These letters are tremendously important to Frank. Often I've been with him when he has a few extra minutes, such as waiting for an airplane, and he'll dash to a pay phone to answer one of the letters with a phone call. He also likes to attend store openings or conventions or other public places because he genuinely wants to hear what people are thinking. One of the marketing men once told me that he was embarrassed about a day he had planned for Frank because it included meetings with people who owned just a few stores. When I passed this on to Frank, he answered that these were some of the best meetings because the owners of the smaller stores were so close to their customers. He went on to say that the reason he likes to visit butchers (and in New York, he's called on as many as 30 in two days) is that these men are close to the needs and wants of their customers and he can learn things from them that he'd learn in no other way.
I've heard that there's almost no other head of a Fortune 500-size company who would spend as much time with the people who buy his products. People are often surprised that a man with his responsibilities would take the time for this much face to face contact. But the fact is, learning what people care about is almost a religion to him.
Here are some of the questions that people either write to Frank or ask him in person. In answering the questions, I've either used the information I've heard Frank give, or else I've checked with the Perdue food scientists or home economists. What should I look for when I shop for chicken? Whatever city we're in, whether it's on the East Coast, or Puerto Rico, or even London or Moscow or Tokyo, Frank visits supermarkets the way other people visit museums or monuments. He notices the following kinds of things himself and would recommend that you do also when selecting chicken.
_Give the package a little squeeze. Are there signs of ice along wings, backs or edges? Frank explained to me that some chicken producers blast their birds with air as cold as -40o F, but he never does. Freezing causes a breakdown in protein, loss of natural juices, and reduced tenderness. Also, when you cook a frozen bird, the bones and nearby meat may turn an unappetizing dark color.
_Look at the thickness of the meat in proportion to the bone. If, for example, the breast looks scrawny, you're paying a lot for bone rather than meat.
_Read the labels so you know what you are getting. Many different parts and combinations are available, and some look surprisingly alike even to Frank's trained eye. The label tells exactly what is inside.
_Ask questions. If any meat or poultry product doesn't look, feel, or smell just right, check with the professionals behind the counter.
_Notice the pull date. Most stores are scrupulous about removing chicken before the pull date expires$but sometimes there's a slip-up.
_Was the chicken well-cleaned? Or are there little traces of feathers or hairs? These can look really unattractive when the bird is cooked.
_Is the chicken stored correctly on the chilling shelf, or are the trays of chicken stacked so high that the top ones aren't kept cold? When that happens, the shelf life of the top ones is seriously shortened.