![]() ![]() “It’s going to be more expensive,” Devanney said. “The cost of feed has gone through the roof.”ĭevanney said he expects Highland Park Market stores will have enough turkeys for its customers this year because its orders were locked well in advance, right after the end of the Easter season.įrozen turkeys, which represented 70% of turkey sales in 2021, according to consumer data research firm Numerator, are also expected to cost more. ![]() Last week, the average retail price per pound nationally for a whole frozen turkey was $1.99, according to the federal agriculture department’s weekly report on turkey prices. Those price levels - already a 73% increase compared with 2021 - could keep climbing as Thanksgiving approaches, experts say. Russ Whitman, senior vice president at price reporting agency Urner Barry, based in Toms River, New Jersey, said he expects the selection of turkey sizes will be far more limited than in the past. Pesce said independent grocers will need to continue to adjust to the new norm, which includes inflation, ongoing supply chain and labor disruptions and adjusting to new consumer buying patterns and behaviors, including their preference for online shopping.“Consumers just have to accept that the supply chain is extremely tight,” Whitman said. “We’re seeing a lot of price changes across the board and we want to show people why they should stay with us, that we can help you work on that food bill that’s rising every month,” he said. A customer loyalty program was introduced at the end of last year, which has proven more valuable given rising inflation, and online data analytics allows the company to identify buying trends by zip code. While Highland Park has gained new customers, the goal is to now keep them, he said. During the pandemic, 100 call-in orders a day became average,” he said. ![]() “Before the pandemic, if we had 10 call-in orders a day, that would be heavy. Highland Park, said Devanney, has installed new online technology to handle a huge increase, particularly at the Manchester location, in e-commerce and call-in orders as curbside and home delivery services continue. “While companies are adjusting strategies to get through each virus surge, most are already working to change their labor models to avoid similar challenges in the future,” Pesce said. Nationally, food retailers have hired hundreds of thousands of new workers to manage the surge in demand for food and other durable goods that have stretched their stores, warehouses and supply chains, said Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association. “We’re constantly interviewing because we know we’re going to need people,” he said. The chain has 350 employees, including 115 full-timers, and like many businesses, is experiencing high turnover in a tight job market. While Highland Park Market continues to reinvest its higher proceeds into improving its operations, the pandemic has been “a disaster,” Devanney said, in terms of the labor shortage. Chain stores dominate sales in most regions of the U.S., according to the study. counties between 20, according to a 2017 U.S. Pre-pandemic, independent grocers nationwide were losing ground with their market share in decline in 44% of U.S. Independents who were thinking it was time to get out and sell are reconsidering, he said. With independent grocers experiencing sales surges since the pandemic began, Devanney said he’s hearing more confidence from owners about their businesses. ![]()
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