Lambert’s Market: Giving Customers The Best

Fresh, quality produce at a good value draws shoppers to this Boston retailer.

Seventy-five years ago, Nino Lambert’s father and uncle started selling produce and a few groceries out of the back of a truck. As the business grew, they opened a store, and then expanded as their sons joined the enterprise. Today, Lambert’s Market operates two stores, says Lambert, owner of the Lambert’s Market Westwood store.

The Lambert’s Westwood store is a full-service full-line grocery store, with a deli, meat and fish market, and wine and beer, in addition to produce and groceries, says Lambert. “We just put in a smoothie bar and we’re really excited about it. We also have garden centers at each location, with friendly and knowledgeable staff. And, we have the biggest selection of retail Christmas trees from Maine to New York.”

Though Lambert’s has evolved, some aspects have not changed. “We have consistently maintained our core values of hard work and customer service in our effort to provide the freshest products,” says Lambert.

Lambert is excited his son John, the third generation, just began at the store, although Lambert says “he has been working with me since he was about 10 years old.”

The store promotes with some circulars and TV, but is also exploring social media. “My daughter just recently got us on TikTok,” says Lambert. “She and my son did a TikTok video for the salad bar that hit 3.5M views. We have a huge social media presence now and it’s something we do every day. That’s brought in a lot of younger generation customers.”

PRODUCE IS FOUNDATION

Produce is the soul of the Lambert’s stores. “We’re known for produce,” says Lambert. “We have a very big produce presence because it’s what we were born out of. We started and grew up in produce and we’ve never lost touch with it.”

The Westwood store measures close to 10,000 square feet, with produce occupying half of it. “Produce’s percent contribution to overall sales in the store is around 25%,” says Lambert.

A massive salad bar is at the heart of the store. “Our salad bar is famous,” says Lambert. “The salad bar is at the center of the store and there are over 1,000 items on it, including some hot items. Just in the past five years, we have expanded the size of the salad bar three times.”

Lambert explains produce is the hardest part of the business, but the store has evolved by adding other produce elements. “The salad bar helps because we can use produce we pull off the display in the salad bar,” he says. “I can’t imagine running the business without a salad bar right now. It really helps with store shrink and customers love it.”

SERVICE, QUALITY, VALUE

The store focuses on the three pillars of service, quality and value throughout all aspects of the operation. “My father always said, if you can give customers a little more than they expect, then they’ll come back,” says Lambert. “I try to give customers a little more than they expect in value and also in service.”

Lambert’s commitment to produce is evident in its merchandising. Half the entire back wall of the store is a two-tier vegetable rack. That same aisle also features gondolas for potatoes and product that doesn’t need refrigeration. The front wall houses fruit, including melons, grapes and kiwis, and opposite the front wall are gondolas housing apples, oranges and pears.

When customers walk in the front door, they’re greeted by a table with deals. “My brother buys the produce at NEPC (New England Produce Center) and gets some special deals,” says Lambert. “We have about 2,000 customers a day who just come in for lunch, so those deals up front really promote impulse purchases. We see a lot of extra purchases from that.”

The layout of the department stays essentially the same throughout the year, but items within the sections change with the seasons, says Lambert. “We had a big presence of peaches and plums at the end of summer, but then in fall we transition to apples and build bigger displays of that. We try to change up the offering quite a bit to fit the seasons.”

FRESH SOURCING

The company’s roots in produce mean its primary goal is to find and sell the best produce available. “We want only the freshest, highest quality and best price for our customers,” says Lambert. “This goal is the foundation of our company.”

Lambert’s prides itself on offering just about everything to customers. “We have everything from ginger to horseradish to PEI turnips,” says Lambert. “Some items we don’t make any money on, but we have to have them for our customers. I have a customer from Ireland who comes in once a week for PEI turnip, so I have to have it. Coconuts and figs are another example.”

The store sources from the NEPC six days a week. “We’ve had a presence there for 75 years,” says Lambert. “The benefit of sourcing six days a week means we always have fresh product. We can also be flexible and buy what we need each day.”

Lambert’s also direct buys local product, such as apples. “Bolton Orchards and Broderick Orchards are two of our apple growers,” says Lambert. “For pumpkins, we use McCue in Waltham. Bean Farms in Westwood supplies our local corn, tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini and cucumbers. Hanson Farms is another great supplier for us. We buy a lot of local off the NEPC as well. I have access to everything we need between the NEPC and our local farmers.”

inside the store

Lambert’s Market
220 Providence Highway, Westwood, MA 02090
Hours: Mon-Sat: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
781-326-5047
www.lambertsfruit.com