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managing shrink is one of the most vital aspects of selling mushrooms well, with most suggesting a ‘horses for courses’ approach.
“It’s a balance I think between enough variety and creating too much shrink, so you have to know your customer base for that store,” says Donovan. “Is it more likely to look for a more exotic type mushroom, or is it more the bare bones with white and brown mushrooms?”
“A closer eye on inventory helps, and keeping fresher mushrooms on the shelves leads to more impulse purchases, which reduces your shrink,” he says. “You don’t want a mushroom on the shelf that is there for six or seven days.”
His views are echoed by O’Brien of Monterey Mushrooms, who emphasizes that as one of the most perishable categories in produce, mushrooms should be merchandised in the “very best refrigerated case,” next to bagged salads.
“To minimize shrink and maximize sales it is important to know your consumer and offer the variety that matches the store demo- graphics,” says O’Brien. “Sophisticated cate- gory management is how retailers optimize their shelf space to maximize their sales and profits in the mushroom category.”
“Mushroom shrink will run as high as 10 percent or more for the cost of shrink to sales due to the perishability of the category,” he says. “It’s like The Byrds’ song in the 60s – Turn! Turn! Turn!”
“Also your first loss is your best loss. Cull and pitch those mushrooms that have seen better days, and stock those fresh mushrooms from the cooler.”
But where can the line be drawn for mush-
room freshness?
“There is a misperception that because
mushrooms bruise easily and may have some blemishes, that means the mushrooms are bad or should be thrown out,” says Litvin. “Mush- rooms do not have a protective layer like an apple or an orange. Blemishes are just a natural characteristic of mushrooms, and flavor is not affected.”
For Litvin, effective shrink management
38 / APRIL 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS