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experiment with their consumer’s needs and potential impulse purchases,” says Mark Le- one, vice president of sales in the East for Gi- orgio Fresh Co., Temple, PA. “Staying on top of trends, cooking shows and other industry intel is critical to having the optimum mix.”
The mushroom supplier has to be a reliable source of information on how much space, and how many SKUs are optimal.
“Each retailer has its own unique needs when it comes to space and mix – all depend- ing on store size, shopper demographics, foot traffic and other metrics,” according to the Mushroom Council. “With that in mind, the Mushroom Council has tools to help retailers understand how to better manage mushroom shrink, if not also determine their ideal space/ mix. However, the best sources of such infor- mation and support are mushroom suppliers – they have an excellent handle on retail con- sumers’ needs and can assist each retailer in achieving its desired goals.”
While mushrooms already washed, sliced, and packaged are popular, some bulk also adds something to the display.
“Using bulk displays also conveys a mes- sage of freshness to the consumer, allowing them to essentially pick their own product. Introducing specialty packs on a seasonal ba- sis, like Portabella sliders in the summer or larger club-size packages around the holidays is a great way to show added value to a con- sumer,” says Wilder. “The opportunity to use a secondary display to feature items is also a great approach to increase exposure and lift sales while running a promotion.”
Although there is no one-size-fits-all solu- tion, a mushroom display in the range of 4 to 6 feet of shelf space seems to be average.
“You have to have whites, browns, and some of the specialties, like Shiitake and oys- ter,” says Donovan. “If you have whites in 8 ounces, 16 ounces, and even 24 ounces you’re probably looking at six feet of shelf space.”
Tops Markets sometimes goes a little smaller, but not a lot, in its mushroom dis- plays in most stores.
“The sales allocation is based on daily movements at each store,” says Tyo. “Typical- ly, we devote 4 feet to mushrooms, consisting of a vertical shelf with four to six shelves de- pending on the case style. We have approxi- mately 60 mushroom SKUs total, and about 25 move high volume. Promotional strategy plays a large role into that, as do uses, trends and popular demand.”
These displays must be watched more care- fully than most in the produce department to make sure it always looks fresh and inviting.
“Mushrooms are one of the most perishable categories in the produce department,” notes O’Brien of Monterey Mushrooms. “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. You will grow your sales and in the long term cut your shrink percentage.
Once the program is established, it is worth paying attention to whether the pla- nogram needs adjustment to reflect greater consumer interest.
“Maintaining proper cold chain and ro- tation of product is key to reducing shrink,” says Peter Wilder, marketing director at To-Jo Mushrooms, Avondale, PA. “Products should be merchandised in the store’s best reefer units and stored between 34 and 38 degrees at all times. To-Jo works with produce clerks and managers to educate them on inventory management and product rotation to ensure they don’t carry an oversupply in the cooler, ensuring the freshest product is out on the shelf for the customer.”
PRODUCE BUSINESS / AUGUST 2018 / 49