Just wondering how much waste is out there. Doesn't it show up on their books and set off red flags? Our store has tons of waste thrown out and that's just what I'm aware of. Funny thing there was a PA announcement stating Kroger has a zero waste policy haha !
All Kroger stores throw out tremendous amounts of food, much of it in Deli, Meat and Produce, because of very short "shelf life' of so many of the products in those depts.
Although most of it is supposed to be 'scanned out' as "out of date" or 'damaged', I am sure a lot of it, for one reason or other, is not accounted for. Thus, high "shrink" levels. Kroger actually (unintentionally) encourages this kind of waste because they "push' so much product on us, even items that are slow sellers.
The key is to know your customer base and only put out what you need. Of course that doesn't help when the higher ups want you to build these huge displays for something you know you're going to sell fewer than ten of a day: hint hint Artisan bread.
When I used to work evenings, I'd see deli wheel a bunch of rotisserie chickens and other assorted food to the back and dump it all down the trash chute. Now that I work primarily mornings, I see bakery dump what at times seems like a metric ton of product down the trash chute. Diary does this too. Kroger throws out an obscene amount of product on a daily basis and then has the nerve to turn around and arrogantly tell employees the company can't "afford" to give employees raises. Sickening on so many levels.
Throwing away product is seen as a business expense, you have to have product on the shelf for customers to purchase. Most of the stuff that is thrown away could have been markdown or other product not been ordered (Forcing customer to by this product 1st). Like with most big companies, they want to use data to solve all situations, because the training process is broken and the talent pool is very shallow. There's a reason why the Grocery Market is overstated and profit margins are thin! I don't understand why Bakery still exists, other then Birthday Cakes and Cup Cakes and make Pies..... what do bakeries really sell? Everything is mass produced..to the point of frozen to the shelf......
Speaking for Dairy, I've had to pour a ton of all kinds of MILK and toss out endless cartons of EGGS (usually just because one or two are cracked). Don't get me started on all the damaged miscellaneous stuff, busted yogurt cases, etc, I get because of the mishandling from the warehouse people. And I haven't even mentioned out of dates.
There was time a customer didn't want a $20 pizza that was just baked from the deli because the box fell on the ground and it shifted around inside. Our FES though that it would be such a shame to waste it. So she decided to let us cashiers eat it. That was awesome...
There was time a customer didn't want a $20 pizza that was just baked from the deli because the box fell on the ground and it shifted around inside. Our FES though that it would be such a shame to waste it. So she decided to let us cashiers eat it. That was awesome...
There was time a customer didn't want a $20 pizza that was just baked from the deli because the box fell on the ground and it shifted around inside. Our FES though that it would be such a shame to waste it. So she decided to let us cashiers eat it. That was awesome...
Big ups indeed to your FES for that move. At the end of the night what pizza doesn't sell during the day. The workers down there send someone out to give out the samples to the customers that way. And also for larger slices send them upstairs to the employees as well. Think the night crew definitely appreciates that one.
And although I know we aren't technically allowed to do it...but one of the specialty cakes our pastry chef does for her case. It was marked down to 15 bucks. I bought it as I knew it was going to get chucked and put it up in the break room for peeps to have as well when I got off that night. As I knew the next day they were going to chuck it. Hell I wish they would do that more often with the cakes in bakery. Allow customers to get them after 5 p.m. or something. As it's crazy to keep chucking them and then getting more of the same on order the next day. Just silliness.
Throwing away product is seen as a business expense, you have to have product on the shelf for customers to purchase. Most of the stuff that is thrown away could have been markdown or other product not been ordered (Forcing customer to by this product 1st). Like with most big companies, they want to use data to solve all situations, because the training process is broken and the talent pool is very shallow. There's a reason why the Grocery Market is overstated and profit margins are thin! I don't understand why Bakery still exists, other then Birthday Cakes and Cup Cakes and make Pies..... what do bakeries really sell? Everything is mass produced..to the point of frozen to the shelf......
You forgot the cookies too! Haha. But naw in our pastry chef's case she does cake pops, buckeyes that are as big as golf balls, pretty much all that specialty stuff. Even doctor up the stuff we do have like the bar cakes to get them to sell more too. But yea, can't forget all the pastry type of stuff as well that gets made and party tray kind of stuff. But yea, I think bakery exists for all those times you need to bring something to a dinner or gathering and you don't want to make it yourself. As long as we have a need for stuff like that, then bakeries will always exist.
True, but if you actually look at the items in the bakery.....most tables are 50% prepacked or items only needing basic baking. Its said when all you hear about it the exciting sale on cookies of cupcakes! Cookies/Cupcakes for all events/occasions!
True, but if you actually look at the items in the bakery.....most tables are 50% prepacked or items only needing basic baking. Its said when all you hear about it the exciting sale on cookies of cupcakes! Cookies/Cupcakes for all events/occasions!
Oh I more than actually look. I'm the go to number one floor filler that has to get said pre-packaged stuff out of the freezer. So I more than know about that one.
I still think though, how any one could expect us to have time to bake all that pre-packaged stuff and still get anything else done is beyond me. Hence I tend to crack up when a customer even ask if we bake everything. As we barely have enough peeps and hours to get the essentials of things done int he department.
No way in the hell would we have time to be slaving away and doing all that baking of everything first hand. Most especially with my store being a market place and having a larger range of products than we did before. I think that would actually be kind of cruel and unusual as we are forever getting new products that come in for various times of the year or promotional things.
I can remember when the bakery kinda baked stuff! Cinnamon Rolls were BOGO.....every 3 weeks.....Baguette Bread was sold all the time...... Cookies where the bucket and scoop....not the puck.... Angel Food Cake came in a sheet that you but into a form..... When the Bakery actually had a smell.....
Which KMA? Any people think MarketPlace stores get more hours....haha Bigger Store......yet same hours!
Throwing away product is seen as a business expense, you have to have product on the shelf for customers to purchase. Most of the stuff that is thrown away could have been markdown or other product not been ordered (Forcing customer to by this product 1st). Like with most big companies, they want to use data to solve all situations, because the training process is broken and the talent pool is very shallow. There's a reason why the Grocery Market is overstated and profit margins are thin! I don't understand why Bakery still exists, other then Birthday Cakes and Cup Cakes and make Pies..... what do bakeries really sell? Everything is mass produced..to the point of frozen to the shelf......
I don't have anything against the Bakery, but most departments evolve over time.....sometimes going away. Ask your Bakery Manager or Floral Manager how much profit they made last period....Floral is just like Bakery....you need it to exist for special events....but overall they are not a money maker.
I don't have anything against the Bakery, but most departments evolve over time.....sometimes going away. Ask your Bakery Manager or Floral Manager how much profit they made last period....Floral is just like Bakery....you need it to exist for special events....but overall they are not a money maker.
I've worked in the bakery department for over 25 years and ours has always been a money maker. A lot of the stuff has gone to pre-made but that's only because there's simply so much more product than there was when I first started. Another reason is Kroger can't find true bakers anymore. The bakery trainer for our division retired this last year and they didn't replace her. Even though a lot of stuff has gone to pre-made, there's still quite a few items that have to be baked or proofed and baked from the raw state.
Here is a list of items we still bake from raw dough or batter:
I've worked in the bakery department for over 25 years and ours has always been a money maker. A lot of the stuff has gone to pre-made but that's only because there's simply so much more product than there was when I first started. Another reason is Kroger can't find true bakers anymore. The bakery trainer for our division retired this last year and they didn't replace her. Even though a lot of stuff has gone to pre-made, there's still quite a few items that have to be baked or proofed and baked from the raw state.
Here is a list of items we still bake from raw dough or batter:
Kroger actually (unintentionally) encourages this kind of waste because they "push' so much product on us, even items that are slow sellers.
This. Department heads tired of getting their a$$es chewed over "data" (such as markdown effectiveness) - If they just throw product away without marking it down and/or scanning it out, it doesn't show up on any of the reports. Problem solved.
Not the solution Kroger is looking for but that's what they are getting. The more they cut hours while expecting more out of associates the more creative solutions like this are happening.
The only solution I see is for corporate to get out of their offices, hit the sales floor for a few weeks shadowing different roles, and actually listening to associates, both old timers and newbies, with no consequences for being honest about how the store initiatives are carried out.
- If they just throw product away without marking it down and/or scanning it out, it doesn't show up on any of the reports. Problem solved.
That's why we do inventory every so often. They know there's going to be some loss that's unaccounted for, but if the actual count doesn't match what's showing on paper, then there's something wrong. One way or another, if you throw something out, it's going to show up on a report somewhere.
I can remember when the bakery kinda baked stuff! Cinnamon Rolls were BOGO.....every 3 weeks.....Baguette Bread was sold all the time...... Cookies where the bucket and scoop....not the puck.... Angel Food Cake came in a sheet that you but into a form..... When the Bakery actually had a smell.....
Which KMA? Any people think MarketPlace stores get more hours....haha Bigger Store......yet same hours!
KMA? And it's for sure that Market Place's, at least mine, don't seem to get more hours at all. If anything we got even more cut. Heck so much to the point that today when I came in at 11 to replace the opener. There was nobody else coming in til 4. Thankfully the back up manager and one other person that was covering the sub shop and came over to help out too. And thank goodness it was a slow day. Otherwise we'd have been screwed.
And even still when the person came in at 4, I had to wait til the next person came in at 5. So I could make it down to bakery for the last 2 hours before my shift was up.
Fingers crossed tomorrow will be better as they are predicting it will be a heck of a busy day with the holiday and the football games starting.
- If they just throw product away without marking it down and/or scanning it out, it doesn't show up on any of the reports. Problem solved.
One way or another, if you throw something out, it's going to show up on a report somewhere.
Point taken. It shows up on inventory a couple of times a year instead of daily if they actually scan it out. At least in my store, manager does not (appear to) have a clue as to where the losses are actually occurring once they show up as inventory loss.
Just wondering how much waste is out there. Doesn't it show up on their books and set off red flags? Our store has tons of waste thrown out and that's just what I'm aware of. Funny thing there was a PA announcement stating Kroger has a zero waste policy haha !
HA! HA! Is right! We throw out so much everyday and management and RGMs' want us to make more and try to sell it. If they want shrink to be better they need to make exactly what we need. No more, no less! It is easy if they actually pay attention to a years worth of sells, but they don't want to put in the effort.
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Get to your department, get off your phone, and do your job!
We throw a lot out for many reasons, but mainly as a result of management. They tend to encourage(order) us to produce more than what actually needed, in hopes of selling even more, which has its limits. The next day, we have a ton of markdowns due to the overproduction, and it sucks. Another big issue is the damaged product as a result of the warehouse improperly stacking them on the pallets and the way they are loaded in the trucks. Certain items are clearly marked fragile with directional arrows on it and this gets totally ignored by some warehouse staff. We end up throwing those items out after scanning them for damage/reclaim. Some days it is 4 to 5 full baskets per day. Thousands per week.
