Asda has re-organised its produce department in line with feedback from research conducted amongst its customers. Three areas of concentration have been identified to help the chain really focus on quality and availability: sourcing, distribution and stores.
Nick Scrase is business unit director of the department having ceded responsibility of meat to concentrate on fresh produce alone.
Rick Bourne is general manager for produce, in charge of sourcing. And Elaine Robinson has been brought in as general manager with responsibility for stores, having worked in the Wal-Mart subsidiary’s store development division.
Paul Farrell reports directly to Scrase and is buying manager for fruit and also holds responsibility for International Produce. The other buying managers are Anne Spencer, Andy Cockshaw and Andy Jackson, with responsibility for vegetables, salads & prepared produce, and organics respectively. Jackson has moved into produce from the meat department.
David Hunter, a former store manager, has been brought in to focus on retail operations and issues, such as packaging and transit of produce.
Robinson’s appointment has been made as customers told Asda in research that the look and feel of the produce department is as important to them as the physical quality of the produce. “The environment in which they shop has a huge impact,” Bourne told FPJ. He said Asda would be looking at bringing the concepts of “theatre” and “abundance” to its produce aisles.
Asda customer awareness of produce is increasing fast. “Our customers’ needs are changing very fast and we are trying to understand how we can meet those changing needs,” said Bourne.
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