RISING SELF-SERVICE

AMY I. STICKEL

APPLETON, Wis. -- Convenience is key in the bakery department at the latest Copps Corp. store here -- and a new 100% self-service department format is the way Copps aims to deliver it.

"I think customers are real receptive [to] that, because I don't think they like to be waited on," said Tyrone Curry, bakery director for the Stevens Point, Wis.-based company." Everybody's in a hurry. They like to grab and go." Curry said this is the first Copps bakery that is completely self-service. "In our other stores, self-service is about 80%." Customer comments at the Appleton store have been favorable so far, and Copps may expand the concept to other units.

"We're testing the waters on that. Each market is a little bit different," Curry said. "[In] some, I don't think you could get away with that." This newest store places a strong emphasis on fresh foods and represents an evolutionary step in Copps' development of store formats. "It's a perishables store. It's a nice presentation," said Curry. The bakery is the second department in the store traffic pattern, just after produce -- considered the chain's flagship department -- and across from the deli.

The bakery offers 160 to 175 products every day, Curry said.

The shift towards self-service will probably decrease labor costs, but that wasn't a major goal for Copps in making the change, Curry said. "I think from a sales standpoint, [it was done] in terms of pleasing the customer."

In fact, Copps has taken steps to ensure that the lack of formal service does not mean the department lacks an element of human interaction. For example, Curry has temporarily positioned at least one employee in the department at all times to help consumers shop the bakery.

"She does nothing but stand there and show customers how the whole system works and answers people that have questions," Curry said. "Sometimes people are a little nervous about doing [self-service]. Rather than do it, or ask questions, they'll just go on." Curry said he thinks shoppers eventually will get the hang of self-service on their own. "I don't think we'll have to have someone out there forever, maybe during busy peaks."

In addition, the other bakery employees are available to answer questions or offer advice about purchases. This is helped by the fact that the Appleton store has a partially exposed bakery product preparation area, another first for the operator.

"There are people there at eyesight shoppers can call, right there within asking distance. There are people always around." What's more, when customers can see the product being baked, it just seems fresher, Curry explained.

"It's an open concept we haven't had before. In a lot of our bakeries, as great as the bakeries do, people don't realize the stuff that's baked there, because you can't even see it.

"I think the animation in the bakery is critical. The customers can see it being made, and I think that automatically relates to freshness," he said. One part of the bakery that is not exposed is the cake decorating. Curry said he hopes that will be reworked in future stores.

"The decorators are not out in view of the customers. It wasn't designed that way. [But] Copps has a great reputation for cakes. I think the customer likes to see that. Sometimes, it's not as efficient, but I think you get your money's worth out of that," he said.

As part of the upscale nature of the store, Copps is featuring an upgraded bread program, which includes nine new scratch varieties. The varieties include an herb, a pesto, a sourdough and a French, among others. Each variety is offered every day, he said.

Nutrition information on each of the breads is available in the bakery. The labels are posted on signs above the products. "Customers can look at the products, look at the product identification and see the nutritional statement right on the sign," he said. Nutritional information is important to shoppers, because they like to think they are eating healthy foods, Curry said.

"People feel good when they eat something good. It's like the oat bran, when everybody thought it was healthy. Everybody felt great, even though it was lousy. They loved themselves for it," he said. "And these breads taste good." The scratch breads retail for one price point, $1.99. This element extends into other categories as well. In a vigorous nod to convenience, the department's doughnuts, rolls and bagels all carry a single price point, which simplifies sales for both customers and cashiers.

"They can mix and match," Curry said. "I think it's attractive to the customer. The success on it has been incredible."

A primary display element in the department is the use of merchandising tables with removable shelves. "The way the tables are designed, you can take shelves off, so on slow days you don't have to have as much product out," Curry noted.