| by: John Stanley
Food retailing is going through a global revolution. On one
side of the equation companies such as Walmart, Aldi and Liedl are
gaining market share as local commodity food retailers.
Where does this leave the independent food retailer and does he
have a future? If you ask Pete Luckett of Halifax, Nova Scotia in
Canada, the answer is a definite yes. As the food giants move the
industry in one direction, the independent retailer has no choice
but to move in the opposite direction and to make food shopping an
entertaining experience.
Pete started his retail life as a “barrow boy” selling fruit
and vegetables in the English town of Nottingham. Having toured
the world he ended up residing in the Atlantic provinces of Canada
where he opened his award winning “Pete’s Frootique”.
Pete’s philosophy is simple; provide an entertaining experience
and top quality product and your customers will keep coming back.
It’s about people
Pete’s philosophy is that you need to show you care about
people if you are to compete with the mass food retailers.
As a consumer visiting Pete’s retail outlet you are guaranteed
to be greeted at the entrance by a team member in top hat and
tails. Steve the piano player will play your favourite tunes on
his piano which is positioned on a stage above a display of fruit.
It’s not all gimmicks to entertain you
Pete employs a nutritionist to provide professional information
on health related issues and each week team members attend product
knowledge training sessions to ensure they can pass on product
benefits to customers.
Pete is committed to building a team, his internal customers
are as important as his external customers. Interviews to hire
team members take place at 7.00am as a test to see if potential
team members can get to work on time. The interview concentrates
on checking the potential team member’s personality. Technical
knowledge can always be learned, personality is an ability that is
essential to become a member of a team.
Retail is detail
Pete’s Frootique is a theatrical experience, customers are
directed through a “boutique” store layout.
On the journey they pass by “The English Butcher”, “The French
Deli”, a bakery and an English product shop which stocks many of
Pete’s favourite products from when he was in Britain.
On the consumers journey they pass by theatrical props
displayed in the ceiling as well as tasting stations that entice
consumers to try new fruits and vegetables from around the globe.
Pete has one of the smallest advertising budgets in the
industry. He rarely advertises in local newspapers, but has one of
the most effective marketing strategies in the industry.
Pete has authored three books on fruit and vegetables, their
origins and unique ways of cooking them.
He regularly appears on the national Canadian TV as a food
expert and has a two minute segment on the national lifestyle
program just before the weather report. These segments can include
how to identify when mangos are ripe to how to cook new potatoes
to preparing celeriac and beetroot soup.
Pete has a regular thirty minute documentary program on the
Food Channel. Each episode takes one fruit or vegetable and
follows its origins, how it is grown commercially and unique ways
of preparing and cooking the produce. Programs have been produced
on mangoes, macadamias, kiwi fruits and truffles.
Pete is also a motivational speaker. I have shared the stage
with him at retail conferences in Canada, USA and the United
Kingdom. His enthusiasm is contagious and an excellent
advertisement for his business.
Effective retailing
Consumers don’t just visit Pete’s Frootique because it is a fun
place to go. They visit because he and his team are excellent
retailers.
Power displays are built with skill based on years of
experience. The team know how to effectively dummy displays, so
that a little can look a lot. Endcaps are used throughout the
store and cross merchandising ensures that they maximise the
basket spent per customer.
Branding is critical
The brand “Pete’s Frootique” is precious to Pete and his team.
The logo is evident outside the business, on all team members’
business cards and on all signs used to promote products. Every
customer is constantly aware of what business they are in.
Pete is fully aware that all his customers have to go to a
supermarket to finish off their weekly shop. He has secured the
position as the expert on fruit and vegetables and the company
that cares about the customer where consumers can enjoy shopping.
This is a truly unique experience that customers talk about to
their friends.
Pete and I have produced a training video “Winning at Retail”
based on Pete’s Frootique. Its aim is to act as a training tool
for retail team members on how to develop an experience in a
retail environment. This video is available via our web site
www.johnstanley.cc
If you have the opportunity to visit Canada, put Pete’s
Frootique on your itinerary. You won’t be disappointed. |
