Buyers' Club Bio: Rick Fear
Get to know our readership: Rick Fear, buyer at Earthfare, Glastonbury, speaks about the store’s merchandising focal point, his passion for local produce and the in-house bakery item he can’t resist.
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Buyer name: Rick Fear
Store name/location: Earthfare, Glastonbury
Number of stores: 1
Number of years retailing: 15 (as Earthfare)
Why you got into the natural health industry: I've always loved food, and have a passion for local produce. I knew one of the owners from the gym, and after speaking with him and hearing of his passion for the industry, business, team and customers, I knew this was where I wanted to be.
Most effective POS: We trade as a supermarket (in an old Woolworths store), so we don’t have a lot of space for POS. We use shelf edge talkers and try to be honest, so if items have jumped in price we explain why on info cards.
Most effective promotion: Our organic fruit and veg is a focal point as you enter the store, and it's an area we are really proud of. For Organic September we do three great deals each week (one fruit, one veg, one juice made in-house) and see great uplift in sales.
Favourite product and why you love it: Our own-brand Peanut Butter & Chocolate Brownie. They’re made in-house by our fantastic kitchen and deli team, and taste better than any other brownie I've tried; I find out when a new batch is being made so I can grab a warm one ASAP!
How do you find new products? Distributors, trade shows, supplier reach outs and local markets are the big ones, but some of the best products have come from staff and customer recommendations. We have 40 team members, all passionate about the products we sell, and they often pop upstairs to the office with samples, pictures or information of brands that they’ve seen.
Which issues are front of mind when sourcing products? All of our lines must be organic, local or ethical. UPFs are a really hot topic at the moment. We're reviewing all of our existing lines at present and speaking with suppliers about anything we don’t want to be selling. The same criteria goes for any new lines.
Top tips for ordering: As a tourist town, planning can be key. Keeping up to date with local events means we can ensure we have everything available for busy periods.
What are your customers looking for in 2024? We've seen a big uplift in whole foods over the past few months; we're adding more lines to our pre-packed Earthfare range and adding more dry refills.
Rick Fear, buyer, Earthfare