STATER BROS. FINDS PRODUCE IN A PINCH

MINA WILLIAMS

COLTON, Calif. (FNS) -- Recent extreme weather conditions have been making the sourcing of special-value produce deals tougher for retailers across the country.

But Stater Bros. Markets here is finding its status as a midsized operator can be put to good work when it comes to procuring produce in the current tight markets, according to president Jack H. Brown.

With 112 units, Stater Bros. is ranked fifth and is uniquely sized in its Southern California marketplace. The next largest chain has 343 units. Brown told SN Stater Bros.' size is a good size to be in a pinch.

Prior to the Easter weekend, for example, a California strawberry grower had a limited supply to offer, Brown explained. "The grower didn't have enough for some of the larger chains in our area," he said. "Because of our size, we were able to get current conditions to work to our advantage. We were able to capture a good opportunity and move the product throughout our entire distribution. We were uniquely positioned as being able to handle what the grower had"

That meant Stater Bros. was able to offer a 3-pint family pack for 99 cents during the Easter holidays.

The strawberry deal was just one opportunity that Stater Bros.' produce buyers have landed recently. Similar successes have been achieved with artichokes, head lettuce and asparagus, crops that are all hard to source now as a result of the wet weather conditions created by El Nino.

Brown admitted that having carefully forged relationships with produce growers, packers and shippers also plays a key role in sourcing during tough times.

As if extreme weather conditions and tight markets weren't putting enough pressure on Stater Bros.' produce procurement team, additional challenges came this spring as the chain rolled out its "Stater Savers" Shopper Program to include all of the perishable departments.

At a minimum, 40 produce items are featured everyday in the program. Stater Savers are items that have been given temporary price reductions by manufacturers, which the chain passes along to its customers. More than 2,000 items a week are included in the program.

"Stater Savers is a program which allows customers to benefit when we make a better buy," said Brown. Items are identified in store with specially designed shelf tags. Stater

Savers are also regularly featured in the chain's weekly advertisements.

The advertisements are also positioned to promote late-breaking deals captured by the chain. Each Wednesday, a regular seven-day ad runs. On Sunday a special 3-day ad appears in which items procured at the last minute or procured in short supply can be promoted.

"We're not the biggest, so we have to be the fastest to give our customers the best value," said Brown. "Produce and meat are two areas by which a supermarket is judged for value and quality. We have to always be sure never to disappoint a customer in those departments in particular."

The chain's buyers are also working with suppliers to present Stater Bros. customers with six prepackaged items for the Stater Savers program, including carrots, radishes, celery and salad mixes. And they worked with live-plant purveyors to offer Easter lilies at $3.99.

The storewide expansion of the Stater Savers Shopper Program was designed to reward all the chain's customers automatically without the use of a card, or without any purchase requirements, Brown said.