News
Touched by an angel in a corporate uniform
Oct 19, 2010 4:56 PM
By Marion Franck, Davis Enterprise columnist
October 16th, 2010
One day last spring, an elderly patient I knew through Yolo Hospice died. I had not been assigned as her volunteer, but I had met her through another patient, saw her regularly and had grown fond of her. Her death, which was expected, shocked me nevertheless. I walked into the nursing facility one day to visit and she was no longer alive. A curtain was drawn around her bed and the family was waiting for people to arrive from the funeral home.
I did what came naturally, expressing condolences to her husband and talking with other family members as they paced back and forth in the hall. I experienced a kind of internal disorganization — a buzzing in my head, a tiny tremor in my hands — but I didnt focus on my own feelings. Instead, I paid attention to the family.
When I left, about 45 minutes later, the buzz was gone and I returned to my normal routine, expecting that Id just keep trucking. Next on my list: food shopping at the Nugget Market on Covell Boulevard.
It was a weekday, but the store seemed unusually crowded. Or maybe it was full of clumsy patrons. I started off normally, eyes on my list, but then someone bumped me.
I got trapped in shopping cart traffic near the milk. Then I bumped someone myself — or maybe it was her fault. I didnt smile and apologize as I usually do. I realized that what I really wanted was to get out of there.
I grabbed about 20 items, hurried to the front of the store, and chose the shortest line.
As the checker began scanning my purchases, a young woman just past college age came over to bag my food.
“Hows your day going?” she said.
I wanted “fine” to come out of my mouth, but it didnt.
“So-so,” I said.
“Oh, my,” she answered. “I hope there was more good than bad.”
I wanted “yes” to come out of my mouth, but it didnt.
“No,” I said. “Somebody died.”
“Oh, my goodness,” the bagger responded. “Im so sorry.” She paused, “What a coincidence: My uncle died last week. It was the first death in my family, since I grew up, I mean. I know how you feel.”
In the face of her sympathy, sadness swept into me like a wave onto shore and tears welled up. She opened her arms saying, “Can I give you a hug?”
I shook my head, “no.” That felt too intimate from a total stranger, and yet the offer left me feeling even more vulnerable.
To regain my composure, I turned back to the screen where my items were ticking
by. I mumbled something about my 10 percent off coupon and handed it to the checker. A look passed between him and the bagger.
I opened my fanny pack, hunted for my wallet and fumbled with my credit card. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the checker pulling out a tiny pad of white paper. He wrote something down. At the same time, the bagger disappeared.
Seconds later, the bagger returned. She was smiling broadly and carrying a bouquet of flowers. They were gerberas in a deep, beautiful wine color I had never seen before.
“Im sorry I didnt ask what color you like,” she said, “but I didnt want to spoil the surprise. These are my favorite.”
The tear that had been hovering at my eyelid found its way onto my cheek, but somehow I didnt feel embarrassed anymore. The young woman and I walked to the parking lot, the first time Ive ever let a Nugget bagger take my groceries to the car. We kept talking about loss, her uncle, my friend. She expressed an interest in volunteering, perhaps for Yolo Hospice, and I said I thought shed be a good match. Then I said goodbye — and gave her a hug.
Afterward, I couldnt stop thinking about what had happened to me. Someone had reached out to me, two people really, the bagger and the checker, but it wasnt just this individual bagger and this individual checker: It was the company behind them.
The company had a plan and a procedure for customers who are sad. Little white slips of paper leading to free flowers.
And then I started thinking what it would be like to be a young person working for an organization like this, where built right into your job is a mechanism for you to be kind to people on the spur of the moment, using your own judgment and taking action immediately.
Many of the employees at Nugget are young people, probably holding their first or second job. This is part of what they learn. What might the bagger carry forward if she owns a business someday?
I dont normally write columns praising specific businesses in town, especially since I havent tried all of them, but today I make an exception. Nugget, I appreciated this.
And to the young woman whose name I no longer remember, whose face I might no longer recognize, but who happened into my life at just the right moment, thank you.
— Marion Franck lives in Davis with her family. Reach her at marionf@omsoft.com. Her column appears Sundays.
ContinuedWhen it comes to bagging it, Kyle Caserza is the king
Jun 6, 2010 8:05 AM
The 20-year-old bagger with the Vacaville market beat out competitors from nine other California stores in a series of grocery "bag-offs," earning him a $500 prize and making him the California State Best Bagger Champion.
The big win came with an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas to the National Grocers Association (NGA) Best Bagger Championship. Held in February, the competition brought together top baggers from 24 states to battle it out for the grand prize of $10,000 and a chance to appear on the "Late Show with David Letterman" to bag-off against the late-night talk show host.
Caserza never imagined he would be vying for the title of the nation's best bagger when he began working for Nugget as a courtesy clerk three years ago.
"I came into it as a summer job," said Caserza, a part-time student at California State University, Sacramento. "It really is an art. It's more than just putting everything into the bag."
In a bag-off, contestants are presented with a combination of jars, boxes, cans and other grocery items with the challenge to place the items in the bag in the best way possible, in the shortest amount of time.
"But time isn't everything," Caserza stressed.
Contestants are also judged on proper bag-building technique, distribution of weight between bags (they should be as close to equal as possible), style, attitude and
appearance.
If Caserza was judged on attitude alone, the championship would be his because of his intensity, ambition and infectious enthusiasm.
"I like to work hard and get things done," he said. "Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something."
Vacaville Nugget Markets store director, Greg Dido, said Caserza's dedication is the key.
"Anyone who sets up a checkstand in his living room for months to practice on is in it to win," Dido said, laughing. "He definitely represented California well."
So what's his secret?
"It would help if I was taller," Caserza joked. "But it really is a matter of working hard. You have to start somewhere and build a foundation."
Hard work? No problem. Besides practicing on his homemade, living-room checkstand, Caserza would come in on his days off, or stay four or five hours after work shifts, to practice.
He also credits his co-workers and family members for his success. "Other people's input helped with strategy," he said. "I was lucky to have good support. It helped me go stronger."
That support system accompanied him to the finals in Las Vegas, where he faced 23 able opponents in the Super Bowl of bag-offs.
The first ever bag-packing contest was held in 1983, sponsored by the American Paper Institute. The NGA took over as sponsor of the Best Bagger contest in 1986, with the intent of promoting proper bagging as an important part of operating a successful retail grocery business. Nugget Markets has participated since 1994.
The annual contest even inspired the award-winning independent, feature-length documentary, "Ready, Set, Bag," which follows the lives of eight individuals and their journeys -- like Caserza's -- to the national championship.
Adding a twist this year was the elimination of the paper or plastic question. For the first time at the contest, reusable eco-friendly grocery bags were used. Although paper was used in the local and state competitions, Caserza practiced with the reusable bags.
"It was definitely different to bag with," he said. "It was harder but I got used to it."
Performing on stage in front of a boisterous audience at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel, Caserza bagged his best. While he felt good about his performance, it wasn't enough to beat out 19-year old Kyle Perry from Indiana, who shares the same first name as Caserza.
"When they announced his name, I seriously thought I had won," he said.
While trying to shake off the loss, Caserza hinted that he might be back again next year.
"I'm not satisfied," he admitted. "I use my past competitors as my fire."
In the meantime, it's work as usual, although Caserza is somewhat of a local celebrity now, having been featured by local media, including an appearance on CW 31's "Good Morning Sacramento."
"Yeah, sometimes people will come in and ask for 'the bagger guy'," he said when asked how fame has affected him.
But Caserza certainly hasn't let it go to his head. "It's a rush and it's fun, but I know I can always work harder, stronger and faster."
Nugget Market puts their prices up for challenge
Apr 15, 2010 2:38 PM
Survey shows differences in grocery item prices
Published on Apr 15, 2010
Editors Note: The California Aggie sent reporter Vanna Le to take the Nugget Market Price Survey, which compares Nugget and competitors prices in Davis.
Because grocery store prices vary by store and produce prices change rapidly, its always difficult to determine which grocery stores actually do maintain low prices.
I recently visited the Nugget Market on East Covell Boulevard after hearing about the "Nugget Market Price Survey," hoping to gain some insight into the world of competitive grocery store pricing.
The survey invites local shoppers to write down a list of 25 regularly bought grocery store items, along with Nugget and their competitors prices. To keep things fair, the items must be of the same brand and size from both stores.
This may seem like a tedious amount of work, but the incentive lies within a $1,000 Nugget gift card awarded monthly to a raffle contest winner.
"Weve been doing this for about two years, and weve found that eight out of 10 times, our prices are definitely lower," said Kate Stille, director of marketing for Nugget Market.
They arent afraid to publicize their results either. Above the entranceway next to the Nugget Deli section is a scoreboard where survey results are announced to the general public.
"People tend to have the perception that Nugget may be more expensive, but this isnt always the case," Stille said. "And the reason is because a lot of the items we do carry are specialty items that you cant find at standard conventional stores."
She said that the best way to do a comparison between prices is to take the survey - which was exactly what I set out to do.
Filling up 25 items wasnt difficult at all; I racked up my list with common items that a college student might purchase - such as bread, cereal, soymilk, vegetables and a plentiful supply of coffee and energy drinks. The competing store of choice was Safeway.
Upon completion of the survey, I met with Dave Wilson, store director of the Nugget Market. We calculated the total prices from each store and compared them: Nuggets total was $62.39 and Safeway at $77.28 - the difference being $14.89.
"People always come back surprised after taking the survey. But were dedicated to having lower prices," Wilson said. "We spend hundreds of hours a week on pricing, and we have a team of crew members who physically gets out there to check prices."
The Nugget prices on my item list turned out to be cheaper for the most part. When they werent, the prices were relatively similar by a few cents.
A half gallon of Silk soymilk, for example, was $3.29 at Safeway and $3.69 at the Nugget. Items such as Golden Grain spaghetti and Jell-O mix sold for the same prices.
"I only shop at the Nugget Market when Im looking for something specific, such as organic fruits or a certain product," said Amy Pham, a junior managerial economics major. "Most of the time, Ill shop at Safeway because the things I usually buy are cheaper there."
Rebeca Wolfe, a senior psychology major said that she usually shops at the Nugget.
"I found that the prices are kind of similar anyway," she said. "Theres also a better variety here, such as non-meat foods and Earth-friendly products."
Unlike their typical competitors, Wilson said that the Nugget Market doesnt have a major reliance on advertisements. Rather, they have a Twitter and Facebook page, and prefer to depend on word of mouth.
"Our guests make us who we are, as well as the quality of our services and our values. Our produce, for example, is locally grown," Wilson said. "And we have a deli and bakery that prepares food fresh from scratch."
The Nugget Market encourages all of their guests to take the Price Survey Challenge in order to determine which prices are cheaper.
"The Price Survey shows our willingness to compare prices," said Eric Lam, a shift manager at the Nugget Market. "Even though we arent always going to have the lowest prices on everything, the fact that we arent afraid to put ourselves out there and present the challenge really says something."
For more information about the Nugget Markey Price Survey, visit a nearby Nugget store or nuggetmarket.com.
Written by Vanna Le, Staff Writer
Continued