Managers: Family pays attention to detail, quality and service

Raffi Karayan and Vahan Magtesian share district manager duties for Super King Markets in Southern California.

Karayan has been with the company for 15 years, Magtesian for 17 years. Both previously spent 20-plus years with Jon’s Markets.

The two work together to make sure everything runs smoothly, from operations, employment and quality issues – “the whole thing,” Karayan said.

Karayan and Magtesian enjoy working with the Fermanian family, owners of Super King.

“The family is very involved,” Magtesian said. “They’re very giving people. For them, to give to the community is more important than making profit.”

He said when he started working for the company, Vache Fermanian told him he wanted to make friends instead of money. “For him, if he found a good deal, he would not benefit from it. He will say just pass it to the customers. Make the customers happy.”

According to Karayan, the family has created a high-volume, good quality, clean, lean operation.

Both district managers praised the Fermanian family’s work ethic.

“They worked very hard to get where they are,” Magtesian said. “And everybody likes them. All the employees like them; everybody enjoys working with them. Very seldom [do] people quit because they really love working in this company.”

Karayan noted the “commitment and dedication” of the Fermanian family. “Everybody’s on top of the business and taking care of business. It’s not like putting it on cruise control. They’re on site, they’re on the floor. They pay attention to detail, quality and service.”

Magtesian added that the owners “have a great drive to constantly improve the stores, making sure the store cleanliness is up to standard, making sure the stores are always in great shape.”

All the Super King stores have been remodeled and “every store is beautiful,” he said. “We want to have a good image and good presentation for the company. Also, they take care of the employees, they make sure everybody’s treated well.”

Both men have a passion for the grocery industry.

“As I always say to my store directors, to all the employees, if you don’t like this job, get out. Because this job is passion. It’s taking care of customers…every day is a challenge,” Karayan said.

He said he calls his store directors every morning and always tells them, “It’s a beautiful day because every day is a beautiful day to wake up and see what accomplishments and what achievements have been done and where Super King has gone.”

Magtesian, who graduated from technical college in electronic engineering, said his passion is grocery. “I ended up working in the grocery business. I love working with people, so I chose management.”