Harris Teeter 2004 Annual Report Download - page 10

The same thinking was behind the creation of the Harris Teeter Fishermans MarketTM. Our
redesigned department, improved selection of fresh fish, better product information and new
recipes delivered through our associates have been highly recognized by our customers who
have responded by purchasing more seafood.
Fresh produce of the highest quality combined with extensive product knowledge offered by
our Harris Teeter Green Thumb ExpertsSM makes shopping Harris Teeter Farmers MarketTM
an enjoyable experience. With some of the widest variety available as well as plentiful choices
in organic produce, the H arris Teeter Farmers MarketTM is a destination department for our
customers.
Harris Teeter’s Fresh Foods Department continues to adapt for greater success by constantly
monitoring trends, styles of food, international flavors and dietary needs. We refine our
product offerings in the deli, bakery and prepared foods sections of this exciting department
to satisfy the needs of customers who are on the go but want excellent quality and great
service.
Harris Teeter successfully expanded its pharmacy operations during the year to satisfy
customers’ desire to be able to do more one-stop shopping within our stores. H arris Teeter
selects the best pharmacists who go the extra mile to take care of their customers and meet
their every need.
A common theme in all of our improvements is our associates. Harris Teeter stands out in
our markets not only because of the cleanliness of our stores and the variety and freshness of
our products, but also for the service provided by our store associates. We place a lot of time
and effort into our hiring process, to make sure we are attracting the best associates. We then
provide them with the most rigorous training we know of in the industry
— from our store
clerks all the way up to our managers. We believe this effort pays off in several ways. Our
associates stay longer, comprehend and retain the training better and ultimately provide
better customer service, which is the overall goal of our efforts.
We continue to focus our new store growth in our core markets, which are located in one of
the fastest growing regions in the U. S. In fiscal 2004, we opened seven new stores, one
each in Raleigh, NC and Winston-Salem, NC and five in the Charlotte, NC market. During
the same period we remodeled fifteen stores, four of which were expansions and closed nine
underperforming stores. At fiscal year end Harris Teeter had 138 stores in North Carolina,
Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida.
Although the food retail marketplace is expected to continue to experience intense
competition, H arris Teeter is in a strong position in its markets and continues to adapt to the
trends in the industry and respond to the needs of our customers by providing excellent
quality products and service in an exciting retail environment.
Ruddick Corporation & Subsidiaries Annual Report ’04
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