I know we only have one real place to shop on-base for our groceries. I also realize we have the off base option as well. There are a few American products that I have grown quite accustomed to that they seem to run out of. When I ask an employee about it, they tell me they don't know when it is going to be back in. I may wait weeks or more for it. I have traveled to Camp Zama and Yokota Airbase to get some of these things, because I want them. When I send them an ICE comment about a new product I would like to see at the Commissary or ask them when an old product will return to the shelves, I NEVER get a response from them. I ask them to please respond and give them a way to contact me, but never hear from them. I have done this probably 10 times to no avail. I have even filled out their comment cards in the stores asking for them to contact me back about certain things, but nothing happens. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Does anyone have any suggestions for me at this point?

Talk to the store manager.. He is a very nice guy.

What is his name? Thanks Adam.

I am bad with names. When you first walk in, he is an older fellow. His office is right next to the carts as you walk in. Just explain the situation. I am sure he will listen.

Thanks, I will do that. It just seems strange that I fill out so many comment cards and do so many ICE comments and get zero comments back from them on any of it. I will hear back from almost any other organization on this base, except them and do not understand why. I would like to know where those cards and comments filter to. It would help to hear back from them when we request it. Thanks for your suggestions!    

Let us know how it goes, and if you get a response/action after you do it.. I hope it helps.

I stopped and talked with the store manager 3 weeks ago and left him my name, email address and home number. I haven't heard anything back from him on my issues. He said he would look into it and get back with me.

I did an ICE comment back from the Mr. Williams (I believe his name is. I think he is the Asst Mgr or something like that of the store). He has been helpful and emailed me about an issue I had previously with something. I was very happy to hear from him, but so far I have heard nothing at all back from the Mgr after speaking with him directly about the issues I had and leaving him my contact info.

Sometimes the ICE comments/suggestions work.

Greetings "Team Yokosuka", Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Daniel Smith and I have just accepted the position as the new Store Director of the Commissary. I will arrive 23 June but please feel free to contact me here if you have a burning issue that can't wait. I have 20+ years in the Commissary system and also 20+ years in Japan. I look forward to the new assignment and serving you, the valued members of the Yokosuka community! Kind regards, Daniel Smith

Daniel,

Please accept a JB warm welcome back to Japan. We see you have +25 years of experience to Japan. We dont have to tell you much about the climate, and issues those face living here and the issues people gripe about.

There are a few older posts I found about Commissary:

Price Gouging at the Commissary?
http://www.japanbases.com/home/foru.../7821.aspx

Commissary Music!
http://www.japanbases.com/home/foru.../7833.aspx

Keep Jacob's coffee in stock! It's been out for over a month and I'm down to my last pots of it from my stash.

btw, does anyone know if we can special order items from other commissaries in the area? We used to be stationed at a very small base and they had special order forms so you could order stuff from the big ones at Lakenheath and Mildenhall. Can we do that here? If Yokota could send over my coffee it'd save me a trip =)

I wish they'd get in a larger selection of whole wheat pasta. There's so much more than lasagna, spaghetti and fettuccine in the whole wheat world. I haven't looked off-base, but I sort of doubt I'll find it there.

I would love to see Stacy's Pita Chips on the shelves. I also haven't seen the On The Go Crystal Light boxes recently. I miss them and would like to see my favorite flavors return very soon.

I love that the commissary has blood oranges on occasion. They are delicious. I also love that you offer Kobe beef.

Hi happy Daniel. A warning first: I am very grumpy at the beginning of my rant, but then I get better. Please read the whole thing thought!
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You keep Frankenstein milk on the shelves. Shame on every single solitary last one of you who is responsible for the reorder of supplies at the DECA here. Shame, shame, and shame.

Not only do you keep that sick and twisted chemistry hodgepodge, you revel in the freakishness of it (signs everywhere bleed: look! Now you can buy a 70 gallon jug of this freakishly pliable milky liquid that resembles milk!)

I'm not a hippie herbal granola treehugging freak. I'm really not. (I once bought a shirt that read FOR EVERY ANIMALS YOU DON'T EAT, I AM GOING TO EAT THREE. I also miss those Styrofoam containers that used to hold McDonald's burgers). My beef lies in the fact that for the last 17 months our Commissary has done their absolute BEST JOB POSSIBLE to NOT deliver Hokkaido milk.

I do not know how or where Hokkaido milk is made. I only know it is manna from the heavens. It is, quite simply, the most delicious and the most yummy milk ever created here on earth. Seven years I have lived here in Japan and just after I cross over the international dateline as I return to this country, I think about the pluses of Japan. The first thing I think about is how FREAKIN' YUMMY this Hokkaido milk is. And that is a fact.

But our Commissary is so terribly passive-aggressive about this little bit of yumminess.

I cannot imagine a weaker system of delivery. The hit-or-miss ratio for finding Hokkaido Milk is around 9 percent. This is based upon 7 full years of empirical evidence.

That means 9 percent of the time I've found it stocked on the milk shelves. The rest of the time I get to see Frankenstein milk with an expiration date that surpasses President Obama's first term. I mean really, you people...you buy milk on May 7th and it has an expiration date of December 10th? Do you really think that's the best thing going for you in the milk dept? Really? Really?

Hokkaido milk is a one hundred percent guaranteed sell. It's the milk equivalent of the world's most delicious chocolate (one taste and you are hooked). Every second it takes the stock guy to put another quart on the shelf is 1/100th the time it takes the hungry masses to rip it off of those shelves there and grin like a happy idiot.

Daniel Smith: I'm outta here. I'm gone, baby gone. Seven years living here and come June I'll have crossed over to the evil empire...EUROPE. But I tell you this with absolute certainty: that light blue container top and dark blue container top (half/whole milk) Hokkaido milk you have? The one with the weirdo picture of some cow gnashing on grass in some weirdo place in weirdo Japan???? Sir, have you located said product?

That is your moneymaker. That is the best milk you sell.

Welcome to Japan and I hope you like this place...because I freakin' love it here (even though our Commissary didn't sell Hokkaido milk as much as they should have). Take care, happy dude. I wish you the best!

Jacob's Coffee, Whole Wheat Pasta, Pita Chips, Crystal Light and last but not least, something about Hokkaido milk, got it! Keep in mind, I don't report till late June and it takes about 6 weeks once an item is ordered in from the US for us to receive it in Japan. Come see me in mid August if you don't see your items! As for the Hokkaido milk, not sure why the shoddy deliveries are occurring but I will make some calls once I arrive. If I recall, that milk is non-pasturized and runs about 6% milkfat. That's probably why it's so darned yummy. Any local company providing fresh dairy items must pass a sanitation inspection from US Military Food inspectors or else we can not do business with them. They might have failed an inspection or let their current contract lapse without renewing it, too many possibilities for me to venture a guess now. Give me a few weeks to get my feet wet, then I will have an answer for you.

~Kampai~ Dan

It would also be nice to know that our comments on in store comment cards or ICE comments are being viewed. I have asked for responses sometimes and never gotten them.

I have had many issues with the deli here. I have gone and asked for a pound of slice cheese and i am told very rudely to go and get the pre sliced one with the paper in it and in order for me to get a pound it is like 6 packs of it. i just one thing of it so i can put it in the cheese holder that i have. i just want to be able to walk to the deli counter get my cheese with out the freakin attudude and told to get it all ready sliced and then have comments made in a launage i can not understand. Huggies diapers, make sure that is something you have on hand. you walk in there most of the time size 6 is out, but Luv's Pampers, and the gernic ones are all there. but some kids tushies are sensitve and need certain diapers. OxyClean, how in the heck do you run out of stain removers?? that is like a god send on this base but the past month it has been out, and i have asked about it and get the i dont know answer. it is getting old.

@AdinaVerbena Kaldi Coffee Farm off base is an import store and has a great selection of whole wheat and veggie pastas. There is one in the basement or More's City, one in Keikyu Kurihama Wing Mall and a big one in Grandbury Mall near Atsugi. @krjkv ditto on the bad service in the deli. I make quiche all the time and need a block of swiss so I can grate it at home. I too get the response of "get it from the cooler" and I have to explain myself every time. We definitely do not have a full service deli and I too am tired of the dirty looks when I have a request. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel though...only three months and then back to the real world.

Daniel Smith,

I just wanted to say I think you've done an excellent job reshaping the commissary.

It looks great! Keep up the good work!

They must have done that over night or I have not been in there for a while...

Prime, not sure when they did it, but the entire store looks different. The isles are all changed up, things are moved all over the place, but I think its looking a hell of a lot more professional.

I just remembered when I saw the change in the store, I remembered about this post.  I had to find it and tell everyone.  Mr Smith posted earlier in this thread who is the new store manager.  He announced to everyone he was coming, so he must of been busy getting his people to make all these changes.

When the bagger took my groceries out to my car, I asked her, "Was there a new manager to the store?", she replied, "Yes, he is a really nice man. He is changing a lot in the store."

So just wanted him to know we are noticing the changes, and atleast to me, its moving in the right direction.

Now if only he could get that produce section up to speed lol. Baby steps ehh.

I would ask of Mr Smith to not let them close the Self-Checkout lines so early.  I've seen them close up to an hour before store closure while the express line piles up with last minute shoppers.

My wife worked commissaries for many years and  we understand they need to count the cash and clean the registers but this only takes about 10 minutes for efficient workers; while the SC registers sit un-used for 30 minutes or more. 

I agree Adam......the commissary looks great! E/thing is a lot more tidy. It looks like a lot of hard work went into organizing e/thing. I knew good things were to come when Mr. Smith took the time to introduce himself on this forum. It showed that he was aware of the concerns out there and was prepared to tackle the problems head on. Welcome to Yokosuka Mr. Smith!

I agree the store looks good and kudos for getting oxy clean powder back on the shelf...I must ask why you would put the ceral with the chips? Not what I think of when I see chips....Also, why so so many varities of cereal? maybe switch out the ones that aren't selling with something new...Chocolate Cheerios? My mom is sending me 4 boxes b/c i want some...LOL
The milk situation~frustrating....that's why I buy the organic milk that has a much shorter shelf life...
I will also say hooray for the getting all those shelfs out of the isle near the meat....you could not get around someone b/c of those extra shelves...

I met the new General Manager a couple of weeks ago when he was manning the front desk. I asked him to look into why produce products were so high and I expect he will soon discover he is powerless to change that fiasco.

I too have noticed a positive change in the Commissary these past few weeks.

Its the past few years that have been the problem. Working in retail jobs for many years, the commissary and NEX have blown me away in how bad they miss the mark when it comes to customer service. I feel like they finally have someone who actually gives a crap about what we, the customer, think. My three biggest complaints I would like to see addressed.

1. Customer service - Seriously, what do I have to do to get a please, thank you, or have a nice day from anyone who works at the commissary? This is basic stuff. Employees should engage customers, not try to ignore them so they aren't bothered with our stupid questions. Baggers are even worse, we had one woman talk on her cell phone trying to bag groceries (failing both) and still wait for a tip at the car! You don't have to do much for me to tip well (i get it, your tip is your paycheck) but you do have to concentrate on doing your job.

2. Sunday afternoon shopping - I hope the new manger knows that lots of folks shop for groceries on Sunday afternoon and early evening. This is not the time to go down to one or two lanes so your employees can leave early. Once, the line went back to the milk section with one teller open. There were other tellers cleaning their register stations, counting cash and stocking shelves. Get on a register and get us out of the store!

3. Expiration dates - I know the vets sign off on food that can go past the listed expiration date. Its annoying, but I understand. However, can the vets stamp a new date on there? I buy canned food that expires in two weeks. Is it good for another month, six months, a year? I rely on the date stamp and if that is no longer valid, it would be nice to have a new one to reference.

The only reason I write this is because I actually have faith in the new manager and hope he will make these changes. Good luck Mr. Daniel, you have your work cut out for you.

These are great comments. I was last based in Yoko back in '96 and had the same gripes back when (not to mention the "mafia" that controlled hiring so that only their friends got positions there.) Glad to hear that there have been some recent positive changes.

Now if just the NEX would clean up its act, things would really be dandy.

-MC I have never had an issue with customer service, The first thing I do when I walk up to the line is shoot them a smile and say "How you doin" They always reply back with a smile and thank you...I do have a great smile though. ;~)

why is the commisarry too cheap to pay someone to pick up carts from the cart outposts but the nex will. its inconvient for people without cars to carry a lot of bags around to the taxi stand or to the barracks they have plenty of carts anyways

I have no complaints about the commissary overall. They do a pretty good job for a small store. Like the new lay a lot. Thanks Mr. Smith! Just one thing...... am I the only one that notices a lack of healthier items? ? Seems like there's a lot of junk food in there. It would be nice to see more low sodium, organic, natural products, etc.

Yeah I think someone has spoken to the workers. Over last 5 years I have rarely if ever gotten a please or thank you from any of the baggers either while bagging my groceries or while putting them in the car. Last 2 days I been there, EVERY cashier and bagger have greeted me and said please and thank you at the appropriate times. Amazing....

I agree with cntoki95 about stocking "more healthy options, low sodium, organic, natural products" I am an educator and allow students to eat healthy food any time they want as long as it does not disrupt the class. It would be great if the students had more choices that would qualify as healthy for them. It's important that our kids have the same good products that are readily available to them in the States. Thank you cntoki95 for bringing this up.

Hello,
I would like to know if the coupons are reaching the correct shoppers. My American Legion Auxilliary has been sending coupons for a year and as I clip coupons I wonder if you really need dog and cat food coupons. I'd like feedback regarding the types of coupons needed at the commissary. If you would like to email me direct my email address is betsywilliams@att.net.
Thank you,
Betsy

I am not there yet Betsy so I don't know if they are reaching the correct shoppers. however I can tell you that if I saw dog coupons, I am very greatfull!

They have bags of coupons right when you walk into the commissary and a HUGE box overflowing with them right next to the elevators in the Community Center. FFSC moved them down there so you don't even have to go upstairs to get them. I know many families who love the coupons and use them religiously- THANKS to all the people sending them.

Dog and Cat Food coupons are good- pet treats too!

bets219,

My friends and I also send coupons, and we wondered if they were received or used. Please see feedback in previous forum under Family/Curious about Coupons. We just sent a box today with $14,000 worth!

I just went to the commissary yesterday and many of the healthier items were sold out. So it appears that I'm not the only one buying them. Credit where it's due.....They do stock a few good items. The selection is small though and quantities limited.
I pack my husbands lunch each day. He is on a sodium/cholesterol restricted diet. Let me tell you, it is really hard to get variety in that lunch box. The deli stocks only ONE low sodium lunchmeat.... although they'll gladly give you the Sara Lee Low Sodium brochure listing all the things they don't stock.
I'm with Toraenglish...snacks are hard. Most of them are junk in disguise. Sure ,low-salt, fat-free... but how much sugar, artificial ingredients and preservatives are in there?
I'm not suggesting we go full blown Whole Foods Market. Just a few more options would be nice.

If anyone knows of any healthy treats I'm over looking. Please tell me!
Remember, I'm packing lunch for a MAN. I can only feed him so much yogurt and granola before he rebels. ;-)

Oh yah..... I must also be the only one who reads the labels. On many of the fresh products, the commissary puts their date sticker right on top of the ingredients list so you can't read it. Check the tortillas next to deli for example.
Just bought a pack . Who knows what's in them...

To all those who are sending coupons- THANK YOU. The coupons are always made available to us - all we have to do is stop by Fleet and Family (either the entrance, by the elevators) or the large coupon stand on the 4th floor [as previously mentioned]. So, again- thank you for taking time to cut them all out, bag them up and, shipping them over to us.

I also want to join the "bring more healthy options to the commissary" bandwagon. I would love to see pre-packaged fruit/veggie/salad bowls in the to-go cooler. Working folks and high school kids who raid the commissary during lunch would be excellent target groups for healthy foods on-the-go. I had thought the auto-port was going to be an option-- but I've not heard when that drink bar/foods-to-go is going to be up and running.

Also, great job to the commissary for restructuring the aisles and adding the Naked Fruit Juice cooler!!!!

I too would also love to see more whole foods, and organic options for babies as well. I had to have my mom ship me certain baby foods, because of the chemicals in some of the jarred foods. Also - can we get more of a brand variety of infant formulas? A lot of the similac formulas list the second ingredient as either Corn Syrup Solids or some form of sugar. Not exactly something I want to give an infant. A better variety of HEALTHY baby/kid snacks in general would be great (ie - variety of the baby "cheetos" - the zesty tomato ones are too zesty for an infant, and more flavors of the puffs).

Clearblue Digital pregnancy tests, and ovulations/fertility monitors. There are so many people here trying to get pregnant, and there are no tools for us unless we order online.

BETTER FISH! OMG I am so tired of having to go out in town to get decent looking fish. The salmon fillets in particular look anemic and freezer burned. Thanks - the store looks fantastic!!!

Its so funny that all of you complain that the commissary doesn't sell enough healthy food. The commissary is filled with healthy food but you all are not buying it. The commissary wants to make money. If you QUIT BUYING UNHEALTHY JUNK then they would sell less of it and naturally they would sell more of the healthy stuff IF YOU ACTUALLY BOUGHT IT instead of LETTING IT ROT ON THE SHELVES. FYI, Frozen vegetables are better than "fresh" veggies because they are flash frozen immediately after being picked.

Go out in town and buy fresh fish and shrimp. Why do you need to have it sent from America or even worse, Chile? We live in Japan, an island in the Pacific ocean. If you are really concerned about buying organic and fresh then get that kind of stuff here.

But seriously, how much LOW FAT yogurt do you all need? The commissary doesn't even sell PLAIN YOGURT with all the fat. They sell the low fat stuff...you can't even cook with that. You have to have the fat from the yogurt when you use it for cooking. Heaven forbid I actually want to make some Tzatziki. Low fat makes it taste like crap. I have been going out in town to buy the excessively runny Japanese yogurt that i have to drain in my fridge for 2 days before its firm enough. Japanese yogurt tastes Amazing that way.

The worst thing about the Commissary is EXPIRATION DATES. Food that is organic or fresh, the kind you all are claiming you want more of, is meant to be eaten before the natural preservatives fail. The dairy aisle is really hit or miss because of this problem.

AmericanCherryBlossomGirl.

We have been making Caspian Sea yogurt at home for years without any special equiptment. All you need is a couple glass jars (like the ones from pasta sauce) I usually add wheat germ or flax seed and fresh or dried fruit, but it's good plain. Sometimes I make low-fat, other times from whole milk

We sterilize the jars in the microwave with a little water, let the jars cool to room temperature, pour in about a half inch from our mother culture, let sit overnight, mix, and it's ready the next morning.

You can Google and find more info, including cultures for sale, or I'd be happy to share mine.

Here's one link that explains more about Caspian Sea yogurt and how to make it at home:

http://www.happyherbalist.com/caspi...yogurt.htm

AmericanCherryBlossomGirl,

Actually, they do sell PLAIN yogurt with all the fat. It's the organic one.."Stoney field" I think... but they are always OUT of it. I get the fat free variety when it's in stock, but that is hit or miss. I too buy the excessively runny yogurt from town.
Here's my issue...while I LOVE plain yogurt, my husband does not. Sure, I can add fruit etc.... But since I'm cooking three meals a day from scatch, a convenience item here and there sure would be nice. Except for the PLAIN yogurt, the yogurt is crap. Read the labels. When the second ingredient after milk is HFCS, it's JUNK FOOD! Could we please have some healthy flavored yogurt?

I'd say I do 90% of my shopping in town. Some things we like are unavailable here so I get them at the commissary.
You're right...veggies and seafood are much better in town. I don't buy that from base. Watch out for salmon purchased in town though, it is almost all farmed salmon from CHILE. Read the labels.

I wasn't just talking about fresh and organic food though. How about canned veggies with no added sodium? Currently there is one brand of canned tomatoes that don't have salt. How about unsalted peanuts? Snack items with less sugar and salt.

Btw...I AM BUYING the healthy food, when it's there. I DON'T BUY JUNK.

Is there anway that us, non-military off base folks get access to this heaven with real food from home?

ionix, sorry, no. Not even a Military member or dependent can sponsor you to come in the commissary. It's strictly a privilege for Military and family.

Ionix, Here is a link to a company in Kobe that helped us survive before we got SOFA status... http://www.fbcusa.com/cs/index.php

I bought some raspberries on Monday and they were quite possibly the BEST raspberries I've ever eaten. I wish I had bought more than 2 packages they were so delicious.

OMG~what is up with the milk situation at the commissary today? I was there on Saturday and the milk had exp. date of 8/11 ok so no problem I get 1/2 gal and come back on tuesday....same situation and even the yucky big jugs had a short short shelf life....
Come on~did a truck break down or what? LOL

I hope their cabbages are fresh and good! They're yummy to eat, but I love them more for their texture and looks, haha! So green, wrinkly, soft! And round!

what is up with the milk situation at the commissary today?

EXPIRATION'S is probably the worst part of the commissary. They can clean the isles, get new products, keep them stocked, but until they fix the EXPIRATION problems, I dont see things fixed.