Buyers Share Tips for Gaining Shelf Space

Buyers from The Fresh Market, Earth Fare, and Village Supermarkets shared what they’re seeking in terms of specialty and the brands that supply them, during the Summer Fancy Food Show session “Trendsetters: How East Coast Retailers Impact the Industry,” Tuesday.

“This show is more of a scavenger hunt for us, which is really exciting,” said Mitch Orland, senior vice president at Earth Fare. “We have to be scrappy and we love to be first to market and I can’t always get an exclusive but we’re one of the only retailers that has Prime Roots in the slicing deli case, for instance.”

In addition to attending trade shows, Orland said that he learns about emerging trends at farmers’ markets and looks to retailers like Erewhon and Eataly for inspiration.

“I can’t charge my customers half of what Erewhon does, but its items and sets are amazing and beautiful,” he said. “Going to Eataly here is probably even better than that.”

He noted that the health focus of so many specialty products is what his customers seek.

“People want to live to 100 and they want quality of life and then to die. It’s about living a great life then it’s back to the Earth to become compost and grow some trees,” he said.

Brittany East, director of grocery, dairy, and frozen at The Fresh Market, said that her customers read labels very closely and that she had seen many products with functional adaptogens at the Show.

East added that after meeting with a brand representative or becoming interested in one, their contact information is entered into The Fresh Market's database and they’re sent a category review schedule.

She recommends that brands have a good sense of their desired price point and that they be upfront about their supply of inventory and their ability to support The Fresh Market.  

Glenn Cunningham, center store director at Village Supermarkets, said that his shoppers are focused on products that improve gut health as well as non-alcoholic beverages. The retailer is dedicating more space to both sets.

When it comes to sourcing new product, he said “We have ways of getting it done [quickly], but we want to be the ones to get it out there first.”

Letting one’s passion shine through is also key to grabbing a retail buyer's attention.

“Come in authentic and if your vibe lights you up, man that lights me up,” said Orland. “Be ready to talk about who you compete with and why you want to be in my store. Do your homework.”