The supermarket industry has a ways to go in terms of improving its image

The supermarket industry has a ways to go in terms of improving its image to attract new workers, according to panelists Tuesday at Food Marketing Institute's Future Connect leadership development conference here.

"People think our industry is simple [because it appears that way to consumers], but we need to get people to understand how broad this industry really is," said Don McGeorge, the recently retired president of Kroger Co., Cincinnati, citing the broad range of functions performed at supermarket companies, from purchasing to logistics and technology.

Janel Haugarth, executive vice president at Supervalu, Minneapolis, said the supermarket industry "is probably the worst at self-promotion."

"We are an undiscovered great secret," she said. She said Supervalu has been trying to improve advancement opportunities at the company using a web portal to help guide workers through career paths.

"We also need to go back to colleges and universities and tell our story," she added.