Welcome! This week's episode is not a normal episode for us — but it is the announcement of a project about which we're incredibly excited. We've launched a produce manager survey. It takes about eight minutes to complete. It’s completely anonymous – no individual name or company name required. The goal is to understand what kind of resources and support produce managers are currently getting; what factors influence satisfaction and enjoyment of the work; and what areas they want more help or education. We’d had excellent participation already, with numerous and incredibly insightful responses. Already we’re seeing trends that point to specific ways that retailers can better support their produce managers. Once we close the survey, we’ll develop a report on the results, we’ll create a special podcast series that will go deeper on the results, and we believe it will be a valuable resource for the industry, thanks to the contribution of all the folks who participate.

Know a produce manager who should be involved or someone who can mobilize their team? Send them this link — https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D7TRRLC — or reach out to The Produce Retail Podcast host Ashley Nickle with any questions. You can find her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle/

To listen to our previous episodes featuring produce manager perspective, check out this curated playlist for plenty of thought-provoking discussion. 

More Playlists


Executive Perspective


Leadership & Training


Marketing & Merchandising

Podcast Background

This podcast is designed to cover all things produce retail: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and beyond. Scroll through our episodes list to find conversations with vice presidents and directors of produce, merchandisers, produce managers, retail dietitians and more.

Get Involved

The Produce Retail Podcast is hosted by Ashley Nickle, a former trade journalist turned consultant. Have an idea for a topic or a guest? Give her a shout on LinkedIn.

Welcome! This week's episode is not a normal episode for us — but it is the announcement of a project about which we're incredibly excited. We've launched a produce manager survey. It takes about eight minutes to complete. It’s completely anonymous – no individual name or company name required. The goal is to understand what kind of resources and support produce managers are currently getting; what factors influence satisfaction and enjoyment of the work; and what areas they want more help or education. We’d had excellent participation already, with numerous and incredibly insightful responses. Already we’re seeing trends that point to specific ways that retailers can better support their produce managers. Once we close the survey, we’ll develop a report on the results, we’ll create a special podcast series that will go deeper on the results, and we believe it will be a valuable resource for the industry, thanks to the contribution of all the folks who participate.
Know a produce manager who should be involved or someone who can mobilize their team? <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D7TRRLC">Send them this link</a> — <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D7TRRLC">https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D7TRRLC</a> — or reach out to The Produce Retail Podcast host Ashley Nickle with any questions. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle/">You can find her on LinkedIn</a> at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle/</a>
To listen to our previous episodes featuring produce manager perspective, <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/produce-manager-perspective-the-produce-retail-pod">check out this curated playlist</a> for plenty of thought-provoking discussion. 
More Playlists
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/executive-perspective-the-produce-retail-podcast">Executive Perspective</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/leadership-training-the-produce-retail-podcast">Leadership &amp; Training</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/merchandising-marketing-the-produce-retail-podcast">Marketing &amp; Merchandising</a>
</li>
</ul>
Podcast Background
This podcast is designed to cover all things produce retail: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and beyond. Scroll through our episodes list to find conversations with vice presidents and directors of produce, merchandisers, produce managers, retail dietitians and more.
Get Involved
The Produce Retail Podcast is hosted by <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">Ashley Nickle</a>, a former trade journalist turned consultant. Have an idea for a topic or a guest? Give her a shout <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">on LinkedIn.</a>

The Produce Retail Podcast is the place for thought leaders in the industry to talk shop. Join us for conversations on strategy, business partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and much more. We'll have regular guests as well as more occasional visitors, and the goal is always to deliver conversations that inform, inspire and ultimately illuminate opportunities for growth. This podcast is hosted by Ashley Nickle, produce industry enthusiast and founder and CEO of Ashley Nickle Growth Strategies.  

The Produce Retail Podcast is the place for thought leaders in the industry to talk shop. Join us for conversations on strategy, business partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and much more. We'll have regular guests as well as more occasional visitors, and the goal is always to deliver conversations that inform, inspire and ultimately illuminate opportunities for growth. This podcast is hosted by Ashley Nickle, produce industry enthusiast and founder and CEO of Ashley Nickle Growth Strategies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Produce Retail Podcast

This curated playlist of The Produce Retail Podcast features conversations with current and former vice presidents of produce, directors of produce, and other executive roles. These guests take listeners behind the scenes and examine different components of what it takes to create, adapt, communicate and execute the produce strategy of a grocery retailer. Hosted by Ashley Nickle, who became immersed in the industry as a member of the trade press and later launched her own consulting firm, The Produce Retail Podcast overall covers a wide variety of produce retail topics: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising, marketing, assortment and beyond. 

This curated playlist of The Produce Retail Podcast features conversations with current and former vice presidents of produce, directors of produce, and other executive roles. These guests take listeners behind the scenes and examine different components of what it takes to create, adapt, communicate and execute the produce strategy of a grocery retailer. Hosted by <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">Ashley Nickle</a>, who became immersed in the industry as a member of the trade press and later launched her own consulting firm, The Produce Retail Podcast overall covers a wide variety of produce retail topics: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising, marketing, assortment and beyond.

A playlist for produce retail professionals in or aspiring to leadership positions.

Executive Perspective — The Produce Retail Podcast

This curated playlist of The Produce Retail Podcast features conversations on finding and developing talent, training and engaging team members, and growing as a leader. Hosted by Ashley Nickle, who became immersed in the industry as a member of the trade press and later launched her own consulting firm, The Produce Retail Podcast overall covers a wide variety of produce retail topics: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising, marketing, assortment and beyond. 

This curated playlist of The Produce Retail Podcast features conversations on finding and developing talent, training and engaging team members, and growing as a leader. Hosted by <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">Ashley Nickle</a>, who became immersed in the industry as a member of the trade press and later launched her own consulting firm, The Produce Retail Podcast overall covers a wide variety of produce retail topics: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising, marketing, assortment and beyond.

A playlist focused on professional development and leadership in produce retail.

Leadership & Training — The Produce Retail Podcast

This curated playlist of The Produce Retail Podcast features conversations with produce managers — the hard-working professionals with wide-ranging roles whose ultimate responsibility is to turn the vision of corporate leadership into reality at the store level. How do they do it? That's what listeners will learn in these episodes. Hosted by Ashley Nickle, who became immersed in the industry as a member of the trade press and later launched her own consulting firm, The Produce Retail Podcast overall covers a wide variety of produce retail topics: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising, marketing, assortment and beyond. 

This curated playlist of The Produce Retail Podcast features conversations with produce managers — the hard-working professionals with wide-ranging roles whose ultimate responsibility is to turn the vision of corporate leadership into reality at the store level. How do they do it? That's what listeners will learn in these episodes. Hosted by <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">Ashley Nickle</a>, who became immersed in the industry as a member of the trade press and later launched her own consulting firm, The Produce Retail Podcast overall covers a wide variety of produce retail topics: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising, marketing, assortment and beyond.

A playlist focused on conversations with retail produce managers.

Produce Manager Perspective — The Produce Retail Podcast

The Produce Manager Survey — Introduction

We're delighted to welcome back to The Produce Retail Podcast longtime executive Scott Schuette. Over the last 35-plus years Scott has served in leadership roles with Fresh Thyme, Sprouts and Bashas. He’s been recognized as Produce Retailer of the Year and Specialty Food Retailer of the Year. He’s also been so kind to be a regular on this podcast and share his perspective on all kinds of executive topics, from managing across divisions to developing the annual budget to writing to the ad — and many, many more.

On this week's episode, Scott and The Produce Retail Podcast host Ashley Nickle tackle a topic that also featured prominently in the first-ever State of the Produce Manager report — the topic of how much leeway produce managers have to make decisions for their department. Scott gives examples of successful retailers all along the spectrum, from ones that tightly control presentation from a corporate level to ones that give produce managers significant discretion. He also discusses his views on which decisions should be made at the corporate level and which should be made at the store level. Scott also talks about store segmentation as a way to keep assortment and merchandising relatively consistent while still accounting for differences in customer bases and store layouts.

Scott also notes the role of operational leadership and effective communication about standards. He discusses how produce managers can earn more leeway to make decisions and the importance of letting them experiment and learn from their successes and failures. Scott also brings up the leeway produce managers have in how they develop their team members and the opportunity they have to adjust their style as needed and personalize their approach to the personalities of folks in their department.

For more conversations featuring executive perspective, check out this playlist dedicated to conversations with current and former vice presidents of produce, directors of produce, and other executive roles. 

More Playlists


Merchandising & Marketing


Leadership & Training


Produce Manager Perspective

Podcast Background

This podcast is designed to cover all things produce retail: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and beyond. Scroll through our episodes list to find conversations with vice presidents and directors of produce, merchandisers, produce managers, retail dietitians and more.

Get Involved

The Produce Retail Podcast is hosted by Ashley Nickle, a former trade journalist turned consultant. Have an idea for a topic or a guest? Give her a shout on LinkedIn.

We're delighted to welcome back to The Produce Retail Podcast longtime executive Scott Schuette. Over the last 35-plus years Scott has served in leadership roles with Fresh Thyme, Sprouts and Bashas. He’s been recognized as Produce Retailer of the Year and Specialty Food Retailer of the Year. He’s also been so kind to be a regular on this podcast and share his perspective on all kinds of executive topics, from managing across divisions to developing the annual budget to writing to the ad — and many, many more.
On this week's episode, Scott and The Produce Retail Podcast host Ashley Nickle tackle a topic that also featured prominently in the <a href="https://www.producebluebook.com/2024/01/08/state-of-the-produce-manager-report-explores-training-career-pathing-job-satisfaction-and-more/">first-ever State of the Produce Manager report</a> — the topic of how much leeway produce managers have to make decisions for their department. Scott gives examples of successful retailers all along the spectrum, from ones that tightly control presentation from a corporate level to ones that give produce managers significant discretion. He also discusses his views on which decisions should be made at the corporate level and which should be made at the store level. Scott also talks about store segmentation as a way to keep assortment and merchandising relatively consistent while still accounting for differences in customer bases and store layouts.
Scott also notes the role of operational leadership and effective communication about standards. He discusses how produce managers can earn more leeway to make decisions and the importance of letting them experiment and learn from their successes and failures. Scott also brings up the leeway produce managers have in how they develop their team members and the opportunity they have to adjust their style as needed and personalize their approach to the personalities of folks in their department.
For more conversations featuring executive perspective, check out this<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/executive-perspective-the-produce-retail-podcast"> playlist</a> dedicated to conversations with current and former vice presidents of produce, directors of produce, and other executive roles. 
More Playlists
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/merchandising-marketing-the-produce-retail-podcast">Merchandising &amp; Marketing</a> 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/leadership-training-the-produce-retail-podcast">Leadership &amp; Training</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/produce-manager-perspective-the-produce-retail-pod">Produce Manager Perspective</a>
</li>
</ul>
Podcast Background
This podcast is designed to cover all things produce retail: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and beyond. Scroll through our episodes list to find conversations with vice presidents and directors of produce, merchandisers, produce managers, retail dietitians and more.
Get Involved
The Produce Retail Podcast is hosted by <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">Ashley Nickle</a>, a former trade journalist turned consultant. Have an idea for a topic or a guest? Give her a shout <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">on LinkedIn.</a>

Longtime produce retail exec Scott Schuette discusses how to distribute decision-making between corporate and store level

We're delighted to have as our guest on this week's episode of the podcast Anne-Marie Roerink, the principal of 210 Analytics. Anne-Marie is well known in produce and across the broader grocery landscape for her insightful reports and presentations on what's happening in different parts of the store and what's happening in the world of the consumer — how and why they say they're shopping the way they are. In this conversation, Anne-Marie shares the trends she's seeing in deli and prepared foods and what produce can learn from the growth happening in that department, including the opportunity retailers have to capture what would be restaurant trips; the willingness of shoppers to make a separate trip to a different retailer for a specific foodservice offering; how retailers can build the basket during those replacing-a-restaurant-meal occasions; the different ways retailers are delivering convenience through the deli and how departments like produce and meat need to be proactive to collaborate so they don't get skipped when convenience is the priority; why grab-and-go meals like pizza often don't include mushrooms and how creative retailers are making pizzas customizable — and including more produce; how operational realities (and sometimes department silos) present challenges for some of the most aspirational cross-merchandising opportunities; and much more. Enjoy!

For more episodes featuring marketing and merchandising perspective, check out this curated playlist for plenty of thought-provoking discussion. 

More Playlists


Executive Perspective


Leadership & Training


Produce Manager Perspective

Podcast Background

This podcast is designed to cover all things produce retail: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and beyond. Scroll through our episodes list to find conversations with vice presidents and directors of produce, merchandisers, produce managers, retail dietitians and more.

Get Involved

The Produce Retail Podcast is hosted by Ashley Nickle, a former trade journalist turned consultant. Have an idea for a topic or a guest? Give her a shout on LinkedIn.

We're delighted to have as our guest on this week's episode of the podcast Anne-Marie Roerink, the principal of 210 Analytics. Anne-Marie is well known in produce and across the broader grocery landscape for her insightful reports and presentations on what's happening in different parts of the store and what's happening in the world of the consumer — how and why they say they're shopping the way they are. In this conversation, Anne-Marie shares the trends she's seeing in deli and prepared foods and what produce can learn from the growth happening in that department, including the opportunity retailers have to capture what would be restaurant trips; the willingness of shoppers to make a separate trip to a different retailer for a specific foodservice offering; how retailers can build the basket during those replacing-a-restaurant-meal occasions; the different ways retailers are delivering convenience through the deli and how departments like produce and meat need to be proactive to collaborate so they don't get skipped when convenience is the priority; why grab-and-go meals like pizza often don't include mushrooms and how creative retailers are making pizzas customizable — and including more produce; how operational realities (and sometimes department silos) present challenges for some of the most aspirational cross-merchandising opportunities; and much more. Enjoy!
For more episodes featuring marketing and merchandising perspective, <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/merchandising-marketing-the-produce-retail-podcast">check out this curated playlist</a> for plenty of thought-provoking discussion. 
More Playlists
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/executive-perspective-the-produce-retail-podcast">Executive Perspective</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/leadership-training-the-produce-retail-podcast">Leadership &amp; Training</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-produce-retail-podcast/playlists/produce-manager-perspective-the-produce-retail-pod">Produce Manager Perspective</a>
</li>
</ul>
Podcast Background
This podcast is designed to cover all things produce retail: strategy, partnerships, planning, training, leadership, communication, merchandising and beyond. Scroll through our episodes list to find conversations with vice presidents and directors of produce, merchandisers, produce managers, retail dietitians and more.
Get Involved
The Produce Retail Podcast is hosted by <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">Ashley Nickle</a>, a former trade journalist turned consultant. Have an idea for a topic or a guest? Give her a shout <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleynickle">on LinkedIn.</a>

Anne-Marie Roerink, principal of 210 Analytics, on what produce can learn from the growth happening in deli

We're delighted to welcome as our guest on this episode of the podcast Brendan Haslam, director of strategy and category management for Bolthouse Fresh Foods, which is best known for carrots. Brendan takes us behind the scenes of his work digging into sales data to identify opportunities for the retailers his company serves. He discusses the importance of earning the trust of customers by making recommendations that take into account their whole category, not just what they do with Bolthouse. He talks about assessing assortment, pricing and promotion by comparing the sales results of a given retailer with others in their market and beyond. He provides a window into the cadence and process of category management conversations. Brendan also covers his background in the profession and in produce, the characteristics that he has seen dovetail with success in category management, recommendations for people who want to explore careers in this area, and much more. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

We're delighted to welcome as our guest on this episode of the podcast Brendan Haslam, director of strategy and category management for Bolthouse Fresh Foods, which is best known for carrots. Brendan takes us behind the scenes of his work digging into sales data to identify opportunities for the retailers his company serves. He discusses the importance of earning the trust of customers by making recommendations that take into account their whole category, not just what they do with Bolthouse. He talks about assessing assortment, pricing and promotion by comparing the sales results of a given retailer with others in their market and beyond. He provides a window into the cadence and process of category management conversations. Brendan also covers his background in the profession and in produce, the characteristics that he has seen dovetail with success in category management, recommendations for people who want to explore careers in this area, and much more. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

The Produce Manager Survey — Introduction

Produce Manager Perspective — The Produce Retail Podcast

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