FRESH MOVES 1994

David Merrefield

This is quite a time for activity concerning supermarkets' fresh-food departments, as several pages of this issue show. · One development centers on an internal change at SN and how fresh-food departments are presented in this issue and issues to come: The Fresh Foods section has been moved forward in the book, becoming the first product-oriented section. Previously, it was the back-of-the-book section.

Meanwhile, events on the Retail Bakers of America's convention slate are shining attention on fresh-food departments. RBA's convention and exhibition started Saturday at the Cervantes Convention Center in St. Louis and continues through Tuesday. Also, RBA's Bakery-Deli Conference took place Friday and Saturday at the same venue.

Finally, as the front page of this issue shows, RBA and SN joined forces this year to sponsor the Leading Edge Award, a program that seeks to identify and recognize four of the most innovative bakery and deli operators in the country. Judging the nominees selected by numerous deli and bakery executives, and their suppliers, was McMillan/Doolittle, the retail-consulting concern in Chicago. Let's take a closer look at each of the three developments: Why the change in the placement of the Fresh Foods section in SN? For many years, Fresh Foods was the last section, a placement that made sense in the context of traditional industry practice since produce, meat and dairy departments generally clung to the back wall of supermarkets. So, in like manner, the Fresh Foods section fell to the back of the book.

Now, fresh departments are less likely to be moored to the back wall and are free to roam around the store in search of the just place. In many instances, the industry is settling on placing fresh in the front of the store. That's because one of the best ways to establish a store's point of distinction is to offer added value in the fresh department, then show that value first in the shopping pattern. So, in acknowledgement of the emerging industry consensus, the Fresh Foods section has moved forward in SN to become the first product-oriented section. The section can now be found following Retail/Financial and Productivity. The other two product-oriented sections, which focus on the core of the store, are Center Store and Home & Health. The same section lineup will be followed in subsequent issues of SN.

By the way, readers have no doubt noticed that the overall design of SN is premised on the presentation of five sections that can be seen as virtually independent publications since, for the most part, the sections are self-contained with story continuations falling within their own confines. But back to other things fresh: A lot of activity centering on fresh is springing from the RBA's convention and exhibition as well as RBA's just-concluded Bakery-Deli Conference.

One of the events at the Bakery-Deli Conference was the recognition of the four examples of merchandising excellence spotlighted by the Leading Edge Award. RBA and SN sponsored the Leading Edge Award. Given the quality of nominees, the judging undertaken by McMillan/Doolittle was quite a challenge and had to be focused through the use of nine criteria. The nine points used by McMillan/Doolittle to select Leading Edge Award examples of excellence are outlined on Page 29. The two operators selected for excellence in bakery were Harry's Farmer's Market, Atlanta, and Tom Thumb, Dallas. The two recognized for the excellence of their deli/food service departments were Ukrop's Super Markets, Richmond, Va., and Larry's Markets, Seattle. Each was recognized not only at the RBA conference but also by means of the front-page feature presentation in this issue written by Fresh Foods Editor Louise Kramer. The article stipulates the activities that brought each operation the favorable attention.

Congratulations to each of the four stores selected. There's no doubt they are the leading edge.