The Head of Store Operations at WA Coles has seen it in the way Western Australians have embraced the retailer’s decision to source all Coles-branded meat and poultry from local farmers.
“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from customers in relation to our WA meat strategy, where 100 percent of Coles-branded beef, poultry, pork, lamb and mince is grown and produced in WA,” he says. “We’re the only retailer in WA that can make that claim.”
With support for local food and drink increasing in the wake of the pandemic, Adam says it was important to meet that demand in a way that represented value for customers in terms of size, price, freshness and quality.
“Buy West Eat Best is something we’re really passionate about in Coles, and we’ve been driving the message for some time,” Adam says. “The fact that all our Coles-branded meat is produced here in WA is something we’re really proud of.”
Growing local connections
It’s all part of a bigger picture for the national brand. “We’re really passionate about being a destination for food and drink, and there is a real desire in our business to keep growing local,” Adam says.
It’s one of the reasons Adam is excited to see what is on offer later this month at his fourth consecutive Meet the Buyer™, WA’s only dedicated food and beverage trade show.
“It’s a cool way to bring everyone together in one room – I really enjoy talking to the smaller suppliers that built their business from nothing, whether it’s in their shed or garage, to the local factory,” he says. “They are very excited about the potential opportunities within Coles, and it is always fun having those conversations.”
Adam says the local team also works hard to put suppliers in contact with the right people at Coles. This includes inviting the central operations team over for Meet the Buyer™.
“We’ve got about five people attending this year, including category managers who work in the Coles merchandise team,” he says. “They are keen to speak to people about branding opportunities, whether they be in our new Coles Local stores or across the fleet stores in WA.”
Looking after consumer needs
Adam says the entire business is focused on looking after the needs of local customers. “Whether it’s a package category or fresh category, if there’s a gap, we’d be looking to have that conversation with suppliers,” he says.
“If you’re thinking about solutions, you’re thinking about how to value add, how do you make it easier for the customer, how do you make it more convenient, how do you make that dinner or event, for example, a little bit more special.”
While the Coles team will be on the lookout for suppliers to fill those gaps at Meet the Buyer™, Adam also sees the event as a great way to break down barriers.
“It’s an event I really look forward to because it’s done in a way that allows everyone to be more personable; that face-to-face connection can be the start of a working relationship.” he says.
“We’ve got a really important role to play in the community as a retailer and as an employer and we want our local partners to feel like we are here to help.”
Meet the Buyer™ is at Crown Perth on Tuesday 21 October. The exhibition floor has sold out, but chefs (and other buyers such as retail outlets and sommeliers) can still book tickets to the trade show.
Note: Meet the Buyer™ is a trade and industry event only but you can support local by looking out for the Buy West Eat Best distinctive bitemark wherever you shop.