A Conversation with Simon Cutts
As director of grocery and private label at Phoenix-based Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Simon Cutts is actively building sales throughout the Midwest and helping to create the retailer’s store brand program. Cutts began his 25-year grocery career as a bagger, moving up through other areas of the store before finally becoming store director. He eventually left the store floor to grow in the world of category management.
Store Brands asked Cutts to discuss what’s going on with his company as well as what he sees going on in the private label industry today.
Store Brands: What are the most exciting store brand categories right now, and what makes them so exciting?
Simon Cutts: The most exciting store brand categories for me are the ones that we are working on right now. We just got started with our store brands program, so you can imagine we are starting with the highest volume programs that can get us the biggest impact right from the start. We laid out a road map for the next two years as we gain in volume and store count, and can start working through minimum runs. High-turning categories such as olive oil, salty snacks and salad dressing will all see the light of day before too long.
Store Brands: What is your all-time favorite store brand product?
Cutts: It doesn’t quite exist yet. But it will soon. It sits in the pantry at home and when empty reminds my customer to come back to Fresh Thyme. It delights them and excites them and can only be found on my shelves. I get excited just thinking about it.
Store Brands: What is your fondest memory in your career so far?
Cutts: Grand opening day of Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, April 23 of last year. It was so amazing to see the customers’ reaction to what my team had worked so hard to create. When the work gets hard and the days are long, I think back to the excitement of that day and feed off the energy.
Store Brands: Who is your greatest hero, and what makes him or her such an inspiration?
Cutts: Well, in the world of food, I have a few heroes. Morrissey and the music of The Smiths got me to stop eating meat; that belief opened up the world of natural foods for me at an early age and has helped guide my career. My sister bought me a copy of Diet for a Small Planet, and it got me to think on a more global scale. My brother took me to cool natural foods stores in Southern California when I was a kid, which got me to understand that grocery stores didn’t have to be giant boxes filled with boring food.
Store Brands: How would you sum up your work philosophy?
Cutts: Grocery is a noble profession. We aren’t building bombs — we are selling food. In the natural foods world, we are helping people make better choices, and at Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, we are helping them save money. My work philosophy is to give it your all and have fun whilst doing it. I remind myself that I am not an important person, but that I have an important job, and many people rely upon me.
Store Brands: If you hadn’t gone into retail, what career would you have chosen?
Cutts: I haven’t any idea. I didn’t choose retail. I chose grocery. Grocery stores are where the whole family comes together. Everybody gets to put something in the cart! I started bagging at 15 and never stopped. I don’t know; if grocery stores hadn’t existed, then I probably would have gone into the automotive industry. I am from Detroit! I have motor oil running through my blood and can turn a mean set of wrenches.