The Richmond Times Dispatch has an interview with Jim Scanlon, the former vice president of operations and human resources at Ukrop’s, who now will serve as Richmond-area regional vice president for Martin's, the Pennsylvania-based grocer that bought the Ukrop's chain this month.
Some excerpts:
• “There's going to be a lot of great stuff. Our store people are really looking forward to spending a little bit of money to freshen stores up. They've done a great job of keeping them clean and keeping them as up-to-date as they can. But here again, by being a small fish in a big pond, it was hard to deal with that sometimes with resources.
“But we don't want to reveal anything until we're ready to unveil it. I think you are going to see quality products at affordable prices. I think we're going to provide superior customer service levels still.”
• “Our intent is to try to keep the local theme going. [On Wednesday] we had all the local growers in the office introducing them to some of the new Martin's folks and to reassure them that a lot of things will change but a lot of things will stay the same. We're in the process of meeting all the vendors. We're trying to isolate, if you will, all the local niche operators that probably only sell at Ukrop's and get them all identified, so as we do go through the transition and get the stores all changed over, we don't lose things between the cracks.”
• “I think there's a realization that to sustain the business going forward [opening on Sundays needed to be done]. I know our leadership, our store managers, are all in favor of it. I think the pushback that they have had in the past is [employees] saying, 'Let's get it going.'”
Some excerpts:
• “There's going to be a lot of great stuff. Our store people are really looking forward to spending a little bit of money to freshen stores up. They've done a great job of keeping them clean and keeping them as up-to-date as they can. But here again, by being a small fish in a big pond, it was hard to deal with that sometimes with resources.
“But we don't want to reveal anything until we're ready to unveil it. I think you are going to see quality products at affordable prices. I think we're going to provide superior customer service levels still.”
• “Our intent is to try to keep the local theme going. [On Wednesday] we had all the local growers in the office introducing them to some of the new Martin's folks and to reassure them that a lot of things will change but a lot of things will stay the same. We're in the process of meeting all the vendors. We're trying to isolate, if you will, all the local niche operators that probably only sell at Ukrop's and get them all identified, so as we do go through the transition and get the stores all changed over, we don't lose things between the cracks.”
• “I think there's a realization that to sustain the business going forward [opening on Sundays needed to be done]. I know our leadership, our store managers, are all in favor of it. I think the pushback that they have had in the past is [employees] saying, 'Let's get it going.'”
- KC's View:
