Dec 3, 2014

By: Rick Stein, Vice President, Fresh Foods, Food Marketing Institute Pete Leung from Brookshire Grocery Company

We’re building our Fresh Community at FMI and taking the time to profile some of our members who are on the Fresh Executive Council. I recently got the chance to chat with Pete Leung, senior vice president for category management with Brookshire Grocery Company.  

What was your first job in food retail?

I started on May 10th, 1976 with Brookshire Grocery Company.  My first job was mopping the floors and cleaning the restrooms for the first 8 weeks, and then I was promoted to sacking groceries.

When it comes to fresh foods in grocery stores, what major changes have you seen throughout the years? 

Customers are demanding more conveniences produce—packages salads, fresh cut fruits and veggies and even juice programs. There has also been an unbelievable demand and growth for meal solutions including grab-and-go quality meals in our food serve and deli departments. International variety is another big change. As our customers become more global in their travels, tastes have become more sophisticated.  Helping support this trend is the now year-round import business relative to many fresh items. Lastly, health and wellness is no longer a fad, but a true trend with organic and natural foods in high demand and the growth of better-for-you products.

What would be your advice to someone who is just starting out in the food retail and fresh foods?

Food Retail is still very much a people business. If you don’t enjoy interacting with people you won’t enjoy fresh foods. Be constantly curious with a passion for continuous learning. The Fresh side of food retail is so very dynamic with many constant changes (never monotonous or boring).  Make sure you’re up for that and your personality fits. It’s a rewarding career in a very honorable business. What we do is a great responsibility—providing the public with safe, fresh, great tasting food.  Along with working with farmers and producers that take tremendous pride in being an integral part of the food chain. 

What has been one of your more rewarding initiatives/accomplishment during your career? 

I was raised in the business since I was 16 years old and came up in the produce department, eventually rising to Vice President of Perishable Operations.  After that I was promoted to Senior Vice President Division Manager, which was a large leap from fresh foods to total store operations.  Then recently, 6 months ago, I was promoted to Senior Vice President of Category Management.  My 38 years with Brookshire Grocery Company has been very challenging and extremely rewarding. 

To learn more about FMI’s Fresh Executive Council contact Rick Stein at rstein@fmi.org or connect with him on Twitter via @Ricks_FreshFood.