Dear Woodlea-Melrose neighbors.  I have received, as no doubt many of you have received,  three fliers on my front door attacking Fresh and Easy (Tesco) for food safety violations.  "Our" Fresh and Easy store opens this Wednesday (July 30th).  I went to the web site given in these attack adds to read the charges myself.  It is FreshandEasyFacts.com.  I encourage everyone to do the same.  Be sure to click on the "link" that goes to the main article that reports the safety violations.  All three of them occured, I think, in the UK.  It is difficult to determine if Fresh and Easy is playing "fast and loose" with food safety to make as much money as possible.  It does appear the violations (only three cited--maybe more) have escalated in severity.  However, it is also obvious that Tesco is being closely watched and given its size (number of stores world wide) I think one could expect a store here and there to have a manager who violates food safety to meet whatever sales quota they are probably expected to achieve.  There are a lot of questions I have regarding these attack adds.  Given the size of Safeway, Fry's (Kroger), Trader Joes and others, could it be these chains have violated food safety as well or as much?  Frankly, I am not inclined to check this out.  Howwever, I don't want to see a big store fail in our neighborhood.  That is the last thing we need.  A big box store empty.  I think Fresh and Easy deserves our support and a good chance to prove good faith.  I wonder what stores are behind these attack adds.  Maybe that is noted on the web site.  Anyway, it reminds me of the weekly list of restaurants that get "failing grades" in the AZ Republic.  Riding with the Az Bike Club every Sunday for 24 years, it has been our reasoning to go to those restaurants that have gotten "bad" reviews because there is a good chance those are the restaurants that can be more trusted now that they are in the spot light.  I am hoping there is a parallel with  Fresh and Easy.  I say go to the store and let the management know we are aware of these attacks.  Only a fool of a manager would ignor the seriousness of the allegations and put out out dated food, etc.  I have been looking forward to the store's opening for some time.  Time will tell.  Mark Frank, 934 West MacKenzie

Dear Neighbors.  I shopped at Fresh and Easy today-their opening day.  I spoke with the manager about the hit adds showing her one of them.  I told her I was the street captain for MacKenzie iin the W/M neighborhood and I spoke only for my self.  She was very pleasant and simply said "she had no response to the fliers" assuring me that her store was here "to serve the neighborhood with the friendliest and most helpful staff of any store."  Also, she assured me that all of their products were" the most fresh and highest quality of any store."  I commented that since Tesco is the world's third largest retailer it was probable there could always be a store here and there in the chain that doesn't always comply with the rules.  She agreed with that.  I  also commented on  the piece in this morning's "Republic" about  the local gelato maker and the  quality controls he had to demonstrate to  Tesco.  She raved about  Berto's Gelato and took me back given me a free pint of  the famous roasted bananas and pistachio variety saying the  pomegranate-blueberry is to die for.  So.  I was impressed.   True, I gave her some softball questions but at least I had the chance to check out a store manager's attitude toward some very harsh attacks and she passed with flying colors for me.  Please give the store a chance.  They have 3 buck chuck!   Mark on Mac

Hi Mark,

I was curious about who was funding those flyers.  I think your points are well taken - I can't tell you how many times I've been in Safeway and noticed they are selling expired dairy products.  Several times I've gotten home and even products that are still "good" according to their sell-by date are spoiled.  I think these things happen on occasion no matter the store and it's important to view the store in its entirety.  I'm glad that you had a good experience and I look forward to shopping there as well.  What have other people's experiences been?

Hey Mark,

I must say, at first, I was excited about Fresh n Easy coming in.  Then, when I heard their store had the same issues as Wal Mart...I thought, "NO WAY!"...sorry if you are a fan of Wal Mart.  I went there last night and thought, "Well...this isn't so bad."  Here's the difference between Wal Mart and Fresh n' Easy.

Wal Mart- 1. Hot bed for crime.  Because the prices are so low and they sell everything, they bring in the "rif raf" (once agian, not refering to you...I don't consider anyone who lives in WM as "rif raf").  My best buddy is a cop in the area and they are always getting calls to deal with people in Wal Mart

2. Wal Mart does try and shut down competition.  Smaller and mid size stores can't compete with their prices. 

3. Does Fresh n Easy really not offer their employees Health Benefits?  If so, this store does not nearly employ the number of employees a local Wal Mart or Super Wal Mart does. 

 Fresh N Easy is a smaller store and some of their products are an untapped market need specializing in organic foods and such.  Granted, they are owend by a huge company (Tesco) which if I find much more incirminating infromation about them, I may have a change of heart.  But as for right now, I am with the rest of this thread in saying, "Lets give them a chance".  Plus, if they are bringing up the value of the rest of the area in that four way stop, then damnit, we need them! 

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Brian

Hey Brian,

Are you the Obamaite on Glenrosa!  Honestly!  I say that respectfully.  My comments will not doubt reveal my conservative views regarding the free market and labor.  A number of people are telling me that the attack adds are coming from the union--not the stores.  I don't know that for a fact.  But I'm one of those who doesn't have a problem with this being a right to work state.  If people want to be in a union that's fine with me.  If they don't, that's fine with me.  Maybe "our" Fresh and Easy will start cutting help as soon as we get to liking it.  But right now they have a lot of friendly help over there.  Unlike some of my friends who hate using the self help check outs, I don't mind it at Fresh and Easy because there is someone there to help and keep the line moving.  Everyone knows that isn't the case at WalMart.   The only way I will use a self check out there is if no one is in front of me.  My brother and sister in law have worked for WalMart for over 20 years back in the Southland, don't you know.  Anyway, neither has aspired to do more than work the floor (they are not into management) so I get their views of Wally World regularly.  They think it will be WalMart's penny wise pound foolish attitude  that will be their demise.  Meaning, WalMart will offer those low prices cutting labor costs and specifically no help on the floor and not enough cashiers making for long lines at check outs to the point where they daily have to restock shopping carts full of food and merchandise left in check out lines from angry shoppers who get tired of trying to get checked out.  And folks they do have health care.  Like everyone else, they are having to pay more for it out of their pay check.  It's probably as good (or better) than what might come in the form of "universal health care."  And yes, WalMart has destroyed mom and pop outfits all over the US and world for that matter.  And yes, "our" WalMart at 15th Ave and Bethany is almost as Third World as any of our border towns.  However, the poor, legal and illegal, stream into the store because they can get stuff they only dreamed about when they or their relatives lived in other second and third world countries.  This is what our "American Dream" has become.  They are coming from "controlled economies" where about all they can afford is food into a free market where they can pursue happiness and all of the "can't live without" garbage that is out there.    It's looking more and more like a nightmare to me.  But apparently it is a dream for them.  My choice is to spend more and go to Safeway where the people are union, friendly, safe and the restrooms are clean. But, Safeway is a treat for me.  I'm still going to shop for quality and price.  Even if I were "better healed" I would do the same.  I believe that is how the free market works.  I guess that is the way the world works.    Mark on Mac
 

 

The unions funding the fliers give me all the MORE reason to shop at Fresh & Easy!  Unions had their day 100 years ago and were needed then, but they are nothing but trouble in today's world. 

And by the way, I really like that store!  The prepared meals are perfect for a night when you forget to defrost something or just don't feel like cooking.  And the location is sure convenient!

Dand.  I'm with you!  Mark on Mac

Touche Markfrank,

I am the Obamaite.  But honestly, I realize he does not have a snowballs chance in hell in Arizona.  But that won't stop me from voting for him.  For the record, I have voted for many a Republican.  I have voted for McCain twice when he ran for re-election.  I voted for Simplot when he was a Republican (but happy he is a Democrat).  And I will be voting for Barry Wong for Corp Com.  Nonetheless, I am not one of those people who stick to party 100% of the time...those people annoy me...whichever side of the aisle you are on.  

 

We can agree that we should give Fresh n Easy a chance.  My wife and I shop there and will continue to do so.  It looks like it's doing well.  Cheers.

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Brian

So fresh & easy is to Woodlea as Balducci's is to Chelsea?  Liked the Buffalo wings.