Company Blog

Kale Is For Eating

by Adam Zack — August 2, 2016

Look at the case like you’re painting a picture

I love stores that have maintained their commitment to full service meat and deli departments. The large chains have cut back labor to increase profits in the face of rising wages, but high quality independents have kept, and even increased service in those key perishable departments. It’s a key point of differentiation that helps cement loyalty. Old-fashioned service is one fashion that has not gone out of style. If anything, it’s more in-style than ever. Old-fashioned service is one thing, but old fashioned merchandising is a hindrance to growth. Kale and plastic greens (including fake flowers, rubber grapes and plastic plants) are part of that old fashioned merchandising. I’ve always hated kale. Not just the taste (disgusting), but also the waxy, fake look of it. Even as we used it in our stores in the 80’s and 90’s, it just never did it for me. Now that it’s the super-food of the past few years, its cost has gone up considerably, making it also an expensive garnish. It is not cool. It is definitely not sexy. The abundant use of it actually detracts the eye from the foods in the case. And with the variety of colors added by new and exciting value added meats and deli items, the need for all that green garnish has diminished markedly, if not gone away all together. No longer is the meat case pure red. And no longer is the deli case 30 shades of white, mayo based salads. The product now sells itself by its appearance and doesn’t need to be gussied up by the once sexy (not) kale. And let’s not even start with the bacteria loving plastic case greens. Old school is bad school when it comes to those.

So here’s what we do. Next time your meat department and deli opening managers are setting the case for the day, have them do it without all the greens. Tell them to look at the case like they are doing a painting, plating and arranging the entrees and cuts so that the product tells the story. I know you will hear “But that’s how we have always done it!” or “Old man Smithers really likes the kale!” Just try it. It’s the food they are buying that you want their eyes to go to, not the greens. Oh, and by the way, maybe it’s time to look at those old signs, too.