Operations Management for Kudler Fine Foods BackgroundKudler Fine Foods is a local upscale specialty food store located in the San Diego metro area with three locations a) La Jolla, b) Del Tue and c) Encinitas. The stores are stocked with the finest domestic and imported food products and each have five different departments: a) bakery, b) produce, c) meat and seafood, d) condiments and packaged foods, and e) cheeses and specialty dairy products. The mission of each store is stated on the company's website as: "The mission is to provide our customers with the finest select food products, wines and related needs in an unparalleled consumer environment" (University of Phoenix, 2007, para. 1) President and owner Kathy Kudler's newest idea is to start contracting with local organic growers to include produce in every store. Each store has been successful in its current location and with its current inventory. These findings helped Kathy believe that expanding the product concept will help provide consumers with “choices to purchase the finest epicurean delights” (University of Phoenix, 2007, para. 1). For the purposes of this assignment, the Kudler operating system will be analyzed to recommend possible changes to the existing business process. All information regarding Kudler Fine Foods stores was retrieved from the Kudler intranet and the Internet via the University of Phoenix web link.