THE WHOLE STORY:
Cookie Crock Warehouses & Market History

Del Clegg (owner) Background
From a local box boy to the owner of Cookie Crock Markets, Del Clegg has brought families on the Central Coast convenient, high quality stores with excellent customer service.  The consumer is the highest priority and most important part of the company.  Del values his customer and treats them like family.  The close knit atmosphere at the Cookie Crock Market models Del's personal life and values.    Del has been recognized for his excellent service and family values when he was voted Man of the Year in Cambria, his hometown.  He was also asked to be the Grand Marshall, the highest honor at the local Labor Day Parade. 

Del graduated from San Luis High school and attended Cuesta College.  Through his many business experiences Del has learned that knowing which questions to ask is a key component to operating multiple markets.  He has also learned how to identify what assets the customer views as valuable and delivers them.  Del's previous work as a box boy and working on the floor in supermarkets has given him an edge when dealing with his employees.  He knows how the floor operates and what types of problems can occur.  He can relate to his employees and takes the time to train them well.  One of his goals is to motivate employees to be better workers and most importantly better people.  He accomplishes this goal by instilling high customer service standards for his employees.  Del and his managers feel a great responsibility to cultivate their individual life skills because "We are often the first job for many young people, and we want to be their Best".

Company History
Del's parents Delbert Clegg Sr. and Rose Clegg started and worked the company for years. As for family involvement Del has had at least two of his cousins work here, his mother-in-law and 5 nephews and nieces worked the Cambria store while in high school. Del's daughter Nicole started part time in High School as a bagger and then later filled in for produce and bookkeeping as needed. She now works full time as Scan Director, (price and item management) and as PR, Del's son Nathaniel has worked at the store off and on and is now full time in the meat department. Nathaniel also oversees Cookie Crock Farms produce which is locally grown on the family ranch and organic. Nathaniel's son Joseph (4 years old) is fourth generation Clegg and his mom Leanne has worked in the Arroyo Grande store for about 3 years. Even Del's wife, Vanna, has worked at the store handling special events throughout the years.

In the 1965 the Cookie Crock opened as a patisserie in Cambria, California.  It slowly evolved into a small store where families could buy milk, bread, and other daily essentials.  Del started working as a box boy on April Fools Day 1971 a special day to remember.  Del later went on to work for another independent grocer then a local Chain.  In 1978 Del rejoined the family business in Cambria taking over general manager duties. Through the years the store has been remodeled several times.  In 1987, a new store was built in Cambria and the operation was moved down Main Street.  The sales have doubled five times thru the years and customer satisfaction has been ranked "The Best" by independent surveys.  Cookie Crock also expanded into a new market in June of 1998, opening up a Food-4-Less type of Warehouse grocery store in Arroyo Grande, California.  

The goal of Cookie Crock is to provide the best customer service to their shoppers.  One of the customer service standards implemented in the Cambria store is that a shopping cart doesn't leave the store with out an employee helping a customer out to the car to unload the groceries.  In keeping with the goal of maintaining discounted prices both Warehouse locations will bag the groceries for the customer then the customer takes their own groceries to their car.

Cookie Crock Stores offer excellent prices with superior service in each marketing style.  Del finds the hardest and most rewarding part of his job is training employees how to have better personal skills, a trait he achieves to the fullest. 


Innovations of the Cookie Crock Company
Del views his cutting edge technology and a caring personal approach as special innovations.  Cookie Crock management have assisted major software and equipment manufactures with information, analysis, and technical feed back on several new product ideas over the year.  They have attended technical confrences in San Francisco, San Diego, Palm Springs, Cleveland Ohio, and other locations.  Training people to work with advanced systems to better serve our customers is fun for everyone.

The internal systems at the stores are state of the art. The registers front end system interfaces with surround scanners that read the bar codes on the products you buy.  Also integrated in the front end system are check readers and EFT systems (Electronic Fund Transfer) operating via satellite to state and national clearing houses. This allows customer use of charge / debit cards and now food stamp transactions.

The stores communicate using the internet, satellite, and electronic land lines connecting to each other, Unified Grocers their major grocery supplier, and clearing houses all over the United States.  The stores receive daily updates regarding invoices, cost of goods, pricing information, reports, and competitive price surveys of the chain stores.

Staff members utilize multiple systems daily.  They include multiple hand held F.M. Radio communication devices (RCD's) to verify item velocity and price integrity. Interactive Order Systems give staff the ability to order multiple departments simultaneously while monitoring past velocity and special preorders already in transit. These tools help provide a safe environment, accurate pricing integrity, inventory control, and a stimulating and fun place to work.  Del believes in team building as an effective tool of management.  Del is concerned with having a positive impact on people's lives and making difference in their lives that will have a lasting effect.
 
Culture
The corporate family is the best way to describe the Cookie Crock's management team and employees.  Del knows his employees work hard physically, processing tons of grocery items every day. People enjoy coming to work and are committed to excellent service and customer care.    Employees have fun at work providing an uplifting environment for customers to shop in.  Employees are encouraged to get to know customers on a personal level.  True friendships and bonds have the opportunity to develop at the Cookie Crock Markets.

Del likes the programs that have been developed for staff over the year. Competitive pay and benefit are additional reasons why there are so many long term employees.  Profit sharing, 401k matching contribution retirement program, Holiday pay, up to five weeks vacation, flex scheduling, bonus program are some of the special thing employees value.  Ten and Twenty year employee anniversaries are recognized with paid time off and special vacation trips.

Del is committed to getting to know his employees and working with their individual needs.  The Cookie Crock is a wonderful place for employees learn interpersonal skills and be a part of a team that is dedicated to success. 

Future Plans
Del Clegg and the Cookie Crock Market intend to expand their stores to additional communities in the county.  Morro Bay is the third store, opening on April 1, 2008. Del will continue his great customer service in all of his stores keeping consumers as his number one priority.  The employees at the Cambria and Arroyo Grande stores are now training new employees for the new Morro Bay location to ensure customer care and service. 

Del will continue his responsibilities as a board of director for California Independent Grocers Association (CIGA).  CIGA represents approximately 1300 independent and privately held chain stores in California.  CIGA is a non profit organization that provides information to its members and the public about grocery industry issues that affect them.  CIGA also provides registered lobbyist for state and local issues such as Workmen Compensation, lottery, shopping cart laws, and other legislation that may need realistic information and feed back to our legislators.

Del doesn't plan on retiring because he really enjoys working with people and the everyday challenges of operating a small business in California today.  When the time comes to slow down, and not run the day-to-day operations, Del plans to stay on with Cookie Crock as a consultant or greeter. 

Social Responsibility
Cookie Crock Market views their community members and environment very seriously.  Del is committed to take strides that enhance community awareness and social responsibility.  Del has served as the Cambria Rotary and Cambria Chamber of Commerce Presidents. The Cookie Crock organization and staff donates money and time to organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, SLO Vocal Arts Ensemble, Cuesta Collage Arts, Camp Reach for the Stars, Green Space, Allied Arts, The Baywood Elphin Forest, Rotary International Foundation to eradicate Polio world wide, Camp Ocean Pines, Cal Poly Arts, Little League, and many others.  Cookie Crock also provides scholarships for high school students pursuing higher education.  They are a major Booster Club sponsor at the Coast Union high school. And Del recently became a member of the Coast Union school board.

Del's greatest satisfaction is when a customer tells him how great the employees are at Cookie Crock.  He knows the combination of hard work, great technology, and dedicated staff can produce a partnership with customers that make a difference in our world family.

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