Grocery
Resource Library - Know Your Numbers
You cannot manage what you do not measure. Start here.
Know Your Numbers
The independent grocers who are pulling ahead right now share one thing in common: they know their numbers cold.
Not just top-line sales. Department-level margin. Labor as a percentage of sales by department. Shrink by category. Inventory turns. And how all of those numbers compare to the best operators in the industry.
That kind of financial visibility is not reserved for the big chains anymore. The tools, the benchmarks, and the insights that top-performing independents use every day are available to every operator — and this is where we share them.
Browse the articles below for practical guidance on department-level margin, shrink management, budgeting, and benchmarking. Each one is written specifically for independent grocery operators, grounded in real data, and focused on what you can do with the information.
Know Your Numbers: The Financial Habits Behind Independent Grocery’s Top Performers
What separates the operators who are winning from those who are just staying even? FMS Chief Relationship Officer Jon Cline breaks down the financial habits behind independent grocery’s top performers — from department-level KPIs and labor discipline to shrink management and the power of benchmarking. A practical read for any operator serious about running a tighter, more profitable store. Read More
The Number Most Operators Are Missing — Department-Level Margin
Your store’s gross margin might look fine. But do you know which departments are actually carrying the weight — and which ones are quietly dragging it down? This article covers the four numbers top-performing independent grocers track by department every week, and why department-level margin is where the real financial picture lives. Read More
When Shrink Data and Financial Data Live Together — What Changes
Total store shrink averaged 3.9% in fiscal year 2025 — up from 3.5% the year before. For operators running on razor-thin margins, that trend deserves serious attention. This article covers why shrink data disconnected from your financials always tells yesterday’s story, and what changes when the two systems are connected in real time. Read More
What Benchmarking Actually Tells You — And What to Do With It
Knowing your numbers is the first step. Knowing how they compare to the best operators in the industry is where the real work begins. This article covers why benchmarking against peers changes the game, what the 2025 FMS/NGA Financial Study reveals about labor costs and regional performance, and how to turn benchmark data into action — by department, by category, and by region. Read More
