When dealing with fresh produce in a retail setting, it is of the utmost importance that produce handlers are familiar with how to optimise all practices that interact with the fresh produce items themselves.

Below are 5 key areas that all produce handlers should familiarise themselves with, followed by a stocking procedural checklist, and tips to optimise fresh produce marketing on retail shelves.

Storing

Most produce is stored in the refrigerator at 2° to 4°C (36° to 39°F) to ensure freshness and to prevent rapid deterioration. There are, however, a number of exceptions, including potatoes and bananas, which should be stored at higher temperatures.

Keep these factors in mind when storing produce:

  • Soft fruits should not be stored for too long. It is often best to buy soft fruit as you need it, keeping very little on hand.

  • Unripe fruit can be ripened at storeroom temperatures of 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 59°F). It will ripen much more slowly under refrigerator conditions.

  • Before storing and when rotating stock, it is important to remove rotting fruit from cases as one piece can affect others. The chain reaction can quickly destroy the quality of a whole case of fruit.

  • Be aware of special storage problems. For example, bananas stored in the refrigerator turn black quickly. Bananas should be stored under conditions where the temperature range is 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 59°F).

  • The length of time produce can be stored varies widely. For example, hardy vegetables such as carrots and cabbage will last for weeks, while delicate vegetables such as lettuce should be bought as fresh as possible as they do not keep for long.

  • Moisture on vegetables tends to soften them, causing rot. Even though in the early stages of rot there is nothing basically wrong with such vegetables, they can be unattractive to the eye.

Handling

Handle or “touch” produce as little as possible. Waiting to stock an item until you can fit out a reasonable amount of the item, such as a half-case or more, so that you are not constantly stocking the same items over and over again. This practice ensures that you can stock items that need the most attention and don’t waste time stocking items that don’t need to be stocked.

Sorting

Sorting incoming produce ensures standards of quality. When receiving produce, all items should be checked for damaged or decaying product. All damaged or decaying items should be removed and properly disposed of, upcycled, recycled, or reused, depending on their capabilities.

Rotating

Good rotation is another way to ensure quality and be sure any product that had been damaged or decayed on the shelf is found and removed. After all incoming produce is sorted, it should be rotated with product that is already on the shelf. This includes removing items already on the shelf, stocking new items in the back or bottom of a display and restocking the older items on top or in front of the incoming stock. This practice is commonly referred to as first in, first out or “FIFO”.

Culling

Culling is the practice of removing any damaged or decaying items from the shelves. This practice can be incorporated with rotating product during stocking, or as a separate practice if there is no new product to stock.

Stocking Procedural Checklist

Below is a general checklist for all areas related to new deliveries and stocking that is helpful to keep front of mind, whether you’re operating within the back dock area or stocking retail shelves.

Receiving and Storage Practices:

  • All fresh produce stock is checked when received to ensure that you have been charged appropriately. This includes checking the weight (if applicable) and the number of units delivered.

  • All fresh and chilled stock is temperature checked with a correctly calibrated temperature gun, probe, or other forms of AgTech.

  • All fresh and chilled stock must be received at a temperature ranging from 0-4°C.

  • All stock is transferred to refrigerated storage within 20 minutes of delivery.

  • All stock is rotated and date recorded when placing in cool rooms.

  • All credits and claims are processed immediately.

Cool room Practices:

  • Temperature does not exceed 4°C.

  • Coolroom checks are actioned and recorded.

  • Coolrooms are kept clean to meet food safety standards.

  • Excess stock stored correctly and storage dates recorded for FIFO practices.

  • Stock that is to be returned for credits are actioned.

  • Stock on-hand and order level quantities are reviewed.

  • Fresh produce orders are reviewed and submitted.

  • Temperatures are checked and actioned for all fresh produce products upon delivery.

  • All deliveries are checked against the invoice or delivery docket.

Back Dock Practices:

  • Back dock/Storeroom is clean, free of clutter.

  • Delivery area cleared to be able to receive deliveries.

  • Excess stock stacked neatly on pallets (do not use shopping trolleys).

  • All shrinkage has been actioned and recorded.

  • All refrigeration and freezer deliveries have been temperature checked and recorded.

  • All personal protection equipment (PPE) available.

  • Back dock door closed when not receiving deliveries.

Administration Practices:

  • All deliveries are checked against the invoice or delivery docket immediately.

  • All invoices are signed or stamped after the check has been completed and stored securely.

  • All credits actioned immediately.

  • All stock transfers are actioned to the correct department.

  • All logbooks are reviewed to ensure processes have been actioned:

    • Wastage and Shrinkage logbook

    • Temperature check logbook

    • Markdown logbook

    • Scale check logbook

Retail Shelf Stocking:

  • Stock on show is of stunning quality.

  • Promotional lines are featured towards the front of the department.

  • All lines are correctly ticketed with promotional and standard point of sale.

  • All country of origin claims are accurate.

  • Correct department flows are implemented.

  • Stock weight reflects customers shopping patterns and requirements.

  • Stock on hand counts are completed before all orders are entered.

  • All price changes have been actioned, as required.

  • All fresh areas should reflect season and or event (Christmas, Easter, Summer, Winter etc.)

  • All stock has been rotated in the cool room.

  • Outstanding levels of housekeeping are maintained on the shop floor and back of house.

  • Team members are using the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

  • Date-code checks are completed daily on all packaged products.

  • Front end file integrity is accurate.

  • Front end team members have been made aware of any new lines.

  • Rostered cleaning is established and actioned.

  • Conduct “Would I Buy?” checks throughout the course of the trading day.

  • Aim to fill less, more often and then increase your stock weight for your peak trading times.

These basic stocking procedures ensure quality and consistency in produce being stocked and should be followed each time produce is stocked.

Optimising fresh produce marketing

Merchandising is a marketing strategy to promote and increase the sale of goods. Merchandising has a significant impact on whether or not a customer chooses specific items by influencing their emotions about the items displayed.

Merchandising is usually a strategy used in retail. However, this concept can be applicable at food shelves to increase the demand and distribution of targeted foods.

Some Visual Merchandising strategy examples include:

  • Layout & Design of Space

  • Placement of Products

  • Samples & Demos

  • Visual Abundance

  • Display Techniques

  • Signage

Merchandising has a huge impact on whether or not a customer chooses a specific item by influencing their emotions about the items displayed. Below are some basic merchandising strategies to consider;

Size

Create displays that are the appropriate size for a given item. It can lead to more effective and less labour-intensive stocking. For example, create a large display of bananas or oranges and smaller displays of lemons or limes.

Placement

Where you place items can have a subtle impact on whether individuals take an item. There are a couple of ways to take advantage of this merchandising concept. First, place more exotic or slow-moving items, such as kale or kohlrabi, among staple items, such as lettuce and carrots to increase their visibility and appeal.

Secondly, in the grocery stores, shelves that sit at eye level, known as “reach”, usually contain products that are competitive, have a high impulse-purchase rate, or are most appealing to the customers. Therefore, use this strategy to promote the selection of healthier foods by placing the items at eye level. Also, think about the general layout of your food shelf and how you can set-up your shelving and displays to promote healthy and fresh foods in high traffic areas.

Categorising

This is the process of sorting items by “categories” of produce, such as fruits with fruits and vegetables with vegetables. You may sort produce beyond the categories of fruits and vegetables. For instance, fruits can be further categorised by type; such as pomes (apples, pears, etc.), citrus (oranges, lemons, limes, etc.) and pit fruits (peaches, plums, etc.).

Abundance

Create and maintain displays that appear full and abundant, even if stock is running low. This can be achieved through the following techniques of fronting and consolidating. 

Fronting Displays

Fronting, also referred to as “facing”, is the practice of moving items in a display that has been shopped from the back of the shelf to the front of the shelf in order to make it appear more full and abundant to a customer. Displays that are fronted create a greater sense of abundance and encourage customers to select an item.

Consolidating

Consolidating items can have the same impact as fronting. It can make a shopped or empty looking display appear more full and attractive. This can include consolidating a display of one item into a smaller, closer space or consolidating two different items into the same display or area to make them appear more full and abundant.

Display Maintenance

Maintaining displays can impact whether or not individuals are drawn to or choose certain items. Keep displays clean, organised, appealing, and abundant. Remove any items that have mould or are deteriorating.

Signage

Signage, in the form of posters and product-specific information, can guide customers to healthier choices and help them learn more about good nutrition. Plus the addition of information around a product gives off a sense of the product’s importance, leading customers to consider whether or not they should purchase the product.

Cross Merchandising

Create a display of unrelated types of grocery items where customers can select all of the items with the intent of using them together. Displays can be creative and impact individual habits by inspiring them to try something new or to prepare a recipe that is provided. An example is when you see bananas in the cereal aisle at the grocery store. In a food shelf, choose items that might go together for a meal or a snack and make displays simple and convenient for individuals.

Try displaying signage that states “We Go Together” to help inform individuals that there is a purpose for these items. Adding a recipe handout will also enhance the likelihood of individuals trying all of these items displayed together.