Category Management

Jeff Wells

As bulk's popularity grows, it's important for retailers to sharpen their plan of attack for the department. Mark Susalski, bulk sales manager with Hain Celestial, said that more of the retailers he works with are dedicating category managers to the section rather than sticking another department head with the job.

“Category management practices are not very prevalent in bulk foods, but you're seeing renewed interest today because of consumer traffic,” said Susalski.

Best practices, according to Doug Sanders, president of 50-store Sprouts Farmers Markets, include big-picture thinking as well as attention to details. His managers are always anticipating the next hot item, while at the same time making sure their bins are frequently cleaned and rotated, he said.

Ellen Bouchard, bulk category manger with Frontier Natural Co-op, said that the most successful bulk departments are the ones inside a store-within-a-store health concept, where knowledgeable employees can answer questions and explain the process to new customers.

“If you don't have someone dedicated to that aisle, people who are new to it do feel intimidated,” she explained.