our role
My associates and I are passionate about Fresh and committed to helping our clients be the Best@Fresh, Specialty and Prepared Foods. We seek partnerships with selected retailers, distributors and manufacturers with the ability, intention and commitment to provide the Everyday Best Value (EDBV) in their marketplace, where Value is the Nexus of Price, Quality and Experience.
We have been innovators in Fresh, Prepared and
Specialty Foods for over 35 years, with expertise and success in all aspects of Food Retailing, Manufacturing, Product Development and Supply Chain.
We are able to envision unique solutions and customize them to meet your market requirements, business objectives and organizational capabilities.
t: +1 406 257-0145 | e: harry@blazerconsulting.net
our mission is to make high quality, wholesome, healthful, fresh
and specialty food more accessible e.g. available and affordable.
Underwriting our mission is a commitment to providing the
highest-value-for-price-point, great tasting, clean-label products using primary ingredients that are not genetically modified, i.e. real food.
And it is our belief that not only is real food the most delicious and the most healthful, it is also fundamental to the creation of real wealth and legacy brands and businesses.
I’ve been so fortunate to work with
Harry Blazer on two significant projects
in my career. One was whilst I was at
Loblaw in Canada and the second when
I was CEO at Morrisons in the UK.
Harry and his hugely talented team have incredible retail flair.
Harry can take the mundane and turn it into something quite extraordinary.
He will challenge you and push you to the the boundaries of your thinking,
but through his work your business will be much more equipped
for the challenging retail world within which we operate.
Harry’s initiatives and programs are hugely innovative
and you will be stronger for his involvement.
Dalton Phillips
CEO Morrisons UK
Excellence in Fresh along with Prepared and Specialty Foods and Private Brands, are the
main drivers of growth and differentiation in Food retailing, and are the primary ways that your company can manifest its best, boldest, most authentic and innovative presence in its market.
My associates and I are passionate about Fresh and committed to helping our clients be the Best@Fresh, Specialty and Prepared Foods they can be. (In Specialty we would include
unique, gourmet, world, natural, organic, dietary, local).
We have been leaders in innovation in Fresh, Prepared Foods and Specialty for over 35 years,
with depth, breath and real world experience, expertise and success in all aspects of Food Retailing, Manufacturing and Supply Chain, including sourcing, procurement and logistics, store operations, merchandising, marketing, store layout and design, fixturing, product development and actualization, private brand development, financial analysis, systems and process
optimization… you name it.
We are able to envision innovative solutions, customize them to meet your market requirements, business objectives and organizational capabilities. If you wish, we can just provide assessment, advice, coaching, mentoring or oversight. Or we can provide the leadership as Rapid Change Agents to manifest comprehensive and integrated solutions that are right for you and your customers and that dramatically and quickly transform how Fresh and Specialty are understood, embraced and executed within your organization - from farm to fork and conception to consumption - to create a replicable, sustainable and differentiated competitive advantage.
@H_Blazer
Testimonials
t: +1 406 257-0145 | e: harry@blazerconsulting.net
"I had a business relation with Harry Blazer from 1981 till he sold Harry's Farmers Market to Whole Foods and I can tell you that I have never met a man with more integrity, honesty and passion for the food business.
As important as his passion for the food business, he has an amazing ability to understand what the consumer wants and translate that want to sales dollars. He is very much a visionary and has always been years ahead of the "curve" when it comes to what will be needed to be successful in the future. I could not think of a person I would rather have as a consultant to my business if I were in the retail food business and would be an asset to have as a coach for any size retailer."
Stan Epperson
Owner
Deli Provision Co. (Boar’s Head Brand deli products)
"Working with Harry has been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my career so far. His extensive retail experience enables him to understand challenges faced by all aspects of a retail business, and to cut through the legacy of 'knowledge' created by years of poor practice. This enables real, tangible, change in incredibly rapid timescales."
Simon Smithson, Morrisons Stores Solutions
Technical Lead.
I worked in the grocery industry for 34 years before I met Harry in 2007. Harry gave me an opportunity to work on his team in January 2008. At the time I didn't realize that my accepting his offer would ultimately be a life-changing journey for me. When the Montana Vistas team arrived at Loblaws - Yonge & Yonge, there was much confusion as to how this team was going to make our store better. We already promised Fresh - how were they going to improve this concept. We didn't realize that "Fresh Eyes" would impact our world in such a passionate way. Simple yet unchallenged processes like - tasting, smelling, feeling, visual abundance and color -- the sound of customers commenting on the "Fresh welcome" as they entered the store. Every sense was engaged - how brilliant.
This incredible transition made product accessible to everyone, keeping price points low and quality high made shopping for real food a wonderful experience - the store became a destination.
Fresh is an incredible experience. Revolutionizing Fresh requires reconditioning thought processes.
When people believe it, they see it.
Harry Blazer is the Guru of Fresh, His vision is simple and very clear. His team is loyal and their respect for him is untouchable.
Gail Price
Senior Consultant - Floral
Montana Vista
Hazlewood Foods grew from a small UK food manufacturing company of 28 people to 15,000 in 8 countries, becoming one of the market leaders in ready meals, sandwiches, pizzas, bakery, fish and produce.
Harry Blazer Consultancy made a significant contribution to our exceptional growth with his ground breaking product innovation and intuitive feel for what the consumer will buy and the right pricing point.
I first met Harry when I visited Harry’s Farmers Market in Alpharetta, Georgia which was a pilgrimage made by all food lovers, retailers and food manufacturers. Harry was years ahead of his time and was and is an inspiration to the industry.
Peter Barr CBE
Former Chairman Hazlewood Foods.
Harry Blazer is a breath of FRESH air , his outlook on Fresh , looking through the Eyes of the customer , delivers not only the best customer shopping experience but also develops the store team to be Fresh and Customer service Champions.
I have had the pleasure of working with Harry on Two projects within Morrison’s and have seen this on both occasions and with a Long lasting effect.
Lee Bayley , Operational Support Manager
I’m, Ricardo Echavarria.
I retired from the US Army as a Command Sargent Major in 1991. After retiring, I approached Harry Blazer at Harry’s Farmer Market to investigate employment opportunities . I was interviewed by him on a Saturday afternoon, during which I told him that I didn't know anything about supermarket operations.
He replied, “Don’t worry I will teach you”. And then it started. For six months I was by his side everyday for long hours learning all about store operations. I was impressed with his enthusiasm, professional demeanor and outstanding leadership abilities.
Over time, I worked in many different departments and later became the Assistant General manager and then General Manager of the Alpharetta and then the Gwinett megastores. In my opinion, there is no one in the retail food industry that knows more than Harry Blazer. And he was unique in his high standards in procurement, food safety, customer service, sanitation and unwavering commitment to his employees, customers and vendors in general.
After Harry’s Farmers Market was sold to Whole Foods in 2001, I traveled to many countries as part of the Blazer Consulting team, where we manifested major innovations in how fresh foods were procured, merchandised and marketed with outstanding results.
My Mentor, My Consultant, My Friend, Harry Blazer
After 20 years working together, Harry has been more than just a mentor to me. He has been a dear friend and I am so grateful. From 1982 through 2002, we traveled across Georgia and the rest of the country in quest of the highest quality natural meats we could find to provide the best for our customers. Despite the passion and desire I have for meat, it was Harry Blazer who always challenged me to do more.
I also had the privilege to travel and work for him in countries like Canada and UK, where I again saw how talented he really is consulting and teaching people, as in 1982 when he began teaching me. Harry Blazer is someone like no other and I am truly grateful for our friendship.
Joe M Illescas
Head of Meat Procurement and Operations at Harry’s Farmers Market