KFF Problem Statement
Kudler Fine Foods was established in 1998 when Kathy Kudler fulfilled her vision of establishing her own gourmet food store. Kathy had a passion for gourmet foods but found that her particular neighborhood just did not have a wide selection of products to choose from. Although she had no experience in operating a gourmet food shop, she believed that a one-stop shopping experience at a place with many of variety and reasonable prices would be successful. Since the doors opened, Kathy spends most of her time at the stores, selecting and ordering product, occasionally running the cash register, and sometimes even stocking the shelves after the store closes or before it opens in the morning (Kudler 2003).
Kathy’s vision for Kudler Fine Foods is that it will be the premiere gourmet grocery store for those savvy shoppers who are searching for the finest meats, produce, cheeses, and wine (Kudler 2003). After opening its first store in La Jolla, California in 1998, Kudler Fine Foods (KFF) has expanded their business to Del Mar and Encinitas, California. Future growth plans for KFF include expansion to other areas. As KFF continues to develop and expand, a management team that is not large enough creates a risk for KFF achieving its vision and is considered a weakness in KFF’s 2003 strategic plan (Kudler 2003). Kathy’s roles and responsibilities will evolve from managerial to leadership. As locations are added there will be a need for the management team and structure to increase. Kathy hired a store manager for each location, but she still gets involved with managerial functions such as the purchasing functions along with inventory tracking. KFF’s growth will require Kathy to spend more time leading the organization and delegating managerial tasks.