LARRY CLEVE
PRODUCE MANAGER
Hailing from Northern AB/BC, having spent many years on the lower mainland/Vancouver Island, I moved to Salmon Arm in 2015.
Being a people person, I started as a waiter in Dining rooms at 16 and during my 30+ years in the restaurant/hospitality business, I did every aspect of front-end service, including managing dining rooms.
I very much enjoyed the industry but found that as I got older, I didn’t appreciate working every evening, weekend and holiday. I took some time off to figure out what I wanted to do, what would keep me interested and that I would enjoy the challenge.
Working in a Grocery Store, or Produce Department was not something that I had considered but the opportunity presented itself at Save On Foods in Vernon, and I gave it a shot. It combined my love of food, I love to cook, but not in a restaurant setting, and my love of working with the public. Working the grocery part was not so much the challenge but Produce is. You must have a mindset, if I would not buy it, then why would I expect my customers to do so? After 2 years of working in Vernon we moved to Salmon Arm. Save On did not transfer to other stores in those days, so I came to Salmon Arm as a free agent. Not long after arriving, I saw an advertisement for a Produce Clerk at the Uptown Store of Askews Foods. I was not familiar with the Askews name or the business but was in awe of the Uptown store when I went in for an interview. My interview went very well. I loved the store, the energy in the interview was top notch and without hesitation, I accepted the position. Five years later, my boss retired, and I applied for and was hired to replace him as Produce Manager.
I have been Manager for over three years, and certainly we have faced some irregularities that could not have been planned for, but with the support of my team, the management team, and the Askews Brand, we carry on. I have learned so much in my time here at Askews, and although some days can be tough, I look forward to each day, as I know there will be another lesson to learn. I love that we can buy directly from local farmers and Salmon Arm is such a diverse community for produce grown locally. My favorite time of the year is Spring when local products start to roll into my department.
The people of Salmon Arm are very knowledgeable, and they expect quality. It is my good fortune that I work for a company that strives to meet every expectation of our customers.