LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – You shop there every week, but have you ever thought about what goes on behind the scenes at Diablo Foods in Lafayette, California?
Diablo Foods is an iconic family-owned store that has been serving the Lafayette community for over 60 years. I recently had the exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes on a tour of parts of Diablo Foods that most shoppers never get to see.
The tour was led by one of the original members of the Stokes family. Ed Stokes started the store in 1968, and the same family still runs it today. Over 15 members of the family now work at the store.
The People
We started by getting to know some of the staff members in the different departments. One of the coolest things about Diablo Foods is that many of the staff have been there for years, even decades–over 40% have worked at the store for 10 years or more.
As we walked around, I got a chance to meet staff from the meat department, cheesemongers, deli staff, and others. They shared their stories—tales of working there for 15 to 20 years, or even up to 40 years.
That’s a big part of what people love about Diablo Foods. The staff genuinely care, and it comes through in the service they provide. It sets them apart from the big chains and is likely a major reason for their success over all these years.
I also learned some interesting facts about Diablo Foods. They serve over 1,000 people per day, and during the busy holiday season, that number rises to around 1,500…