Asda is appointing 150 specialist Greengrocers in stores across the UK as part of a £9 million investment to increase the choice and quality of fresh fruit and vegetables in store.
The new Greengrocer roles, which are expected to be filled by a combination of existing staff and new hires, are being appointed exclusively to focus on Asda’s fresh produce offer in store.
They will be based on the shop floor and will have responsibility for quality standards, product availability and presentation of the produce area, as well as being on hand to support customers when required, according to the supermarket.
Each new Greengrocer will receive specialist training in all aspects of Asda’s fresh produce operation, ranging from how and where fruit and vegetables are grown to the optimum conditions in which products should be stored and displayed to maintain freshness and quality.
Extended premium range
In addition to the new recruits, Asda is also investing to offer customers a greater choice of premium fruit and vegetables from its Extra Special tier and in new fixtures and fittings to improve the presentation and layout of its fresh produce section.
This investment will initially cover 150 stores across the UK from October.
Mike Snell, managing director of IPL, said: “The fresh produce section is one of the most popular locations in our stores and more than half of our best-selling lines by volume are generated from this area. We know how proud our colleagues are about product quality and store standards and we are making this investment to enhance the experience our customers receive when shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables.”
