Tesco has revealed it is planning to set up so-called 'produce academies' to train front-line staff about the fruit and vegetable supply chain and improve the overall level of expertise in fresh produce in more than 3,000 of its stores across the UK.
The move follows the company's recent efforts to revamp other store departments, train staff to deliver better customer service and reschedule rotas to boost productivity.
'Whilst this has driven improvements in customer perceptions of service, there is more to do, and we will now focus on service points in store, our fresh food, and our grocery home shopping,' the group said in a statement announcing a 6 per cent fall in profits to £3.3bn for 2013/14.
'Our fishmongers have already benefited from new training to learn about the supply chain, and how to help customers prepare and cook fish at home. In 2014/15 we will extend this type of training to our butchers and fresh produce teams.'
Tesco's fruit and vegetable supply chain has changed dramatically over the past couple of years as its Group Food Sourcing unit – based just down the road from its Cheshunt head office – has rolled out a direct procurement model that now accounts for around two-thirds of the fresh produce sold by the retailer.
However, despite indications during that time that the company was preparing to update and upgrade the look of its fruit and vegetable offer in store, the work has been put back several times, to the understandable frustration of its buying team.
'Having made significant improvements to our meat, fish and poultry ranges, improving quality and increasing the level of innovation, we are now focusing ou efforts on fresh produce,' the group continued.
'We have already re-launched our bagged salads and prepared fruit and vegetables, improving quality, packaging and in-store merchandising. We are now working with dedicated suppliers, ensuring we can guarantee freshness, taste and value every time.'
During the next 12 months, Tesco said it also planned to bring a 'new look and feel' to its fruit and vegetable departments. Changes are understood to include the addition of juice bars, which will help reduce waste and clear excess stock by using fresh produce that would otherwise go unsold or past its sell-by date.
New staff uniforms, signage, merchandising units and lighting are also believed to be part of the department refresh, while some have suggested that fresh produce prices will be matched to those at discount chains Aldi and Lidl.
Steve Dresser of analysis firm Grocery Insight said he believed extensive improvement to Tesco's fresh produce departments would be required.
'They tried to do it 'lite' of course with the tilted displays but that's not enough,' he suggested. 'Produce academies are to come in, part of the revolution I presume. I hope it extends further than people just filling the shelves.'
