Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor has grown to a statewide and nationwide success behind the work of hundreds of employees that make the wheels turn.
One of the many valued members at the biggest retail chain located in Leelanau County is Indian national Parth Parmar.
The Mumbai native came stateside while obtaining his masters degree in industrial engineering with a specialization in supply chain management. After securing an operations internship in 2023 with Cherry Republic, Parmar came on board full time and with the title of Continuous Improvement manager.
Parmar focuses on getting the company better 1% a day.
“In the whole year, you tend to be around 37% better because it’s a compound interest. It gets compounded and you try to go towards that 100%” Parmar said.
Parmar is also known as the “data guy” from owner Bob Sutherland.
His day-to-day consists of attacking multiple projects including Cherry Republic’s expected expansion of storage space from its Empire campus at the end of this month.
“Some projects which are dependent on some other parties as well, like, working with other teams and coordinating with them. What is required from cherry side, what is required from their side, making sure that everyone’s interests align at the same common ground,” Parmar said.
While in expansion mode, Cherry Republic wanted to be able to set itself for another expansion down the road in 10 or 15 years. The goal is to eliminate expenditures of warehousing at third party sites.
Parmar believes Cherry Republic is in a good position but there are always issues to keep a keen eye on in the future.
One thing Cherry Republic is focusing on is the rising chocolate prices from the cocoa crisis. Another emphasis for Parmar is how to use Cherry Republic’s small labor force as efficiently as possibly.
“Our supply chain team is doing a pretty good job to make sure that we get the right products at the right time and we deliver the products to the customer at the right time as well,” Parmar said.
Some of the biggest products Cherry Republic produces includes their dark and milk chocolate covered cherries, according to Parmar.
“That product is still performing as one of the best,” Parmar said. “I do feel like our dark chocolate covered cherries are the best ones. I’m a dark chocolate guy.”
Other products that may be seeing more investment, especially during the holiday season for Cherry Republic, includes shortbread cookies that have caught customers attention early and often. The team has to juggle the delicate balance of managing inventory for the limited product that quickly became one of the better sellers.
Summertime and the holiday season is the busiest for Cherry Republic. Parmar also helps with distribution efforts to several Cherry Republic stores located across the state.
Back in India, Parmar grew up in a two bedroom apartment with 10 other people.
“My parents, my younger sister, who’s three years younger to me, and my grandparents, we all stayed together,” he said.
Parmar earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering while studying in Bangalor, which is the tech capital of India.
Over the last nine years he has only visited his hometown city to see family and friends.
“I was working for a startup over there and then in 2021, I came to the U.S. to pursue my masters in industrial engineering. It’s been a good journey, I would say,” Parmar said.
While growing up, Parmar was a sports fanatic, but thankfully because of his mother, Parmar stay on top of his studies.
Parmar enjoys playing soccer, cricket, and badminton. To substitute cricket and badminton, Parmar has picked up volleyball and pickleball.
Even though Parmar is a data centered person, he longs for the ability to be more handy when it comes to fixing basic things around the home.
“Back in India, we used to not be handy. If a particular fan is broken down at our house or something like that way we used to have someone come and fix that fan for us,” he said. “When I come over to U.S. people are very handy with a lot of things ... Within five to six years over here I’m trying to become more handy with how to fix things, how to make things, and maybe do some carpentry.”
Parmar does plan to go back to visit family in India in January.
Thankfully he found flavor of his home country at Rosie’s in Lake Leelanau that reminded him of his mother’s cooking.
“She made me cry with those spices. You do cook a lot like my mom,” Parmar said.
Parmar would like to thank Cherry Republic for giving him the opportunity to be apart of the team.
“Mostly my team over here, especially Roni Hazelton, she’s been my manager, and she’s kept pushing me to my limits and making sure that I feel comfortable over here. I don’t feel homesick.”
