-By Meg Major

Sliced, ready-to-eat meats are the backbone of the supermarket deli, accounting for up to one-third of deli sales. With that in mind, the Madison, Wis.-based International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) is offering an online staff-training program to teach deli department associates how to provide customers with meal solutions centered on sliced deli meats.

Having teamed up with Tallahassee, Fla.-based LearnSomething, Inc., IDDBA, along with program sponsors Armour-Eckrich, Sara Lee, Jennie-O Turkey Store, and Hormel developed the online course -- Deli Meat: Product Knowledge for Retail Staff -- to introduce deli sales staff to the world of ready-to-eat deli slicing meats. Among the issues that will be explored are “What's the difference between this turkey breast and that one?” “I’m looking for a great meat for snacking -- what would you suggest?” and “Is deli meat a healthy choice?” The e-learning program will also expand associates’ knowledge of the general characteristics, nutritional value, flavor, and menu concepts of popular varieties of deli beef, turkey and ham.

As a companion to related courses, “Prepare to Serve: Product Solutions for Customers” and “Fresh Perishable Foods and Cheese: Product Knowledge for Retail Staff,” the deli meats virtual class consists of five stand-alone modules and is part of a series that aims to motivate associates to provide extraordinary customer service on the sales floor and to stay focused on the importance of product knowledge and solution selling.

All three courses include a customizable tracking and reporting system. Quantity discounts are available, and IDDBA members receive an additional 10 percent discount. Courses can be assigned and results tracked via LearnSomething’s customizable learning management system (LMS), or hosted in a corporate LMS.

For more information, visit www.iddba.org and click on training.