In this 5 Insightful Minutes episode, Jeremy Levine, Senior Director at Alvarez and Marsal’s Consumer and Retail Group, joins Omni Talk to break down how traditional regional grocers can win with fresh operations over the next decade.
As consumer preferences shift toward healthier lifestyles, fresh departments are becoming more important than ever. From declining interest in processed foods to a growing demand for protein, Jeremy explains why these trends are creating a major opportunity for grocers, especially those that can execute well at the store level.
But execution is where things get difficult.
From the hour-by-hour demands of a deli counter to the tight margin for error in produce and meat, Jeremy outlines why fresh is one of the most operationally complex areas of the store and why it requires a completely different approach than center store categories.
He also breaks down what “good” actually looks like, sharing the four key pillars grocers need to get right, from talent and process to scheduling and alignment between headquarters and stores. And if you are a grocery CEO, his advice is simple. Fix scheduling first.
Key Topics Covered:
• 00:00:16 – Why fresh departments are getting more attention right now
• 00:00:52 – The protein gap and what it means for grocery demand
• 00:01:37 – Why fresh is a competitive advantage for regional grocers
• 00:02:38 – Why fresh departments are so hard to execute
• 00:03:22 – The importance of different operating rhythms across departments
• 00:03:50 – The four pillars of fresh excellence
• 00:04:24 – Why process discipline like culling and backrooms matters
• 00:05:06 – How scheduling impacts daily performance
• 00:05:24 – The importance of HQ and store alignment
• 00:05:54 – The first thing grocery CEOs should fix is scheduling
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Be careful out there,
Chris and the Omni Talk team
P.S. To read Jeremy and his team’s full report on mastering fresh operations, click here.
P.P.S. To see our full lineup of past 5 Insightful Minute conversations, head here.
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Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.