GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

10-03-2003, 04:32 AM

(Mark) wrote in message . com...
I went to Kroger's last night (a large U.S. grocery store chain) and
saw what they were selling as "elephant garlic". The heads were
smaller than my 7 year old's fist, and the price was $7.00 PER!

I guess I know what to grow for the farmers' market next year...

Mark

Holy camoly. We've got Kroger's here (Savannah), but I've boycotted
two of the four (2 1/2 years, yay!!) due to horrible (and I mean
HORRIBLE) employees, and I seldom go to the others. But I went to the
24 hour one a few days ago, and they had elephant garlic at regular
prices (can't remember what it was, but it was certainly reasonable).
On the other hand, purple peppers were around $3 each (!!!!). The
good news is, since the staff at the Krogers here in town is so bad,
she charged me for EGGPLANT, which is by the pound, so it was around
$.50 or something.

If it was someplace I respected, I would have
corrected her, but to heck with that if you can't treat your customers
well, or even nicely, or even below-adequate.

I generally shop Publix (best in town for large grocery, anyway), but
sometimes Kroger's has better produce. Fortunately, we've got a
couple independent grocery stand/stores that have GREAT stuff, GREAT
prices, and GREAT staff (Davis and Polk, in case anyone reading lives
in the area and is taking notes). IMO, customer service beats a
slightly lower price ANY day of the week.

In fact, I got some Pink Lady Apples last year from Davis and made a
sorbet for the restaurant. The folks who own Davis came to the
restaurant, heard we had a sorbet from their apples, and got my number
from someone and left me a message at home to say how much they
enjoyed it, and then, though we'd never met until then, recognized me
the next time I went in to buy stuff.

Now you got me all sentimental and stuff. When I was a chef in
Tucson, I had a couple who had a very small farm. For some reason
(I'm assuming randomly) they picked me out of the phone book to call
to see if they could sell to us and to ask what I'd like them to grow.
They had a stand, but could only do enough volume to support one
restaurant plus their stand, so I jumped at the chance. (heh, Yong
Rieb is the woman's name, can't remember the husband, in case anyone
in Tucson is taking notes, I'm a horrble plugger :P ) It was SO NICE
to have REAL PEOPLE grow stuff for you, to take pride in what they're
doing, to apologize if a crop was short that week, heck, even to say
"we always let the squash blossoms go, you mean you'll PAY for them??"
Anyway, I worked there for a few years, and when they got extra
space, the Rieb's would ask me for advice on what they should grow and
what I'd buy. Everything I got from them was great, and if sometimes
something was sub-par, they'd charge me less or try not to charge me
(food cost was always under, so I'd make them take SOME payment
anyway). They never brought anything less than great, but to them, if
the basil was a little wilted, they felt they were ripping me off by
charging full price. I'd say you can use basil like that for many
dishes and it'll still taste perfect, but they felt bad. THAT'S
customer service.

Sorry to get so long-winded and off-topic, but starting to talk about
produce, then customer service (my fault) led me to think of all that.
Well, since it's the internet, I can hit "post" then try to forget
about it before I have a chance to regret my ramblings. Ahhhh, what a
few dirty vodka martinis can do. :P

Anyway, hopefully someone will get something out of all that drivel.
I do read here daily, even if I don't post much.

Jeffrey