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RETROSPECTIVE RETAILER-TURNED-SUPPLIER STEVE WILLIAMS TALKS ABOUT HIS 30-PLUS YEAR PRODUCE CAREER BY CAROL BAREUTHER here were few multi-deck cases in the doing that today? over-branding signage of the entire produce produce department, free-standing department. T refrigerated tables were considered How would you characterize the overall too expensive to operate, and exotic tropical retail environment back then? What led you to the supply side of the and tomato carts were a merchandising tool of Without question, we thought it was industry? What insights did you gain on the the future when Steve Williams was promoted very competitive as all retailers were fighting supply side that you wish you had or knew if to produce merchandiser at Kash n’ Karry Su- to earn and maintain market share. It you continued as a retailer? permarkets, a Tampa, FL-based grocery chain was conventional supermarkets that were I always enjoyed learning how products with 84 stores back in 1985. alike competing against each other for the are grown, harvested, packed and shipped. Eight years earlier, a teenage Williams business. Unlike today, there was not much With this in mind, I approached one of my started his retail career as a bagger at the pressure from the big box stores, well run preferred suppliers to see if they could provide same chain. He moved up to produce clerk health and natural food stores, and smaller me with what I was looking for. It’s been a very the next year, produce manager two years drugstores that continue to increase food educational trip so far. I remember planning later, and produce merchandiser five years offerings. Technology compared to today was promotions on cherries when on the retail side. after that — a position he held for 17 years. In nonexistent. For example, now we have the I thought we had it tough. Cherries are one 2003, Williams became director of produce systems in place to pinpoint shrink down to the of the hardest items in terms of scheduling and floral and shortly after helped to open item level on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. promotional dates, being priced right, and the produce departments in Kash n’ Karry’s Thirty years ago, we would figure our shrink getting quality orders delivered properly to then-new concept, Sweetbay Supermarket. from the trim/waste barrels going out the back the DC’s. I gained a new perspec- A decade later, he transitioned to the supply door until the inventory was taken at the tive on what it takes to side, and today is manager of new business end of each month, and actual results work cherries on the development for Raleigh, NC-based L&M were posted. supplier side. The pace Companies, Inc. that people move to When did things start to change secure product, line Where were you in 1985? and what were the drivers of change? up orders, secure I was produce merchandiser at Kash n’ In the early 1980s, when transportation, and Karry Supermarkets overseeing the produce a produce operation that was achieve customer operations of 25 stores. strictly packaged and located in satisfaction was the rear of the store transitioned to something I never What was the produce department like one that aggressively merchandised saw before. in 1985? 80 percent of its product bulk and Compared to today’s produce department was located upfront. I saw the future standards, we would consider 1985 produce coming to life. It was at this time that operations prehistoric. We were just starting much more attention was being placed to understand the importance of locating the on signage to help increase impulse produce department up front to showcase purchases. This included item- its importance and build customer confi- level signing, which was dence in our fresh departments. There were essentially a picture or still gaps in product availability. But that was art and some nutri- cool, because when an item came back into tional information. season, you could really have a promotion Category signing that got customers excited to buy. One of the helped customers biggest areas of change is around food safety. navigate through I remember merchandising cut watermelon on the department an unrefrigerated endcap. Could you imagine along with the PRODUCE BUSINESS / SEPTEMBER 2015 / 37 Retrospective.indd 1 8/25/15 9:31 PM What are some of the biggest innova- freshness. It’s often tied into a local program new level of excitement taking place with tions you’ve seen in the produce industry — thus achieving the perfect marketing trifecta: associates working out on the sales floor over the past 30 years? freshness, variety and local. as they showcase their talent in building beau- Bagged salads, fresh-cut fruit offerings, tiful displays that entice consumers to buy. and year-round variety in every single cate- How would you describe the produce gory. However, what I really like to see is a department today? What do you think was the greatest lesson supermarket chain that promotes its ‘brand’ Today’s produce department could be you learned about retailing over the past 30 through creatively designed and eye-catching classified as a theater of art. Many produce years? produce billboards. Retailers today under- departments offer 600-plus SKUs, and Three areas play a critical role in achieving stand the power of using produce to build it’s like shopping in a small exotic market a solid produce operation. Freshness: Allowing customer confidence around its standards of within a conventional grocery store. I see a a customer to come in contact with off quality product can never take place as it will erode their confidence. Cleanliness: Having a very clean and well maintained department adds to your customer’s confidence. Signage: Sales of products unsigned can decrease by almost 98 percent. Being fresh, clean and well signed are the building blocks of running a great produce operation. Now you are ready to talk about merchandising for increased sales. What do you think will drive the produce industry in the next 10 to 20 years? We continue to see an increase in the national obesity rate of children and adults, and that is putting a very large impact on our health systems. Our industry must continue educating the masses about the health bene- fits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. What challenges are holding the industry back? The loss of farms producing the goods we need to sell to our customers. I have a whole new perspective toward the challenges growers are facing to stay in operation and competitive. These are tough times with water restrictions/shortages or devastating weather conditions that can wipe out an entire crop. Are the next generations of farmers willing to battle these challenges? Do they have the resources at hand to stay competitive? Building strong and long- lasting relationships between retailers and growers is critical. What are your thoughts on choosing pro- duce as a career today? If you want to work in an industry that is exciting, rewarding and has simply the greatest people, I say, “Jump In!” The oppor- tunities are endless, and our industry is growing in size. We need new and innova- tive people. From retail, warehousing, sales, farming, marketing, food safety, and so many more; this is a great industry. I loved it for the past 38 years, and I would not have changed a thing. pb 38 / SEPTEMBER 2015 / PRODUCE BUSINESS Retrospective.indd 2 8/25/15 9:32 PM.

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