The Company
Ukrop's ranks in the top three chilled prepared food programs in the country. The company runs three facilities 24 hours a day, six days a week to keep pace with a public hunger for their deli and bakery items. In 1997 this 430-employee segment accounted for $30 million in sales, which would place it in the top quarter of Virginia's 7,000 manufacturers.

The Situation
As a retailer turned manufacturer, Ukrop's was faced with the challenge of how to be a good supplier. "It's challenging trying to stay ahead of the curve and keep up with demand," explained Ukrop's Vice President of Manufacturing Kevin Hade. "We were growing very quickly and we kept making the same mistakes," Hade said. "We didn't have a road map and we needed outside involvement. We determined that we needed an autonomous manufacturing environment."

The Response
VPMEP Operations Manager Gary Larson was contacted to help Ukrop's plan for the future. The strategic planning process began with a committee of twelve people, including representatives from Ukrop's consumer constituency. The committee broke into sub-groups to tackle individual issues. By the time the process was completed, 20% of Ukrop's workforce had contributed to the plan. The process led to the realization that some basic systems needed improvement.

The Results
"Gary lead us through a process of discovery and helped us chart a course for the next few years. We now have a written plan of what is critical for us to accomplish between now and 2001," said Hade. "We learned a lot about ourselves in the process. We think we'll be a better vendor to our supermarkets as a result of this venture. The end customer will benefit."

Management's Comment
The future presents a lot of options for the expansion of Ukrop's manufacturing facilities. Hade sees an important role for VPMEP as the manufacturing operations grow and change. "We see VPMEP as a mentor to our organization and being there as we grow. This is an exciting segment of our business. We're pleased with where we are and want to position ourselves to control future decisions."

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