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ties that are part of their culture and cuisine. ey are also aware of the changing of the seasons and will call weeks ahead for sour plum, persimmons or green almonds. is is what we feature with our produce.”
e produce department at Global occu- pies 2,400 square feet and ranks second in sales importance. “Produce is very important to what we’re doing here and to the success of our store,” says Wilson.
Global’s produce department handles on average more than 500 items daily. “ e
pepper table alone has 25 di erent varieties of peppers,” says Wilson. “Our bok choy category has ve di erent bok choys. We do have apples, oranges and bananas for convenience, but what we really target are the exotic things such as jackfruit, lychee and Rambutan.”
Wilson explains the goal of the store is to provide St. Louis with a diverse o ering. “We cater to our Asian friends who love bok choy, our Middle Eastern friends who love fava beans, and our Indian friends who need tandoori, okra and Indian eggplant.”
Neighborhood Bazaar
e produce department is laid out like an international bazaar. “We use large tables and stands to merchandise,” says Wilson. “We will adjust things somewhat seasonally, but for the most part, the layout stays the same.”
e store has a small section of traditional staples such as carrots, apples and greens for convenience, but merchandising focuses on ethnic products. “Traditional staples account for only about 25 percent of our produce,” says Wilson. “ e other 75 percent is all featured items of products from around the world. It’s why we have been so popular from the start.”
Word of mouth is the only publicity or promotion needed by the store. e depart- ment utilizes simple price cards. “Our signs list the item name, price and where it’s from,” says Wilson. “We do not advertise because it’s not necessary.”
Wilson also notes how customers educate each other. “On a daily basis, I see people from di erent cultures asking each other about prod- ucts and swapping recipes,” he says. “Someone will pick up something and ask their neighbor for tips. It’s worldly and truly an honor to work here and see the global interaction.”
Importance Of Authenticity
e store takes sourcing very seriously, looking to the ends of the earth for the right products for its clientele. “We source from companies from New York to California who are specialty wholesalers pulling items from around the world,” says Wilson. “We also use our downtown St. Louis produce row for sourcing everyday traditional items.”
Uniqueness and diversity are top criteria for the store in addition to quality. “We must have what the other stores don’t,” says Wilson. “Authenticity of the product is key — having the exact items people from that culture expect.”
To achieve such authenticity, the owners travel to discover new cultures and items.“ e owners spend their vacation going all around the world to nd what St. Louis doesn’t know and bring it back,” says Wilson. “ ey bring the real deal here because they have visited the particular country or culture and seen it there.” pb
FACT FILE:
Global Foods Market
421 North Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122
P: (314) 835-1112
Hours: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
20 / SEP TEMBER 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS