The retailer announced earlier this year that it was putting 70,000 associates through a produce training program, including giving them quality guides to help identify the important characteristics. Walmart also has instituted independent weekly checks in more than 3,400 stores and hired produce experts to work with its suppliers.
Last month, Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart US, told analysts on a quarterly earnings conference call the bet was paying off. "Our produce business also continued to gain momentum," he said, noting a sales gain over the same period last year in stores open at least a year.
Unlike the pre-packaged goods found in the center of stores, the colorful piles of green peppers, tomatoes, oranges, peaches, green onions and potatoes around the perimeter of groceries resist standardization and add an element of risk - both for the customer and the store.
As the "buy local" trend and the growth in farmers markets influences how people think about produce, the nation's largest food purveyors have felt the pressure to improve quality even as they use their extensive distribution systems to keep prices down.
A company spokeswoman said changes throughout the distribution system have put Walmart more directly in touch with farmers, the retailer says it's committed to doubling its sales of locally grown produce by December 2015, and decreased the days between the field and the store by a day.
