Preparing for shipment

Prepare the space

• Clean out and wash cooler produce baskets, bring clean dry baskets from the backroom.
• Consolidate and organize any fruits and veggies from prior deliveries. You're gonna need some room!
• Cull 1/2 price to compost. Weigh (or count) items, & record using the produce waste form before putting in compost bin.
• Cull full price produce to 1/2 price

When shipment arrives

Check off invoice

• Check off items on invoice to confirm that the delivery is complete.
• The driver often knows the contents of boxes fairly well, and is also interested in making sure that the shipment is correct.
• Open the boxes and look to see that all the produce looks good while the driver is present, sometimes there are bad batches - we can reject items, and return them with the driver to receive credit. Returning an entire box means that we completely lose that item! We may want to ask for a discount.
• Sign the invoice and give a copy to driver.
  Write on invoice:
  • Your name
  • Time of delivery
  • Notes about items returned, discounted and and notes about items missing. This is VERY helpful for us later. Use this info to reconcile prices (see below) then place in one of the top 3 slots in the black metal filing structure behind the register.

Putting stuff away

• Put away all refrigerated items first. All the green leafies like lettuce, kale collards need to be sprayed (including celery) before placing them in the fridge. Spray the leaves of spinach, arugula and bok choi, but focus on the roots. Broccoli and kale usually come in ice so we shake the ice before placing them in the fridge. (This is probably not necessary, the frig has a drain, and the ice will help them keep. Though they should be placed on the bottom shelf, so that they don't drip water onto other items. 12.30.09-Lippe)

• Produce cooler organization (from left to right):
  • Top shelf: Cabbage / Broccoli / Celery
  • 2nd shelf: Mushrooms / Kale / Collards / Spinach / Bok choi
  • 3rd shelf: Mushrooms / Scallions / Lettuce heads: romaine, green & red leaf, butter / arugula
  • Bottom shelf: 1/2 price bin / Cucumbers / Yellow Squash / Zucchini / Bell peppers / Bins w/a little water for Parsley, Cilantro, Basil / Root vegetables (Beets, Radishes, Daikon, Carrots / Sprouts (Alfafa, Bean, Pea shoots) / Fruits (Grapes, Cherries, Strawberries, Blueberries and Raspberries)

Reconciling prices

• Price labels and the register price list can be printed from the store home page (actually pdf is downloaded, then you print it). However, these are based on order confirmations from the distributors, and are sometimes different from the actual delivery. Therefore it is necessary to reconcile the order before printing. On the store homepage click on "Produce Current Delivery". This spreadsheet will open in Google Docs. This is a list of the current order, wholesale prices, markup, retail prices etc. (The labels are actually part of this document, on other pages). Look for any special notes in the "Notes" column, such as special order, etc. In order to make changes to this spreadsheet you need to "Sign In" in the upper right corner. Sign-in using the receiving login info (contact Tim Wilder to get this)
• Compare the delivery invoice with the wholesale list on this spreadsheet (pink columns). Please make a note in the "Notes" area about anything being out of stock, returned due to quality or price differences. Please change any incorrect prices. You will see that the retail prices (green columns) will automatically update with your changes. Also the labels will automatically updated. You can delete items that were out of stock, but I ask that you just delete them from the labels area (green columns) and leave the wholesale info (pink columns) This helps me later.
• Whether you have to make changes or not, Please type your name at the top where it says "Received by" and put the delivery time. I can see this document remotely and this tells me that the delivery has arrived, and has been reconciled so I can send out an accurate produce email to the co-op.

Update the produce price list

• If you make any corrections you must also correct the Produce Price List which is a separate document is not automatically updated. You must click on the link on the home page to open this up. Again, use your receiving login to make changes. There is 2 pages to this list. The first is formatted for printing but the data is read from the second page. This is the page you actually edit. Please correct any prices and/or delete items that didn't arrive. (NOTE: if you delete an item, it is possible to re-sort the columns to fill in the space. Or you can just leave it...it's fine to have a space)

Print the revised labels and list

• To print the labels...while in the Produce Current Delivery spreadsheet, follow printing instructions at the top.
• To print the price list for the register...while in the Produce Price LIst spreadsheet, follow printing instructions at the top.
• if you have any trouble with the labels or list, or any questions about the delivery, don't hesitate to call Tim (917.613.3671) Leave a message if there is no answer and he will call you back at the co-op right away.

Dealing with late or cancelled shipments

• Late w/estimated delivery time
  • Call driver or company to find out latest info (or call Tim Wilder and he can do it)
  • Show this outline & any relevant reference material to members who do not typically handle receiving
  • Post to list?
• Cancelled shipments, or late deliveries that may not happen
  • Email ordering staff using co-op contact page
  • Post to the 4-list

Overstock

If overstock has been ordered (typically bananas, avocados, etc.) label the boxes (BIG), write the price, and put them on top of the produce frig. Now that we have put all the produce away, we have space to break down boxes, divide them in two piles: waxed and regular cardboard. We tie these in neat little piles and place them on top of the fridge.

Shipping boxes

Allow waxed boxes from iced items to dry off in front of the store. If time permits, break down & bundle boxes, stack on top of frig or take directly to Bowery Bar.

If you have time before the shipment

• Wipe plastic sheets on front of frig
• Wipe down frig shelves
• Sweep off compressor box
• Clean out sink so that it can be used to revive any wilting greens

Most important info?

Delivery times?

Outside cooler organization?

Misc. (Cheese pricing, juice frig items)?

How to deal with condensation on citrus & avocados, non-leafy greens: etc. wipe down on spot, transfer container, replace with vented container, place fan on it? (11.5.10-Lippe)

Confirming delivery?