What's quietly costing your produce dept
What's quietly costing your produce dept 25% of margin.
Three structural problems, all of them invisible on a P&L until you map them onto a single SKU and store. They compound across thousands.
Legacy systems built for non-perishables
Demand tools designed for shelf-stable boxes can't model ripening, shelf life, or weight-variable items. Produce gets force-fit into a forecast that doesn't fit.
Gut-driven ordering at 5am
Best produce managers run the chain by feel. When they leave, the dept's performance leaves with them. Ordering becomes a single-point-of-failure operation.
Weight-variable item complexity
Random-weight items, multi-pack assortments, organic conversions, weather-driven sub-pulls. Spreadsheets can't keep up. Mistakes show up as shrink and stockout.