Features
tion. Jim Gaylord, category merchant, notes, “There is a real need for having local product whenever we can.” In Wegmans outlets, “local” may land New York-grown products into Massachusetts stores. “The corporate footprint has expanded — from western New York into Pennsylvania and now Virginia — but it’s more important to have a great product than to have it grown two miles from the store.” Another sustainability frontier is indoor farm- ing, a concept Sendik’s introduced in-store a year ago. Their state-of-the-art 60,000-square-foot location in Oconomowoc, WI, features a compact vertical farm. Shoppers can witness mature herbs emerge just four weeks post-seeding, offering a firsthand look into con - trolled environment agriculture (CEA). Penfield notes, “We use it as a selling point so that now we can say, ‘Hey, look what we do in our stores and what else can we do?’ Consumers are just amazed by it. This drives sales. We’re looking at some other potential CEA activities in-store to help us drive that awareness and at the same time drive sales.” Additionally, these freshly harvested herbs from Sendik’s vertical farm are utilized in the store’s salad bar, and a select quantity is also available for purchase in the produce section. Lessons From Covid-19 A defining moment of our times was the Covid-19 pan - demic, and IFPA’s award-winning retailers consistent - ly highlight the pandemic’s impact on their industry. Although it brought about challenging periods, creative problem-solving approaches led to the emergence of new
duced the “Humble Harvest” program. This initiative re- purposes produce items that are near the end of their shelf life but still have value. Brian Penfield, director of produce, says, “So often we have that expectation of having the best produce available out there, that too many times we’re throwing away bruised apples or speckled apples that just didn’t have that eye appeal.” Under the Humble Harvest banner, these imperfect items are packaged for ‘grab and go’ convenience and are offered at significantly reduced prices. Penfield notes, “When this started, my concern was that these items would reduce our sales. But in fact, in some situations, this program actually increased our sales.” For instance, salads, which enter Humble Harvest two days before their expiration date, sell because of the low price. “So, they’ll buy it on discount today, but in two weeks they’ll come back and get it fresh off the shelf.” Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. in Rochester, NY, places a premium on the sustainable nature of local produc-
The produce department of a Wegmans store
Vision Magazine 19
October/November 2023
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