January 2018. Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The local Trader Joe’s had only been open for a few months when every grocer’s worst nightmare became a reality.
The hum of the refrigerators stopped.
A mechanical failure had hit the cooling system. The temperature inside the cases began to climb uncontrollably. Sitting on those shelves were tons of fresh meat, seafood, gourmet cheeses, and organic produce.
The staff was in a panic. The clock was ticking. In the grocery business, once food hits a certain temperature, it is legally considered “unsafe.”
Usually, the protocol is strict and unforgiving: Lock the dumpsters and throw it all away.
The managers looked at the inventory. It was $60,000 worth of premium food. It was a catastrophe. They had to make a decision, and they had to make it fast.
