Why Mega Markets Can't Sell Cheese

As the former Head of a Cheese Shop at a nationally-known grocery chain, I can say with confidence that they don't have a clue about gourmet cheese. And they'll never be able to tap into that market until they can overcome their 3 biggest problems: "corporate mentality", ill-trained staff and vendors, and lack of communication with customers.

I was originally trained at a organic-focused, upscale grocer. They prided themselves not only on innovation, but on recruiting the best people in the field. It was their openness to change, commitment to their customers, but foremost, their ability to listen to their employees and accept their criticism that has allowed them to maximize their profits in the gourmet cheese industry. This is where so many other mega groceries have failed. The grocer I worked at was a prime example of this. They had a "back rub" logic system. You basically had to go through a long chain of command because those in corporate wouldn't abate themselves to listen to the ideas or suggestions of lowlings. This often complicated matters because sometimes these requests were made at the behest of customers and concerned simple things such as carrying specific products.

When I was first hired I met with members of the corporate office and their training team. Their training team was impressed with my extensive knowledge of gourmet cheese and previous experience. As they'd been used to having to give basic training nearly all Heads of the Cheese Shop that'd been hired. As they were unwilling to pay what was necessary to get the employees they needed, this put them at a great disadvantage. Their customers had no one to go to that could answer their questions beyond whether or not something was available. All they had were "bodies" that stocked, ordered, and cut, nothing further. This ultimately effected their sales margin because while it's widely believed in the industry that "the product sells self", a lack of indepth knowledge made it impossible for customers who were looking for something specific to find it.

I'd often get customers that would either request a specific cheese or product, but I'd be unable to deliver, or I'd be refused that product because corporate believed that the product wouldn't sell. During the 3 months I'd worked at the store I'd brought in no less than 13 different types of cheeses, many of which the company had never carried before. (Keep in mind that this company had hundreds of stores across the nation.) Every cheese that I stocked sold consistently. Why? It was what the customers were asking for, and what they'd asked for eventually as they sampled what was stocked. They underestimated their market and acheived only their projected sales figures because of it. They'd constantly talk about how they were revolutionizing the industry, and "doing things better", but they were merely following in the foot steps of yet another company that'd already done what they were aspiring, and done it better!

I left the store after 3 months; I wrote a letter to their corporate office outlining why. I cited many things, but told them that I couldn't working for this company. That they didn't want to change how things were done, even if it meant a positive outcome. I couldn't serve my customers with this company, they wouldn't give me the additional help I needed despite the huge profit they were making in my department. I couldn't sell cheese with this company, they just didn't get. And I doubt they ever will.