Company Blog

Crunch Time

by Adam Zack — December 7, 2016

Grocers know crunch time.

Crunch time is a great headline for a fresh vegetable promotion. Or a promotion of chips. It’s also the phrase that is very applicable to our grocery industry when the pressure’s on. Pedal to the metal. Balls to the wall. Go time. It’s the time when things have to get done, and if they don’t the business suffers and customers end up disappointed. Maybe it’s just because grocery is in my blood, but it seems that in our business, people rise to the occasion more than any other industry. People that you would never think would take the reins rise up and not only meet the deadlines, they blow them away. During holiday times we are reminded just how fantastic our grocery workers are. They give up their own time of rest and relaxation during Thanksgiving and Christmas to serve our customers and make their holidays special and amazing. It’s hard work and generally pretty thankless. Some might say “Well, you only had to work until 4:00 on Thanksgiving” or “You were off Christmas day”, but after delivering during the crunch time of the day before those holidays, the body and mind are pretty tired and preparing a meal or participating in a big gathering are not quite as appealing.

The biggest crunch time of all comes with the opening of a new store. A million and one things must be done before the doors can open and the clock seems to run at double speed. For you independents who have opened new stores recently, we salute you. The risk, time, planning and expense of your vision is unbelievable. To you, and especially your employees who have stepped up and made what seems insurmountable actually happen, here’s to you.