality, and value driven produce to her customers each time they shop with us. Denise is a wonderful leader of people and has molded many great employees over her years with us as Produce Manager. Well done Denise and thank you for all you do!”
Since United Fresh and Dole’s visit, Denise has been promoted Denise to Produce Specialist for the NBE/PEI district.
“We are so proud to celebrate the success of these 25 Produce Managers, and all they represent to our industry,” said Bil Goldfield, Director, Corporate Communications for Dole. "Most importantly, we thank them for all the knowledge and expertise they share with their customers every day in their stores."
One of the most prevailing details that Jeff and the team at Dole experienced on their visits were a large percentage of stores that have put their produce displays right at the entrance to the store. Produce becomes the ‘Retail Store Welcome’ and this year’s winners are not shy about creating the most exciting, awe-inspiriting merchandising displays, whether seasonal, holiday-themed, or event-based.
“These departments become theaters that encourage impulse purchases and communicate the retailer’s goal to provide ‘healthy’ value to the shopper,” Jeff added. “During my discussions with these managers, they shared how the focus on healthy eating continues to grow and consumers are wrought with questions as they explore the many options for purchase of fresh produce at their favorite retail stores.”
And who better to help consumers find answers to their questions than the Produce Manager-both the trusted face in the produce aisle, and the men and women innovating behind the scenes.
