Grit is the essential factor in finding success during the pandemic and into the future. 

Some of my fellow columnists in this issue have astutely pointed out that 2021 has, so far, felt similar to 2020. COVID-19 continues to dominate our thinking and have an everyday impact on our lives.

To that end the pandemic seems to be comprised of its own unique time outside the normal turn of a clock or calendar page. For this reason, operating throughout the pandemic has truly been a marathon, not a sprint.  

What’s the key to successfully navigating this historic time and maintaining success into the future? Grit. 

From in-store social distancing to managing exhausted teams, passion and perseverance especially are essential. These two characteristics must flow throughout the company, back office to the store floor. Every challenge from COVID-19 provides an opportunity to keep moving towards your desired outcome.

Our grocery stores have become the hub of our communities. Grocery workers have not only been providing an essential service but they have been the ones who have shown compassion and support to our customers and one another. They have shown the five characteristics of grit:

• Courage to come to work and take care of communities 
• Conscientiousness, being careful and vigilant to keep our stores safe
• Perseverance, they show up to work in times of crisis
• Resilience, they power through any challenges and help keep communities going

This takes the entire team from warehouses, truck drivers, our staff in our offices and especially our front-line workers who are there to serve customers every day and show up to work. They have become the pipeline for food and necessities. 

Another aspect of grit is flexibility. The doggedness grit requires might seem like the antithesis of flexibility, however, adopting grit requires a growth mindset. COVID-19 is a generation-defining obstacle, and so the roadmaps from the past will not do. Lessons must be learned, and we are all inventing the path as we go. Implementing programs that may have taken a year or longer basically happened overnight to serve our customers.

Finally, there is something most people miss when thinking about grit, and that is how it relates to the future.

Psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth, who has spent her career studying and measuring grit, explains grit is defined by “passion and perseverance for very long term goals, having stamina, sticking with your future, and living life like a marathon, not a sprint.”

Maintaining drive towards an unarticulated or even vague goal simply isn’t possible. Doing so would defy human nature. If we are purpose-oriented people, then we must have a definite view of the future. And we must hold these ideas tightly while remaining flexible.

Oprah Winfrey famously said, “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.” This is a quote that strikes at the heart of the matter.

When I think about the future, I start to think more about how the pandemic has accelerated the once distant changes many have long predicted. The e-commerce adoption curve has rapidly sped forward across every demographic. Shoppers are looking for retailers to inspire their at-home culinary explorations.

Our industry has navigated change quicker than we ever thought possible. As these trends accelerate, making the future come to fruition sooner than expected, those with grit will be the winners during and after the pandemic.

As grocery enthusiasts, one of our favorite times of year is when Whole Foods Market releases its 10 Food Trends prediction list.

From wellness continuing to be a big thing to upcycled foods, this list has plenty of new trends to inspire your next shopping trip. And if you ask us, the return of breakfast and adding coffee to everything is long overdue.

Read the full set of predictions on the Whole Foods Market website .

2020’s Issue 3 of California Grocer is now available in its digital format, with the hard copy due to hit mailboxes shortly.

In this issue, we take an in-depth look at grocery e-commerce and the impact e-commerce, more generally, has had on commercial real estate. And this being a presidential election year, we catch up with voting data expert Paul Mitchell to examine what is likely to be an election to remember across many different levels of government.

Access the digital edition here.

Several Hundred Grocery Professionals Gather Online for Virtual Conference

This year, we moved our annual Strategic Conference from the desert to the desktop.

Over the course of the week, industry professionals joined their industry peers on the CGA’s Strategic Conference platform for the Association’s first-ever virtual conference. Attendees gained new insights on topics like retailing in a post-pandemic world and the state of the grocery supply chain during the Conference’s best-in-class educational segments. The Conference also facilitated hundreds of pre-scheduled business meetings between retailers and suppliers or wholesalers.

While we missed the opportunity to shake hands, share a hug or break bread together like we normally would in Palm Springs, it was enjoyable to catch up with industry friends during business meetings or in the platform’s chat and comment sections.

If you attended the Strategic Conference and missed any of the featured speakers or panels, all sessions will be available on-demand through October.

Whether navigating a virtual conference or building business strategies with partners for an unpredictable time, the industry and the people who comprise it continue to show they have resiliency in spades.

Thank you to all who attended the 2020 CGA Strategic Conference and to our sponsors, without whom the event would not have been possible.

Your Online Guide to the People of California’s Grocery Community

We brought our coveted annual Buyers’ Guide to the web! This up-to-date compilation is California’s only reference book of grocery retailers, suppliers, brokers, and wholesalers.

With the convenience of having the nation’s largest grocery marketplace at your fingertips, you’ll be able to tap into target accounts, learn more about a company’s structure, or find a product’s manufacturer.

The Supplier Member Directory includes only member suppliers and it can be accessed without a CGA membership. You must be a CGA member to access the full Member Directory and Buyers’ Guide, which features retailer contacts. Learn more about joining CGA.

Advertise With Us

Discover why advertising in our Buyers’ Guide is the best way to reach the largest grocery market in the nation. CGA’s extensive membership ensures your advertising message will reach state’s grocery retail decision makers. Email Bailey Dayen to learn more.

Questions?

Need to update your personal or company’s information? Email us, and we’ll be happy to make any changes.

Stand with your industry

Once each year, California’s grocery community gathers in Sacramento for the industry’s most important day of collective action, Grocer’s Day at the Capitol. This annual lobby day brings together grocery influencers from all segments of the industry for a day of meetings with legislators.

For 2020, there are a number of critical issues impacting the grocery industry and the state — everything from recycling to employee scheduling. Don’t miss this opportunity to be heard by your legislator.

Sign up for Grocers Day at the Capitol, on March 31, today!