Grocery buyers must consider a plethora of factors when deciding to partner with specialty food businesses.
Wendy Robinson, program manager and senior buyer at Market Hall Foods will discuss how buyers make product decisions, perform category reviews, and collaborate with vendors in an educational session taking place at the Las Vegas Winter Fancy Food Show 2024. The event will take place on the Big Ideas Stage on Sunday, January 21 at 11 a.m.
SFA News Daily spoke with Robinson about grocery buying.
What is your favorite part of grocery buying?
Working with the producers and crafters. I also love building efficient teams and growing people and their palates.
What grocery trends do you expect to see throughout 2024?
I still think we will continue to see trends in alternative meat products and plant-based foods.
What components do you consider when thinking about taking on a specialty product?
There are several aspects that we review when it comes to deciding on products; however, the main two components are ingredients and taste.
How does the grocery buying process differ at a specialty market compared to a national retailer?
I think the biggest difference between the two is that most specialty markets have to charge more because they are not getting the same pricing as large grocery store chains. The other major difference is we can work with small, up-and-coming producers easily and are able to pivot very quickly.
Are there any red flags that immediately signal you shouldn’t work with a brand or stock their product?
When the brand is not transparent about its raw materials.
What are you most excited to discuss during your session?
I am so excited to talk about the thought process of buying for a specialty store and how a small footprint can make a big impact.
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