Kroger Fresh Hourly Associate Job Description, Important Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the Kroger fresh hourly associate job description, including the duties, tasks, and responsibilities they perform.
It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to meet to be hired for the Kroger fresh hourly associate role.

What Does a Kroger Fresh Hourly Associate Do?

The Kroger fresh hourly associate works within the fresh department which consists of several roles.

The Kroger fresh hourly associate is responsible for assisting customers in making healthy meal choices. They provide education to customers’ about organic produce, meat, and seafood options.

The Kroger fresh hourly associate job description entails helping customers perceive food in a fresh new way every day and contribute in making a difference by making the world a little healthier one customer at a time.

They provide customer support duties, assisting customers with special orders; providing product information; answering departmental calls; and ensuring a fast and efficient service delivery.

They must also display a positive attitude.

Fresh hourly associates at Kroger are responsible for establishing and maintaining a safe and clean environment that encourages customers to return.

They foster a friendly environment that enables customers to feel comfortable, valued, and appreciated by answering questions regarding products sold within the department and throughout the store.
Their role also involves assisting the department manager in reaching sales and profit goals established for the department, and monitor all established quality assurance standards.

Fresh hourly associates gain and maintain knowledge of products sold within the department. They stay current with present, future, seasonal, and special ads, and are able to respond to questions and make suggestions about products.

They are required to embrace the customer 1st strategy and encourage associates to deliver excellent customer service; as well as demonstrate the company’s core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion and safety of others.

They are also expected to promote trust and respect among associates.

The Kroger fresh hourly associate work description entails practicing preventive maintenance by properly inspecting equipment and notifying appropriate departments or store manager of any items in need of repair; ensuring that proper temperatures in cases and coolers are sustained and temperature logs are maintained.

It also involves reinforcing safety programs by complying with safety procedures and identifying unsafe conditions, and notifying store management.

Fresh hourly associates are also responsible for reporting all safety risk or issues, and illegal activities, including robbery, theft or fraud; as well as notifying management of customer or employee accidents.

To work as a fresh hourly associate at Kroger does not require formal education, but some skills are essential for success on the job.

Associates must be able to work in a fast paced environment and handle stressful situations.

They must also possess effective communication skills and be comfortable with making suggestions with the aim of making sales.

Fresh hourly associates also require basic math skills and customer support abilities to succeed in their careers.

Kroger Fresh Hourly Associate Job Description Example/Sample/Template

Fresh Department Job duties vary by position; and the roles within the fresh department include Meat Clerk/Cutter, Produce Clerk, and Seafood Clerk. Others are Deli/Bakery Clerk and Coffee Shop Clerk.
The major tasks, duties, and responsibilities of the Kroger fresh hourly associate are listed in the sample job description below:

• Utilize a hands-on knowledge of all department products to promote and deliver a shopping experience focused on providing customers with efficient service
• Responsible for receiving fresh and pre-packaged deliveries, ensuring piece count matches with invoice details; check expiration dates and follow security procedures
• Responsible for appropriately processing invoices and ensuring proper pricing in all systems
• Maintain a working knowledge of all department equipment
• Provide assistance with product production, packaging, presentation, rotation, and replenishment
• Provide assistance in marking down old product
• Use proper cutting equipment to cut meats to customers’ requests
• Help customers discover new items or products they inquire about by offering them product samples
• Inform customers of on-going meat specials, coffee specials, deli/bakery/bistro specials, etc. depending on job role
• Provide customers with ordered fresh/frozen products in the correct portion size (or as close as possible to the amount ordered) to prevent shrink
• Use proper deli equipment to slice deli meats and cheeses per customer requests
• Utilize proper bakery equipment to prepare deli/bakery/bistro items per customer requests
• Utilize all equipment in deli/bakery/bistro, such as the refrigerator, freezer, slicer, and ovens, adhering to company guidelines
• Utilize all equipment in meat department, including refrigerators, freezers, slicers, and ovens in accordance with Kroger’s guidelines
• Prepare all food following company standards
• Ensure customers get the products they want and need, as well as recommend seafood/coffee/deli or bakery items to customers
• Ensure that the correct country of origin label is on all seafood, meat, coffee products, etc.
• Always follow approved procedures for receiving, weighing, and breaking down products
• Strictly adhere to all local, state, and federal health and civil code regulations
• Comply with all labeling requirements, measures and weights laws in accordance with state, county, and local specifications
• Sufficiently prepare, package, tag, and inventory ingredients in merchandise
• Review “sell by” dates and take appropriate action, and always check product quality to ensure freshness
• Prepare coffee shop items on customer requests using appropriate coffee shop equipment
• Utilize all coffee shop equipment such as refrigerators and u-boats according to company guidelines
• Responsible for reporting product ordering/shipping discrepancies to the department manager
• Assist in maintaining proper stock levels and orders, and maintain processed and pre-packaged product, and maintain knowledge of product specials
• Apply suggestive/up-selling techniques to increase sales of product during sales events
• Perform housekeeping functions; clean as you go, inclusive of washing, cleaning, sweeping, and mopping.

Kroger Fresh Hourly Associate Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for a Successful Career

To be considered for hiring as a fresh hourly associate at Kroger, recruiters will want to be sure that you can realize the obligations, purpose, and objectives of the role.

Therefore, they will expect applicants for the position to meet certain requirements, including the following:

• Education: Formal education is not required to work as a Kroger fresh hourly associate
• Licenses: Current food handlers permit is required once associates have been employed
• Fresh hourly associates must be able to work in a fast paced environment and handle stressful situations in a respectful and professional manner
• Team player: They must be able to function in a collaborative environment, ready to contribute their quota in getting the job done at all times
• Selling skills: They require this skill to contribute to the achievement of the departmental sales goals. They must be comfortable with making suggestions and recommendations to customers with the purpose of making sales
• Customer service skills: Kroger fresh hourly associates must be respectful, friendly, and professional in their communication style and approach in dealing with customers. They must also possess an approachable and outgoing demeanor
• Effective communication skills: They must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Knowledge: They require basic math skills to successfully perform tasks requiring some arithmetic operations such as counting, addition, and subtraction
• They must also possess adequate knife handling skills and knife speed to be successful on the job. However, this depends on the particular job role in the Fresh Department
• Experience: Previous retail/meat experience is a plus, depending on the specific job role in the Fresh Department
• Possess strong ability to work a flexible schedule, including holidays and weekends.

Conclusion

If you are seeking employment at Kroger as a fresh hourly associate and want to learn about the work description, including duties and responsibilities commonly ascribe to the position, this post will be useful to you.

By increasing your knowledge of the functions of fresh hourly associates at Kroger, you will be able to prepare yourself well for the job, which improves your chances of succeeding in your career at Kroger.

Employers needing to hire capable hands for their Fresh departments will also find this article helpful.

They can utilize the job description example provided above in creating an effective description for the fresh hourly associate position in their companies, which can help them to attract the best candidates for the job.