Major changes at Mariano's on Chicago Ave.
Jared Anderson shows where freshness dates appear on pre-packaged produce
Meet Jared Anderson, the new manager of Mariano's in Ukrainian Village, 2021 W. Chicago Ave. It is his job to make sure the store offers a better shopping experience to customers.
He has a list of improvements that he is moving through to give customers a good shopping experience.
More employees and training are major changes that are making a difference, he explains. "I have added 120 hours more to staff time by adding six more employees and I have a Reset Team going through the store."
In addition, he has new fixtures coming in the Produce Department and he is planning on adding another 100 staff hours.
With full shelves everywhere the Reset Team is at work
Reset Team and ordering
The Reset Team is taking everything off the shelves, scrubbing the walls and shelves, removing tags then checking codes on the products and restocking and tagging shelf by shelf.
Keeping shelves full at this location is an extra challenge from other Mariano's locations because the shelves are smaller and there is not a large "backroom" space for keeping extra merchandise. To compensate, it is important to order correctly each day.
Sometimes ordering can have its challenges too. With new staff, they can miss things as happened the other day in the frozen fruit section. It was Anderson's day off. He found the error the next day at which time they worked on correcting the problem.
Crisping the lettuce
Anderson's expertise is in the fresh departments ….produce, baked goods and food service. He has already been working with staff, training them on how to maintain freshness. He gave this reporter a lesson about lettuce, specifically Romaine lettuce.
Anderson shows how the crown is trimmed for water absorption and crispness
He opened a box of lettuce that he said was probably cut two days ago. While it was dry and not crisp, it was not "sad" (wilted).
First the broken and/or browned exterior leaves are removed. It is band with a label if it is organic. The bottom or crown is checked. The brown is actually a healing device for the lettuce, much like a scab on our skin.
Going around the bottom of the lettuce with a knife, he cuts off the brown in a way that creates a spike on the crown. "That allows for a maximum amount of exposure for the lettuce to absorb water," he explained.
Anderson puts lettuce in warm water
Next it is immersed in a tub of warm water. Turning the lettuce upside down, allows the water to drain out. Next the lettuce is put on the cool display shelf. In about a half hour, the lettuce will be crisp looking, waiting to be purchased. This re-crisping process can be repeated.
Asked to compare purchasing that bulk lettuce head with pre-packaged multiples, he explained that once the lettuce is packed, there is no way for a store to crisp it. Generally the time from that packaging to the table is longer than buying in bulk. The packaged product has a Julian date on it along with a sell by date so the purchaser can check. Freshness can be used as a comparison to the bulk product.
Displaying Merchandise
Display of produce is important explains Anderson. "Our tables are too high even for me and I am about average height. Before the stone fruits come in we will have new fixtures and we will be hiring more staff. Stone fruits require more handling."
New tables in produce to replace these high ones are targeted to make the shopping experience more convenient
Track record and goals
He has a track record in solving problems. Originally employed at in the Deli Department in Mariano's first store in Arlington Heights, he has been relocated to 18 different locations. Each time, he has been promoted or brought in to help train and fix the problems.
His goal for the Chicago Ave. store is to increase staff, get good systems in place, train the employees and enhance the environment. Hopefully fixing all the issues that have made shopping at that store less than satisfying along with a better "look" will encourage more people to shop locally.
For anyone who has a complaint, he wants that person to go to the service desk and ask for him (Jared Anderson). "I am always on call. No matter what is happening the top priority is handling customer issues. If I am not around my assistant managers know how to reach me. And, they are always around."
Let us know what you find, but most importantly let Jared know.