Pete Hodgson works with CDS Consulting as a Meat & Seafood Department consultant. He previously served as Meat & Seafood Manager/Operations Manager at River Valley Market in Northampton, Mass. In three-and-a-half years, Pete built a thriving Meat & Seafood Department from the ground up, establishing department standards to meet quality, pricing, margin, case presentation, inventory control, and customer service goals.
At RVM, Pete achieved a high percent of store sales in meat and seafood and very strong sales growth while exceeding gross margin goals and controlling labor. He also produced very successful value-added and sausage programs accounting for 22-25% of Meat & Seafood sales.
Pete has 21 years experience in the meat industry, including 17 in a managerial role. Pete has worked with natural/organic meats for over seven years and has been a part of four store expansions (including Meat & Seafood), and one new store opening.
Pete can help your co-op meat department with:
- On site and telephone consultation
- Controlling meat and seafood department shrink
- Improving meat and seafood department margin
- Growing meat and seafood department sales
- Meat and seafood department set up for new or expanding co-op food store
- Meat and seafood department set up for small stores
- Meat and seafood department assessment and recommendations
- Value-added program (including sausage program)
- Managing labor and scheduling
- Marketing your meat and seafood department
- Staff/manager training
- Inventory management
- Resets/case presentation to maximize product management/maximize sales
- Systems and procedures to maximize profitability
Here is what Pete’s clients are saying about his work. See meat and seafood consulting for photos and more information.
“Pete brought all of the necessary recipes and 20 plus years of experience in the meat industry to create a line of value added products which included seven different recipes for made-in-house sausage. The value added products are a new and exciting addition to our meat and seafood department. Overall, it was very nice working with someone as knowledgeable and passionate about his craft as Pete. We would strongly recommend his expertise to other coops.”
— Niko Beshaj, Meat and Seafood Manager,
New Leaf Market, Tallahassee, Florida
“Pete Hodgson developed a meat and seafood program that really works for our small co-op. Our customers are happier, we are happier. I would highly recommend Pete for a co-op of any size but especially small co-ops that want to improve your meat and seafood departments within a small space. He is clear, well prepared and a very good communicator.”
—Robyn O’Brien, General Manager
Putney Food Co-op, Putney VT
“Pete’s excellent work developing and managing our fresh meat and seafood department was one of the key factors in River Valley Market’s success growing sales from $0 to $13 million in 3 years. His strengths include problem-solving, personnel management and training, merchandising and marketing, department financial management, customer service, quality control, vendor relationships, and value added product line development. I highly recommend Pete Hodgson for strengthening existing meat/seafood programs or launching new ones.”
—Rochelle Prunty, General Manager
River Valley Market, Northampton, MA
“Pete has a good ability to assess the current situation and prioritize what needs to be done. We were very happy with the work Pete did for us and I would enthusiastically recommend Pete to any other co-op looking to improve their meat and seafood departments.”
— Chris Maher, General Manager,
Briar Patch Co-op, Grass Valley, CA
“Pete was very helpful in setting up our meat and seafood department especially since I was not personally not familiar with co-op natural food stores and the variety of products we should carry. The house made salmon burgers he showed us how to make are one of my top sellers.”
—Anthony Cipollini, Meat and Seafood Manager
Elm City Market, New Haven, CT
