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JS JOURNAL W I L L Christmas 1975
READY FOR anything -that's how everyone connected with JS distribution has to be at Christmas.
Demands from the branches are never so unpredictable as in the Christmas trading period, and the present economic climate means nothing can be taken for granted.
ACTION In the absence of any
crystal balls to foretell the future, distribution staff have to predict the trading pattern as accurately as they can -and then stand by to take emergency action if demand goes above or below their estimates.
This year, with talk of belt-tightening and gloom every-
Barbara limps to victory
A BROKEN toe almost put paid to 21-year-old Barbara Martin's hopes of becoming Miss Western, with a chance of becoming Miss JS in February.
The contest to find Miss Western was the top spot at Ealing area's big Christmas dance, held on December 8, at Tiffanys, Dunstable.
Before the dance, Barbara, a cashier at Aylesbury, broke her toe playing netball with the team she has just started up at her branch.
'I was afraid my limp might put the judges off said dark-haired Barbara.
It was with a mixture of tears, smiles and astonishment that she heard the news that she had been chosen out of the 22 lovelies on the platform.
Close-on 1000 revellers were at the dance, among them AGM Ken Wood and his wife, and they rocked 'n' rolled, twisted, jived and bopped the night, and the early morning, away.
where, their outlook is one of caution. People seemed to be spending less, but there could well be a sudden surge in the branches just before Christmas.
'It's a question of setting up plans, but being prepared to-change them at very short notice,' said resource supply co-ordinator Keith Curtis.
'We rely on depot staff to work unusual hours and put in a lot of overtime at this time of year, and other cold stores and distributors are called in to help shoulder the extra load.
This year demand for beers, wines and spirits has been particularly unpredictable. Sales were slow at first, with a sudden increase three weeks before Christmas. We have to be prepared for anything.'
HAPPY CHRISTMAS?
Never before has the lead up to Christmas been so full of the unexpected. the unselfish, the unpredictable
. . or so under the mistletoe!
Barbara Martin, latest contender for the Miss JS title, receives a Christmassy kiss from a cuddly admirer.
Staff give free time old and disabled
A DIFFERENT kind of Christmas present — their valuable time — was given to the disabled by staff at Langney, Stevenage, Swindon and Wimbledon.
Each branch opened for an extra two hours, so that disabled people could do their Christmas shopping without the bustle of
normal shopping hours. Local organisations and
cha r i t i e s p r o v i d e d transport for the shoppers, and shop staff stayed on to help them.
'Virtually all the staff helped,' said deputy manager Keith Brockwell at Wimbledon.
'I would say that we had
roughly 200 people shopping here. Various helpers — Girl Guides, Brownies and so on - brought them in here and there were lots of our staff around to help as well.'
Langney manager Leslie Hessey said: 'We had about 600 people in wheelchairs, and some of them were over a hundred
years old. A lot of them thanked us very much afterwards.
'This is the second year we've done it, and I think it will become a regular thing. The local Red Cross and the Round Table helped with transport, and there were no real hitches.
'It was a very successful evening.'
Raiders shop early at three
JS stores A CHRISTMAS rush of a less welcome kind has been taking place, with three armed robberies at JS branches in the space of a fortnight. The total haul was nearly £30,000.
MONEY In each case the money was in
the care of security guards when the raid took place - no JS staff were involved.
On Friday November 21 Ruislip was the target. Two men, one with a sawn-off shotgun, held up the two Securicor guards as they were putting the money into their van. The thieves escaped with £7,200.
MASKS A fortnight later, on
December 5, there were raids at two branches in the space of half an hour. At 6.15 pm five masked men, two with sawn-off shotguns, attacked two Securicor guards outside Chelsea branch. The haul was £8,500.
And at 6.45 an armed gang struck at Bromley. The Group Four guards collecting money were attacked just inside the exit door of the branch. This time the thieves escaped with £ 13,800.
The Bromley and Chelsea robberies were part of a deluge of raids - there were six successful armed robberies in London that day.
The Bromley robbery took place by the checkouts at one exit from the shop. One raider held the electric door open while the other, armed with a pistol, stole the money.
'Everyone stayed calm,' said manager John Pierce. ' No one interfered or tried to stop them. It was a very clean robbery.'
SC\/Z^/2^/iS
PAGE2 JS JOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975
SUPERLATIVES FLY AS TOP FOOD SCJENTJSTS TOUR JS LABS
' IN A W O R D - impressive.' This is how a top food scientist summed up JS's central laboratories at Ren-nie House, and the work being done there.
Nearly 50 food scientists, from industry, research institutes, the academic world and government departments were shown round the new labs after the official opening on December 3.
In his welcoming address chairman John Sainsbury said
. . we have always been strong in people on the scientific side - now we are strong in facilities also.'
Importance He went on to criticise the
Government for not recognising the importance of quality as well as price; and he made the point that if Government controls continued 'the food trade will not get many more laboratories like the one we are opening today'.
To a man, and woman, the scientific visitors were impressed by the new labs themselves and the scope and thoroughness of the work being done.
'It's good to see a food retailer backing-up claims for quality with the facilities to see they are maintained' said Arthur Hubbard, head of the food science division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Mrs Rebecca Wolf, research director of Which? con-
We knew that you were coming so we baked a cake . . . Bakery technologist Rodney Parkinson explains his work to some of the food scientists at the Labs 'open day' on December 3.
sumer magazine was 'most envious' of the facilities for researching the practical side; things like packaging, particularly its suitability and durability.
Mrs Wolf was so impressed she said she would come to JS for advice in future, on the different ways of testing and evaluating goods.
The idea for an official 'open day' came from JS director of research, Dr Roy Spencer.
'I suggested to the Chairman's Laboratory Committee that some sort of "open day" should be held to mark the completion and occupation of the new laboratories - which are a significant achievement for JS. It was discussed, the idea taken up and a guest list agreed.'
Laboratory staff were on hand to give a run-down on the work they did and to give 'expert' answers to some 'expert' questions.
Needless to say industrial security was maintained and all JS's 'scientific secrets' were carefully locked away during the visit.
The labs are not just the best equipped in the food retail trade in the UK, some of the work carried out by JS's scientific team is streets ahead of others in the field.
Tesco results -a case of swings
roundabouts COMING HARD on the heels of disappointing interim (ie half-year) figures from JS, Tesco's recently published results look relatively good. Compared with the previous year, JS's retailing profits went down by about 20 per cent, whereas Tesco's went up 12 per cent.
The significance of these figures depends, of course, on how well or badly JS and Tesco did the year before. Looked at in this way, the contrast between the performances of the two companies is not as great as it appears at first sight. A year earlier, in the 1974/75 financial year, Tesco profits fell 20 per cent in the first half, whereas JS's went up by about 6 per cent.
Over a two-year period therefore a much more uniform picture emerges — both companies found themselves in November 1975 reporting profits that were about £1 million less than they were in November 1973.
These are the figures:
Manager John Marks shows off JS's textile range to the Mayoress, while chairman John Sainsbury tells the Mayor all about the new store.
. . . and
the Mayor
came too
IT WASN'T just the usual crowd of eager shoppers who poured into JS's new branch at Fareham, Hampshire, on November 25 — there were civic dignitaries too.
The Mayor of Fareham, Councillor F A Chamberlain, and the Mayoress were among the first visitors to the new store.
They were shown round the branch by chairman John Sainsbury, who had opened the shop, and by manager John Marks.
The Mayoress was particularly impressed with the store's staff restaurant, and she also seemed pleased with the quality of JS's textile range.
More than 300 people had waited in heavy rain for the store's opening. 'God wasn't with us in the weather last week,' says Mr Marks, 'but it didn't deter them.
'We had a phenomenal week on textiles, and on Saturday we had to close the doors at four o'clock.
Inundated
'We were inundated on Thursday and Friday nights, but we had everyone on checkouts and we maintained the flow through the shop.'
Mr Marks, 44, knows plenty about the company and the Hampshire shopper, having been manager of the branch at nearby Shirley, Southampton, before moving to Fareham.
The store, JS's first in Fareham, has a sales area of 1865 square metres (20,073 square feet), and it stands in Thackeray Mall, part of a smart new shopping centre. There is an 880-car car park, with lifts giving access to the shopping area.
The store has 16 twin-bay checkouts, and it stocks JS's hardware and textile ranges, as well as having a self-service delicatessen counter.
"
Tesco interim profits (retailing)
1973/4 4 million
197415 4g<£ million (-19.9%)
197516 million (+12.2%) €9.4,
Although the,fall in profits over the two years is the same in cash terms for both companies it is, of course, a greater percentage drop for JS - 15.1 per cent against Tesco's 10.1 per cent.
Interest now focuses on
what the position will be at the end of the second half of the 1975/76 financial year. In 1974/75, over the year as a whole JS's retailing profits were £14.3 million, which is 5.9 per cent up on 1973/74. Tesco, on the other hand, were down 7 per cent at £24 million.
No doubt both companies will continue to be affected by the economic conditions that have resulted in falling profits over the past two years. There are, of course, a number of differences in the two companies' operations which could affect their trading patterns. Some of these are listed below: * Tesco have more stores
in the north where trade is generally more buoyant than in the south.
* Average size of JS stores is larger, which has economic advantages. On the other hand, Tesco's development programme includes ten stores with an average sales area over 3,530 square metres (38,000 square feet).
* Tesco non-food sales are around 30 per cent of total sales, whereas the
JS figure is insignificant. Profit margins on these goods are higher than on foods, but the turnover is lower per square foot of sales area. Tesco have also switched from own-brand to branded non-foods to take advantage of manufacturers' promotional activities. Their non-foods are reported to be doing well.
* JS wages and salaries go up in March whereas Tesco's take effect in November. This will be an added burden on Tesco's performance in the second half-year.
What it will amount to is anybody's guess. The economic climate clearly favours the discounters and the smaller, enterprising regional supermarket groups (such as Lennons, the north-western group which recently reported a half-time profits increase of 68 per cent to £644,000) that have managed to keep costs and prices low. How well JS, Tesco and others do must depend on their ability to respond and adapt to the new conditions.
The last of the great 1975 opening bonanza
THE GREAT JS branch and freezer centre opening bonanza of 1975 came to an end on December 2 with the year's final opening - Walton-on-Thames freezer centre.
Director Peter Snow opened the doors for the first day's trading and before long the shop was busy with customers. Many of them were starting their Christmas shopping and the very first item to be checked out was a frozen turkey.
Manager Albert Wopshott said: 'The first flurry of customers came about half an hour after the doors opened, and from then on trade was brisk.
Leaving the new Walton-on-Thames freezer centre, laden and laughing.
Albert Wopshott.
'Customers seemed to go for all the lines, not just the special offers.'
Neighbours
The freezer centre is a few minutes walk away from the JS supermarket in Walton-on-Thames, which opened five
years ago. It has a sales area of 250 square metres (2691 square feet) and three checkouts.
Mr Wopshott joined JS in 1937 as an egg-boy at the old Kingston branch in Clarence Road. He has worked at many branches in the London area, and was previously manager of Teddington freezer centre.
Blackfriars STAFF are on the move at Blackfriars, but they're not going far - just across the road to Rennie House or Stamford House.
Some of the moves have taken place already — the laboratories and distribution division are now well established in Rennie House — but it will be at least a year before the programme is completed.
SPACIOUS Supply control have left
the first floor of Stamford House and are now on the second floor of Rennie House in a spacious, open plan office.
During December the personnel division will move from Tress House into the space vacated in Stamford House.
The employee relations department, medical section and SSA have already moved from Tress House into .the second floor annexe of Ren-nje House.
During next year the computers, at present on the second floor of Stamford House, will be moved to Rennie House.
When work on the first
floor of Rennie House is completed it will house all the computer staff from Tress House as well as the computers.
Work on the ground floor of Rennie House is nearing completion. When finished it will house the central printing and silkscreen printing departments from the lower ground floor at Stamford House, a post room, the equipment room of a new telephone exchange, a reception area and a large training and conference room. The telephone operators of the new exchange will be on the first floor of Rennie House.
The sampling rooms, at present alongside the home economics department in Stamford House, will move into the laboratories in Rennie House.
The lower ground floor at Stamford House will be used as an additional amenity area to the staff restaurant and the air conditioning on the south side of the building will be improved.
When the proposed moves are eventually completed all the Blackfriars offices will be contained in two buildings, Rennie House and Stamford House.
Sainsburyana goes on show
THE HISTORY of JS is being displayed, bit by bit, in the staff restaurant at Stamford House.
In the place formerly occupied by some large pots at the entrance to the restaurant, JS archivist Honor Godfrey is mounting a series of displays of material from the company archives.
The theme of the first display is Christmas, and there will be a different theme every time the display is changed, once a month. (Our picture
shows Honor putting the finishing touches to this, her first JS archival exhibition).
More Sainsburyana is on view at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The exhibition there, 'The Pack Age, or A Century of Wrapping It Up' has more than 2000 items. from the collection of its organiser, Robert Opie.
The exhibition illustrates the progress of packaging and advertising over the last hundred years, and it closes on January 31.
Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll JS JOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975 PAGE3
Carry on Greenford
Martin Miles.
ONE STORE CLOSED and another opened at Greenford, Middlesex, in November. On Saturday, November 22 the old JS manual branch - opened in 1932 - served its last customer. And three days later a brand new supermarket started trading just a short walk away.
Except for a handful who retired when the old shop closed, all the staff switched to the new store. Many of the first-day customers, too, were old friends from the manual branch.
One faithful customer, who was first into the old Greenford branch when it opened and last out when it closed, arrived at the new branch at 9.25 on Tuesday morning anxious to repeat her 'first footing'.
But sadly she missed her chance. There was a 50-yard queue of eager shoppers outside the store by 9 am, and directors Simon Sainsbury and Joe Barnes opened the doors early. By the time she arrived trading was already under way.
Manager Martin Miles said 'She was a bit disappointed that she wasn't among the first, but after doing her shopping she agreed with most of the other customers, and said she was very pleased with the new branch.'
Mr Miles, 27 and married with one daughter, joined the company nine years ago as an A-level trainee. Before becoming manager of Greenford he was deputy manager at Watford.
Greenford has a sales area of 1080 square metres (11,625 square feet) and 16 checkouts. There is a car park behind the store with space for 120 cars.
FANTASTIC 'During the opening
period, the staff have been fantastic,' said Mr Miles.
'Because of boiler trouble there was no heating in the store until just before opening day. But they were all marvellous and accepted the fact that the store had teething troubles.'
Manager of the old Greenford branch, Sydney Heath, is to become a freezer centre manager.
Shoppers find time to chat outside the new Greenford branch.
As smart as paint THE NEW JS paint and emulsion on sale at Kempston and Barkingside comes in brilliant white, the most popular colour and one which accounts for about 70 per cent of all paint sales.
The cans of paint, poly-urethane non-drip gloss with silicone, come in three sizes,
2.5 500 millilitre, one litre and litre cans.
From the emulsions customers can choose a vinyl matt finish or a vinyl silk finish in one litre or 2.5 litre cans.
The emulsions are suitable for interior decorating and the gloss paint can be used inside or outside the home.
Developing an eye for a bargain.
Stationery gets going Make a note of it - JS writing
pads and envelopes are now on sale at Kempston and Barkingside. The stationery
comes in two colours, white and blue, and the price of a 50-leaf pad or 25 envelopes is 18p.
JSJ turns up down under AN AUTOGRAPHED copy of the JS Journal is the proud possession of Bert Rainsley, who works at JS's Basingstoke depot.
The autograph is that of film star and TV personality Victor Maddern, who featured in the October 1974 issue of the Journal.
Bert, who left his job as a driver at JS to go to Australia, was working with Victor's brother George, in Perth.
When George Maddern returned to England for a holiday, Bert asked him to get his brother's autograph.
'You can imagine my surprise,' says Bert, 'when he later presented me with an autographed copy of the JS JournalV
Bert's now back in England, and back at JS bringing with him, what must be the most widely travelled copy of the Journal ever.
Christmas cards sales down CHRISTMAS wouldn't be Christmas without any cards. But due to the soaring cost of postage card sales are down this year.
The reaction to-the latest increases in the price of stamps had been anticipated, and the number of cards put out into JS branches adjusted accordingly.
PAGE 4 JS JOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975
AFTER A YEAR of shrinking £££'s and shrinking profits, we thought we'd do a bit of shrinking ourselves.
Suitably shrunk and armed with a camera (micro of course) we took a trip to a JS store and found the familiar had become the weird and wonderful (and in some
cases downright hideous!). We've got our own ideas
about what the pictures show. But you can play the game two ways by making up your own captions, or guessing the truth of the matter.
Answers for those suffering from the CTT's (Christmas trading tremens) are printed MOpq.
ITS A ??? NO ITS A ?? 5. The manager's whooppee cushion perhaps. 6. These new grummhs have made a world of difference- to JSs artic fleet 7. Kojak fan dub visits JS store (seen from above). 8. Is this what they mean by an inflationary spiral?
Christmas wine
competition —
the winners
the prizes
the answers
CHEATS! WeD, you're either cheating or not trying very hard if you look down here — they're not THAT difficult auoojq tCuojuytCq stfdvuSojotfj AjaHBq 966 fd « UO pmiuuax 8
spuBsnoip pue spajpunn L jauado u;x 9
Hos-j|B aouonbiq g J3UIBJJS SS^OJ p
jaddad uaajQ £ pBd pajm-dBos z
jazaanbs uouisq i
WE'RE not saying that this year's competition was hard, but we heard through the grapevine that even the compilers, in the off-licence department, had to look up some of the answers I
Nevertheless 26 clear-headed drinkers, sorry thinkers, had a go. Only three entries were completely correct; and so strict were the judges they nearly discounted one of those because of a spelling mistake I
But they mellowed at the last moment and so the winning three are:
Brian Dixon, dp systems and programming, Tress House - who wins first prize with his tie-breaking limerick: A German wine taster from Winkel Sips mines made from grapes with a wrinkle. But the wines taste so good He drinks more than he should And his eyes have a lecherous twinkle. Mrs Sheila Wylie, personnel officer, Norbury — gets second prize with her limerick: A German wine taster from Winkel Said 7 really don't know what to think-el Of my friends from GB Who prefer to take tea And not wine, when I say 'have a drink-el'. R A Smith, Churchill Square, Brighton - takes the third with his lament: A German wine taster from Winkel Wed a girl that made his eyes twinkle She'd not let him go tasting His life it was wasting It made him wish he'd stayed single.
First Prize: 2 bottles Gin, 2 bottles Scotch, 1 bottle Vodka, 1 bottle Brandy, 1 bottle Bianco, 3 bottles table wine. Second Prize: 1 bottle Gin, 1 bottle Scotch, 1 bottle Vodka, 1 bottle Bianco, 2 bottles table wine. Third Prize: 1 bottle Gin, 1 bottle Scotch, 1 bottle Bianpo, 1 bottle table wine.
There are also full-bodied consolation prizes for everyone who entered.
The answers. Question 1 a) Late Bottled Vintage b) Vin Doux Natural c) Chateau Bottled d) Qualitatswein mit Pradikat e) Vin de Consommation Courante Question 2 D.V. was the odd one out - God Willing Question 3 a) Spain b) Germany c) France d) Italy/Portugal Question 4 a) Madeira b) Muscadet c) Appellation Controlee Question 5 a) Sherry (Manzanilla) b) Armagnac c) Port d) Rioja (Spanish wine) e) Alsace wine Question 6 a) Champagne b) Whisky c) Sherry (Spanish) d)Port e) Loire wines
/. An AGM's eye is everywhere!
2. Hair-for the tearing of, issued daily throughout JS.
3. Censored!
4. 'Here's another fine mesh you've gotten me into Stanley'.
JS JOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975 PAGE 5
' OR COULD IT BE A ??? IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH
OPERA TION TURKEY or how JS gets the bird
AT THIS TIME every year -with all the precision of a military exercise - Operation Turkey gets under way.
Thousands of fresh and frozen turkeys are given their marching orders by JS's suppliers, and have to be on the supermarket shelves in time for Christmas. It is a massive job, and by December the pace is hectic.
In command of the operation at Stamford House is poultry buyer Tom Brewer, battle-scarred veteran of many a Christmas campaign.
He still winces at the memory of the year when two lorry drivers, unaware of the urgency of their deliveries, parked their lorryloads of fresh turkeys overnight at a transport cafe.
FRANTIC Frantic midnight phone calls
finally traced the lorries, but not the drivers. Spare drivers were eventually called out to hurry the loads to their destination in the small hours of the morning.
Now all suppliers' drivers carry the work and home phone numbers of their JS contacts. If there is an emergency, such as a lorry breakdown, help can be rushed to the scene straight away.
Although Operation Turkey gets off the ground as early as January, it is not until November that the pressure really begins to build up.
When it gets under way an alcove on the third floor of Stam-"ord House becomes HQ - and :he phone rarely stops ringing.
Mr Brewer, his 'number one', Rod Taylor, and supply coordinators Trev Faull and Dave Rothchild become the Christmas poultry department.
They keep graphs of the progress to date, and at a glance can check the latest position at the cold stores.
While the turkeys are dealt with by the buying office, Eric Webster and his team in supply control keep an eye on everything else.
With fresh Christmas turkeys, the operation takes place over a shorter space of time, since they cannot be killed more than eight days before December 25.
In JS stores frozen turkeys traditionally go on sale on December 20, and fresh turkeys a day later.
The frozen turkeys are despatched from platoons of suppliers to 15 cold stores, and from there to the JS branches. Some fresh turkeys are delivered direct to the branches from suppliers and the remainder via JS depots.
This is where the precision
comes in. The deliveries to each branch must meet specifications of number, weight and quality, and with a selling period of only a few days, deliveries must be prompt.
'Boxing up, the term given to arranging the loads and destinations of the lorries in the most efficient and economical way, is a real military business,' said Mr Brewer.
'Each load from the cold store has to be carefully calculated. It's a very exact system, but it has to be flexible as things can go wrong at the last minute.
'Weights may vary from what is expected, or the appearance of the turkeys may not meet JS standards.
HOTS UP 'Then occasionally a driver
may make his deliveries in reverse order, or get delayed on his route, and we have to ring round the branches to find his whereabouts.'
Once the turkeys are on the supermarket shelves and buying starts, the men at HQ are concerned with the selling pattern, comparing it with that of previous years.
The area general managers make a 'round up' of sales in their areas and phone the results through.
In the final days of Operation Turkey, the pace really hots up - and the staff of the Christmas poultry department find themselves working as late as midnight to cope.
'The first year I worked with Christmas turkeys I found
myself waking up at night working out figures,' said Rod Taylor.
And both he and Mr Brewer admitted that, after making sure thousands of JS customers can enjoy a turkey dinner, the last thing they want to eat on Christmas day is more turkey.
'Our wives know we have had enough by then,' said Mr Brewer. 'So we usually settle for pheasant for our Christmas dinners, and forget all about turkeys.'
But not for long. Come January and the Christmas poultry department will start thinking about Operation Turkey- 1976.
Massing the troops for the start of Operation Turkey at a JS supplier's turkey farm
PAGE6 JS JOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975
YOUR LETTER!
From: Eddie Edwards, purchases accounts, Streatham. IN VIEW of the obvious need (in the interests of all of us) to improve turnover, and thereby profits (including by the opening of hypermarkets which require new buildings), has it been investigated whether it is possible to set aside a portion of each depot as public sales counters for the bulk sale of the goods stored in each depot at bulk-buying prices?
I believe that more and more people are realising the benefit of purchasing in bulk, to store at home as an 'investment' better than cash savings, especially in view of continuing rising prices. And to sell direct from a JS depot seems as easy and quick a way of making bulk packs available to people living near a depot.
This I imagine would obviate the need to get planning permission for new buildings; even though it may not overcome the objections of local traders, which seem to be holding up the hypermarkets. But it would be a different class of trade, ie bulk instead of unit.
Deputy chairman Roy Griffiths replies:
As part of general development studies the question of bulk or case lot sales through new or existing outlets is under consideration and obviously depot suitability (in addition obviously to their present activities) in this connection must be part of the review.
Planning permission would have to be obtained where there is a change of use, and to use a depot for sales to the public would probably constitute such use - as at least one of our major competitors found to its cost. A cash and carry operation servicing only a limited section of the trade, e.g. catering, and not open to the general public, might be easier, but planning permission would still probably be necessary.
The kind of interest evidenced by the letter in company development is very much welcomed and would do much to make more purposeful the letters column of the Journal.
From: Bob Bennett, ASM control, dp department, Blackfriars. MY LETTER concerns the good fortune of Charlton depot staff in receiving this £4 bag of groceries for £2.
On reading this article I spoke to my JCC representative to ask: 'Why haven't we got one at the head office?'
He informed me that it is impracticable to have one at head office because it would cost the company money as a lorry would have to make an
extra journey to deliver the 'damaged' goods.
I would like to know why, if it is at all possible, the company, as an industrial relationship exercise, could not go out of its way to give central office staff this facility.
Footnote to letter from Bob Bennett: MR BENNETT'S letter arrived so close to our copy deadline there was no time to get a reply from management.
Rather than delay publishing the letter, we decided to print the letter now and any reply in the next issue. - Editor
THE TAUNT from D Solomon, published in the December issue of the JS Journal, provoked a post bag of far from apathetic replies!
Could this be the beginnings of a really 'lively' letters column? From: Charles Wills, branch engineering, Bromley area. IN REPLY to Mr Solomon's letter published in the December issue, I would like to say how much I agree with his contention that apathy would appear to reign supreme in this company, judging by the usual letters. Also, there does indeed seem to be a 'Big Brother' complex; in my 11 years with Sainsbury's I have rarely heard anyone speak his mind in front of management.
There is a definite feeling, especially among the longer serving staff, that this is a company beyond criticism, and whenever I have voiced a critical opinion the suggestion has usually been made that if I don't like JS I should go elsewhere, a negative attitude-in the extreme.
I hope Mr Solomon's letter and this (if published) will start a trend, and the Journal will reflect more the sort of house magazine published by the civil service or the GLC with more accent on career opportunities, salaries etc (though I must admit you do a good job regarding pensions).
From: J H Worledge, deputy manager, Central Northampton. IN THESE days of high unemployment, I don't think it's apathy that rules but caution. If the Journal could act as an ombudsman, then perhaps complainants would feel safer when putting forward their views.
Name and location supplied. YES, JS would get the prize for the most boring company.
They don't want people to work for them, they want machines that work, take
their money and don't answer back. And eventually that's what they get, if people think 'ours is not to reason why' etc etc. Name and location supplied. MR SOLOMON in his letter asks the question, 'but if you want action, is there a more powerful way of airing your viewpoint than the JournalT I would like to suggest Mr Solomon is asking the wrong question. What he should have asked is, 'Does the Journal serve any purpose in airing the views of the employee?' I am of the opinion that the answer to this question must be that it does not.
This answer invites the question, 'Why not?' I think the answer to this question lies in the contents of the Journal, the attitude of management and the rank and file's understanding of this attitude.
Taking December's issue as a typical edition, there are approximately 25 articles, that is excluding the letters, the staff changes, and the quiz. Of all the articles, only two could by any stretch of imagination be called detrimental to JS.
The attitude of management can be ascertained by any member of staff. All they have to do is write a controversial letter, submit it to their immediate supervisor and await the reaction.
I suggest the reaction he will get is 'Well, you can send it but think of the reactions that may result!! In other words, don't rock the boat.
If, as I suggest, the rank and file do understand these constraints then it is clear that they will not write to the Journal.
Members of the steam Railway Club at Buntingford with the engine they may help to get out of the scrap heap and back on the rails.
From: Mary Harold, engineering design, Clapham.
D SOLOMON wrote in last month's 'mag':
Is this company the most boring? I'm half inclined to side with him Our readers surely aren't that dim To read of baked beans, spam and vim
Don't set our spirits soaring!
Does harmony really 'reign supreme? From Chelmsley Wood to Golders Green From Manager to Beauty Queen And is Big Brother a mere 'has been'? That view is worth exploring!
Harmony or apathy Exciting or mundane The Song of Solomon I contend Should not be given full rein
So come on colleagues — don't be staid What use Is a sundial in the shade! Hide not your talents - air your views
Entertain — Inform — amuse Let not D. Solomon accuse! Or never more complain
Steam supporters
wanted HAVE YOU EVER STOOD trainspotting on a station platform, dreamed of becoming an engine driver, or just sighed nostalgically for the age of steam?
If so, the steam railway club at Buntingford depot would like to hear from you.
The club hopes to link up with the Hertfordshire-based Thompson Bl Society, which plans to buy and restore a steam engine. But before the Buntingford club can go ahead, it needs the support of more members.
Several club members went
to Barry Island in South Wales recently to inspect the engine they may help to preserve, a Bl class 4-6-0 tender locomotive.
It is one of only two engines of its type still in existence, out of 410 built, and the aim is to restore it to a steam-able condition and run it on a preserved l ine at Peterborough.
Doug Williams of Buntingford personnel said: 'If anyone would like to become actively involved in the club activities, please contact Alan Doy, Trevor Reedman or myself at Buntingford depot.'
LETTERS are welcome and should be addressed to the editor. Don't forget you can dictate one by using the Journal's phone-in service on Blackfriar's extension 2363 .
LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS
SINCE COMING to London some four years ago I have always shopped in Wallis's supermarket in Streatham. But now I have discovered Sainsbury's.
May I congratulate you on your prices which give me better value for money than anywhere else.
As I do my shopping in your branch at Streatham Hill I would also like to take this opportunity to give my praise for the people who staff this particular branch.
As I said your prices were the main factor which caused me to become a Sainsbury's fan; but it was also the courtesy and friendliness of your staff in the Streatham Hill branch.
So keep up the good work. William Greig-MacGregor-Morghan, Streatham Hill, S.W.2.
This letter appeared in a local newspaper not long ago and a cutting of it was sent to JS.
The name of the writer had been withheld by request but it was signed 'widower and senior citizen'.
/ HAD BEEN doing some shopping in Sainsbury's Nuneaton branch, and among my purchases was a pint bottle of whisky.
On leaving the store to my dismay and acute embarrassment my bag burst. Crash went my whisky, soaking the rest of the bags contents.
Immediately two kind ladies came to offer help, then out from the store came a very kind assistant, insisted I return inside, and without further ado, packed a new carrier bag with another bottle of whisky plus replacements of the other damaged goods.
This was one of the kindest things that I have ever experienced, and 1 feel that everyone should know through the medium of your paper the way Sainsbury's staff are instructed to treat their customers.
Branch openings ft planning applications
With the new year only a couple of weeks away it seems an appropriate time to up-date the Journal's regular report on JS's plans for future stores and extensions. OPENING PROGRAMME TO DATE: Chatham: Supermarket scheduled to open at the end of January 1976. Pitsea, Bexhill and Horsham: Supermarkets scheduled to open in Spring 1976.
Fareham: Freezer centre scheduled to open Spring 1976. Maidstone: Supermarket and adjacent freezer centre scheduled to open Autumn 1976. Sittingbourne: Supermarket scheduled to open late 1976. Broadfield (Crawley), Cwmbran and Worcester: Supermarkets and integral freezer centres scheduled to open late 1976.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS: Colchester: Appeal documents submitted for one scheme only (supermarket without petrol station). Marylebone: Application submitted. Worcester: Full application submitted. Lords Hill (Southampton): Full application approved. Egham: Second application refused.
West Ealing: Application refused. Second application being discussed. Rayleigh Weir: Refused on appeal. St. Albans: Application refused. Enquiry held in October. Grays (Essex): Application refused. Appeal lodged. Chichester: Application refused. Further application made and refused. Appeal lodged. Leicester (Gynsils): Application refused. Further application submitted.
MAJOR EXTENSIONS: Haywards Heath: Scheduled completion early 1976. Ruislip: Planning application submitted for loading bay. Boscombe: Possible appeal concerning extension to branch. South Harrow: Planning application refused.
ALL A B O U T PEOPLE
Compliments to the chef
AT THE A G E of 21 Brian Child is one of the youngest fully qualified chefs in the country. And he's the first chef to join JS as a school-leaver and to complete the rigorous training of a professional cook.
Brian who is second chef in the staff restaurant at Blackfriars, came into catering accidentally. When he was 15 he worked during the summer holidays as a kitchen porter at Charlton depot, where his sister worked in personnel.
They suggested he start an apprenticeship as a cook, and he accepted, although it meant a drop in pay.
'After three or four months I found it was very interesting, so I stuck with it. When I'd been at school, though, we had the choice between woodwork and cookery, and I took woodwork. I thought it would be more useful.'
One week in three he comes in at 6 am to prepare breakfasts, mainly for staff manning the computers, and the security men.
FANCY WORK
NON-STOP He's been studying
almost non-stop ever since. First it was the City and Guilds course in basic cookery, then their course in professional cookery, and finally this year, he completed the National Educational Board's course in supervisory studies.
His colleagues presented him with a set of chefs knives and an engraved book of professional recipes to mark his achievement.
Brian is a vital member of the team who cook up to 650 lunches in a day, as well as other meals for shift workers, and catering for other functions at Black-friars.
• ^ l ^ i r s g
The morning is his busiest time, chopping vegetables, cutting meat (he's a JS-trained butcher too), rolling pastry, and so on. He tends to concentrate on the senior manager's dining-room, decorating mousses, and gateaux and doing other kinds of fancy work that he finds particularly interesting.
'I'd be happy to stay with JS, provided that there are still openings for me. I don't want to own my own place. I like to get away in the evenings. I wouldn't want the worry of being an owner.
'I don't cook at home. If I was married I wouldn't cook either, not unless I was right under the thumb.
'I don't want to be a chef for the rest of my life. I want to go into management when I'm in my late twenties. It's important that you've done all the jobs nobody wants to do, like peeling onions, when you're a junior, so that you can ask other people to do them when you're in charge.
'Even if I tried something else, I think I'd always end up in catering.'
Brian Child at 21 is one of the youngest fully qualified chefs in the country.
'Even if I tried something else, I think I'd always end up in catering,' says Brian Child.
I
LONG SERVICE Maurice Birch, assistant manager at Oxted, celebrated 40 years with the company on November 8.
Mr Birch joined the company as a trainee in 1934. He left after three years but rejoined JS in 1939, to work at 128 Kilburn. After six years war service in North Africa he returned to Tonbridge branch as leading salesman. He trained for self-service and worked in various branches in Kent. He worked at the service branch at East Grin-stead until it closed in 1974, and at present he is deputising for the manager at Oxted. Roy Slack, transport manager in distribution division, Blackfriars, celebrated 40 years with JS on December 17.
He started his career in 1935 in the sausage department of the factory at Blackfriars. After four years war service he returned to Union Street as a timekeeper and later transferred to the transport office at Stamford House. Now, as transport manager, he has come almost full circle returning to work in the 'old factory' — converted and renamed Rennie House. Bob Fleming, driver at Charlton depot, celebrated 25 years with JS on November 29.
He started his career in the branches as a porter at 73 Kings-land and became a poultryman whilst at Tottenham. After war service in Italy and Egypt he returned to work in the warehouse at Blackfriars and later transferred to Charlton as a driver, working on the day and night shifts there. Sidney 'Hutch' Hutchings, ware
house manager at Feltham, celebrated 25 years with the company on November 1.
Mr Hutchings has been manager of various service branches including Wimbledon and East Sheen and also warehouse manager at Walton and Feltham.
Victor Poynter, driver at Charlton depot, celebrated 25 years with the company on December 2.
During his first five years service he worked in the warehouse at Blackfriars, then transferred as a driver to Charlton.
Raymond Savage, meat manager at Chatham, celebrated 25 years with the company on November 11.
For 12 years Mr Savage worked mainly in West Wick-ham and South-East London.
From there he moved to Maidstone, a self-service store. After four years he was promoted to head butcher at Bexleyheath, and later moved to Chatham.
Bill Skelton, deputy planning controller at Clapham, celebrated 25 years with JS on November 6.
Mr Skelton served his apprenticeship at JS as a refrigeration engineer. After completing his training he worked for ten years with the maintenance department.
He was promoted to site engineer, and then to assistant head of site engineers section and finally he became head of the section. In 1973 the engineering section was incorporated with engineering design and Mr Skelton was promoted to his present position.
JS JOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975 PAGE 7
APPOINTMENTS Gary Pollack has been appointed project manager, 2900 conversion. He will be responsible to Peter Smith, head of the dp department, for the task of managing the conversion of the company's computer systems to run on the ICL 2900 computer, due to be installed in 1978.
Mr Pollack was previously manager of dp technical services. CA Galway, formerly manager of Harlow, has been appointed manager of Kingsland. R WHks, formerly manager of Basingstoke, has been appointed manager of Kempston. T A Wigley, formerly manager at Kingsland, has been appointed manager of Chingford.
J Marks, formerly manager at Shirley, has been appointed manager of Fare-ham.
Leslie Corner, formerly surveyor housing estates, Clapham, has been appointed senior surveyor, housing. Dennis Bailey, formerly analyst programmer, data processing, has been appointed senior systems analyst 'B'. Trevor Brown, formerly area branch projects supervisor, branch engineers, at Clapham, has been appointed engineering supervisor, refrigeration. Michael Flannery, formerly design engineer, Clapham, has been appointed senior design engineer, commissioning.
RETIREMENTS Gilbert 'Gill' Parry, reserve manager at Haywards Heath, retired on November 29 after 43 years with the company.
Mr Parry started his career in 1932 at Sutton, Surrey and served in several branches in London and the suburbs. After a break for war service in the RAF he returned to Fulham and Victoria in 1946 and was promoted to assistant manager at Chelsea in 1947.
He was later appointed manager of Cheam, and after six years transferred to Wallington. He has also managed Redhill and East Grinstead. Mr Parry has been warehouse manager at Haywards Heath since 1971. Ted Cooper, senior skilled tradesman at Goring Road, retired on October 4 after 41 years with the company.
He started his career as a roundsman at Warwick Street, Worthing. After his war service he returned in 1946 to Worthing as a butcher. In 1971 he transferred to Goring Road as senior skilled tradesman. Harry 'Clem' Clemens, foreman, central stores, Charlton depot, retired on December 12 after 28 years with JS. Win Trainer, part-time display assistant at Wealdstone, retired on November 15 after 22 years with JS.
Mrs Trainer started as a counter assistant at Belmont branch and after nine years transferred to Wealdstone. Ted Eakins, motor engineer, Basingstoke depot, retired on November 21 after ten years with the company. Emma Drake, part-time display assistant at Islington, retired on September 20 after 20 years service.
Mrs Drake first joined JS in 1947, but returned to work at
The following employees of service is shown in Mrs M Craig (9 years) A Quinlan (9 years) J Tweedle (9 years) C Brown (8 years) G J Johnston (8 years) J M Laing (8 years) A Collins (7 years) Mrs F Rosier (7 years) Mrs D Hale (6 years) S H Hale (6 years) E Kirvan (6 years) Mrs K Smith (6 years)
Islington. Later she transferred to Chapel Market, Islington when it opened in 1965. Arthur Davies, part-time customer service assistant at Bal-lards Lane, retired on October 31 after 19 years with the company. Elizabeth Cowin, part-time supply assistant at 1/4 Ealing, retired on October 31 after 15 years with JS. Florence 'Flo' Laycock, part-time supply assistant at Romford, retired on October 23 after 15 years with JS. Annie 'Dink' Heath, part-time cashier at Oxford, retired on October 24 after 14 years with the company. Eva Pilton, chief display assistant at Forest Hill, retired on November 29 after 14 years with JS. Florrie Kittmer, part-time supply assistant at Welwyn Garden City, retired on October 31 after 14 years with the company. Dorothy 'Dolly' Wallis, part-time supply assistant at Welwyn Garden City, retired on October 31 after 14 years with JS. Rose Mat-man, part-time saleswoman at Barkingside, retired on October 18 after 12 years with JS. Beatrice McGail, part-time supply assistant at Marylebone, retired on October 25 after 12 years service. Annie Armstrong, part-time supply assistant at 1/4 Ealing, retired on October 31 after 10 years service. Florence Pryor, part-time supply assistant at Ilford, retired on October 18 after 10 years with the company. Doris 'Dot' Oates, part-time assistant at Edmonton, retired in August. She joined JS 10 years ago, at Enfield, and then transferred to Edmonton.
have also retired. Length brackets: Mrs I Taylor (6 years) Mrs W Till (6 years) M Curtis (5 years) G E Pipe (5 years) Mrs M Rozenberg (5 years) L Anning (4 years) J Forsyth (4 years) Mrs M Downing (3 years) S K Holloway (3 years) Mrs K Muffins (3 years) Mrs C R Siggins (3 years) E Matthews (2 years)
PAGE8 JS JOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975
JS JOURNAL
Kempston revisited THERE'S SO much that's new and interesting at Kempston — JS's largest ever supermarket — it's hard to take it all in at one go.
Last issue we covered 18, this time we take a the opening on November closer look at just some of
the things that make it so very different from any other JS store.
In March 1974 all JS had to show for its money (Kempston represents a £3.8 million investment) was a very big muddy field, on a busy road junction about two miles outside the town of Bedford.
Brains To make the best use of
the slightly excavated site (in its time a Saxon burial ground and, more recently, a market garden) JS a r c h i t e c t u r a l and engineering brains designed a vast concrete platform with a car park below and a supermarket and other buildings on top.
The steel-framed supermarket design is such that
throughout the massive sales area there are only four, instead of the more usual forest of, columns. So few columns take up less space and make designing the display layout much easier.
Project architect John Kerss, engineering clerk of works Frank Gandy, and building clerk of works Jeff Dennis practically lived on site and all three can quote facts and figures about the project that read like an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.
Records For instance over 800
architectural and engineering drawings were produced and there is nearly four miles of sprinkler pipes in the car park.
Ron Wilks, 33, was previously manager of Basingstoke before taking over Kempston. He joined JS 18 years ago, straight from school, as a tradesman at the old Folkestone manual shop.
Moving up through the ranks he was promoted to manager in
1972, at Wellington. Mr Wilks is married, his wife
was a clerk at Folkestone and they have two sons. The new job has meant a move for the whole family, to a new home in the village of Bromham, not far from Kempston.
The store is open five days a week. The doors open at nine and close at six on Tuesday and Wednesday; eight on Thursday and Friday; and five on Saturday.
Crescendo The trading hours reflect
the shopping patterns of the customers Kempston is designed to cater for. And as expected, business so far has been quiet at the beginning of the week building up to a crescendo at the weekends.
'At about six o'clock on Thursday people appear from everywhere and it's pandemonium from then on' says manager Ron Wilks.
JS
is published every four weeks for employees of J Sainsbury Limited Stamford House Stamford Street London SE1 9LL Telephone: 01-928 3355 ext 2804
Editor: Diane Hill Assistant editors: Antony Moore Jane Hughes Design: Hamper + Purssell Ltd
Printed in England by Riverside Press Whitstable
There's more to folding a towel than meets the eye — particularly when there's hundreds of them! Household textiles add a new dimension to shopping at Sainsbury's super-super store.
r, i t ,
All that extra space has made it possible to introduce a whole host of new lines — like cosmetics.
Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllll
The basement car park (equal to about three football pitches) is a marvel of JS engineering and design. Advanced technology takes care of fire risks and the hazards of exhaust fumes.
PAGE 4 JS JOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975
HAT/T/S... AFTER A YEAR of shrinking £££'s and shrinking profits, we thought we'd do a bit of shrinking ourselves.
Suitably shrunk and armed with a camera (micro of course) we took a trip to a JS store and found the familiar had become the weird and wonderful (and in some
cas« downright hideous!). Ve've got our own ideas
abait what the pictures shew. But you can play the gane two ways by making up your own captions, or gussing the truth of the mater.
Answers for those suffer-ingfrom the CTT's (Christ-ma trading tremens) are priited A\opq.
/. An AGM's eye is everywhere!
2 Hair-for the tearing of, issued
JS.
3. Censored!
4. 'Here's another fine mesh you've gotten me into Stanley',
JSJOURNAL CHRISTMAS 1975 PAGE 5
IT'S A ??? NO IT'S A ??? OR COULD IT BE A ??? 5
5. The manager's mhooppee cushion puhaps. R These new gummits have made a world of dfference to JS's arte fleet 7 Kojak fan dub mts JS store (sen from above). & Is this what day mean by an irflationary spiral?
OPERA TI0N TURKEY or how JS gets the bird
Jingle bells
JS MINCEMEAT is being delivered on a 48-hour cycle so a daily bulletin told us (dated December 5, on page one and November 5 on page two). Is this the first phase of some imaginative transport cost-cutting programme? And what happens when the two days are up - do the wheels fall off? In any case, wouldn't a sleigh have been more appropriate?
Christmas wine
competition —
the winners
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WE'RE not saying that this year's competition was hard, but we heard through the grapevine that even the compilers, in the off-licence department, had to look up some of the answers I
Nevertheless 26 clear-headed drinkers, sorry thinkers, had a go. Only three entries were completely correct; and so strict were the judges they nearly discounted one of those because of a spelling mistake I
But they mellowed at the last moment and so the winning three are:
Brian Dixon, dp systems and programming, Tress House — who wins first prize with his tie-breaking limerick: A German wine taster from Winkel Sips wines made from grapes with a wrinkle. But the wines taste so good He drinks more than he should And his eyes have a lecherous twinkle. Mrs Sheila Wylie, personnel officer, Norbury — gets second prize with her limerick: A German wine taster from Winkel Said 7 really don't know what to think-ef Of my friends from GB Who prefer to take tea And not wine, when I say 'have a drinker. R A Smith, Churchill Square, Brighton — takes the third with his lament: A German wine taster from Winkel Wed a girl that made his eyes twinkle She'd not let him go tasting His life it was wasting It made him wish he'd stayed single.
First Prize: 2 bottles Gin, 2 bottles Scotch, 1 bottle Vodka, 1 bottle Brandy, 1 bottle Bianco, 3 bottles table wine. Second Prize: 1 bottle Gin, 1 bottle Scotch, 1 bottle Vodka, 1 bottle Bianco, 2 bottles table wine. Third Prize: 1 bottle Gin, 1 bottle Scotch, 1 bottle Bianco, 1 bottle table wine.
There are also full-bodied consolation prizes for everyone who entered.
The answers. Question 1 a) Late Bottled Vintage b) Vin Doux Natural c) Chateau Bottled d) Qualitatswein mit Pradikat e} Vin de Consommation Courante Question 2 D.V. was the odd one out - God Willing Question 3 a) Spain b) Germany c) France d) Italy/Portugal Question 4 a) Madeira b> Muscadet c) Appellation Controlee Question 5 a) Sherry (Manzanilla) b) Armagnac c) Port d) Rioja (Spanish wine) e) Alsace wine Question 6 a) Champagne b) Whisky c) Sherry (Spanish) d) Port e) Loire wines
AT THIS TIME every year -with all the precision of a military exercise - Operation Turkey gets under way.
Thousands of fresh and frozen turkeys are given their marching orders by JS's suppliers, and have to be on the supermarket shelves in time for Christmas. It is a massive job, and by December the pace is hectic.
In command of the operation at Stamford House is poultry buyer Tom Brewer, battle-scarred veteran of many a Christmas campaign.
He still winces at the memory of the year when two lorry drivers, unaware of the urgency of their deliveries, parked their lorryloads of fresh turkeys overnight at a transport cafe.
FRANTIC Frantic midnight phone calls
finally traced the lorries, but not the drivers. Spare drivers were eventually called out to hurry the loads to their destination in the small hours of the morning.
Now all suppliers' drivers carry the work and home phone numbers of their JS contacts. If there is an emergency, such as a lorry breakdown, help can be rushed to the scene straight away.
Although Operation Turkey gets off the ground as early as January, it is not until November that the pressure really begins to build up.
When it gets under way an alcove on the third floor of Stamford House becomes HQ - and the phone rarely stops ringing.
Mr Brewer, his 'number one'. Rod Taylor, and supply coordinators Trev Faull and Dave Rothchild become the Christmas poultry department.
They keep graphs of the progress to date, and at a glance can check the latest position at the cold stores.
While the turkeys are dealt with by the buying office, Eric Webster and his team in supply control keep an eye on everything else.
With fresh Christmas turkeys, the operation takes place over a shorter space of time, since they cannot be killed more than eight days before December 25.
In JS stores frozen turkeys traditionally go on sale on December 20, and fresh turkeys a day later.
The frozen turkeys are despatched from platoons of suppliers to 15 cold stores, and from there to the JS branches. Some fresh turkeys are delivered direct to the branches from suppliers and the remainder via JS depots.
This is where the precision
comes in. The deliveries to each branch must meet specifications of number, weight and quality, and with a selling period of only a few days, deliveries must be prompt.
'Boxing up. the term given to arranging the loads and destinations of the lorries in the most efficient and economical way, is a real military business,' said Mr Brewer.
'Each load from the cold store has to be carefully calculated. It's a very exact system, but it has to be flexible as things can go wrong at the last minute.
'Weights may vary from what is expected, or the appearance of the turkeys may not meet JS standards.
HOTS UP 'Then occasionally a driver
may make his deliveries in reverse order, or get delayed on his route, and we have to ring round the branches to find his whereabouts.'
Once the turkeys are on the supermarket shelves and buying starts, the men at HQ are concerned with the selling pattern, comparing it with that of previous years.
The area general managers make a 'round up' of sales in their areas and phone the results through.
In the final days of Operation Turkey, the pace really hots up - and the staff of the Christmas poultry department find themselves working as late as midnight to cope.
'The first year I worked with Christmas turkeys I found
rmyself waking up at night working out figures.' said Rod Taylor.
And both he and Mr Brewer adlmitted that, after making sure thiousands of JS customers can enijoy a turkey dinner, the last thiing they want to eat on Christ -m;as day is more turkey.
'Our wives know we have had emough by then,' said Mr Brrewer. 'So we usually settle for phieasant for our Christmas diinners, and forget all about tuirkeys.'
But not for long. Come Jainuary and the Christmas poultry department will start thiinking about Operation Tiurkey- 1976.
Mlassing the troops for the start of Operation Turkey at a JS supplier's turkey farm.
