Dorothy Lane Elevates Grocerant Fresh Prepared Ready-2-Eat & Heat-N-Eat Takeout Food

Regional grocery stores are creating grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat & Heat-N-Eat platforms that have more relevance than national grocery store chains according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Three-store, Dayton, Ohio-based Dorothy Lane Market using the tagline “Fast food the way it should be,” is raising the bar on retail foodservice with its Gourmet Takeaway, which features fresh deli main dishes and sides made in store every day.  This is an example why restaurant customer counts continue to decline according to Johnson.

Eric Richard, education coordinator for the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association, Madison, WI, stated “Variety and personalization are really important, and supermarkets have an advantage in this arena because they allow shoppers to customize a protein with sides and build the meal that they want,”

At Dorothy Lane consumers can choose from a menu of a la carte entrees and sides or build a Dinner Deal that includes an entree and two sides for $8, $10 or $12. At its Washington Square and Oakwood locations, Dorothy Lane shoppers can pick up a What’s for Dinner bag featuring fresh-cooked veggies, an entree and a side dish.

Richard continued “Overall, we’re seeing a lot more interest in Asian and Hispanic side dishes. People want more hot and spicy dishes, as well as sweet and hot,” Richard, who points to a recent study indicating that 71% of millennials and 55% of boomers enjoy spicy foods.

Alice May Block  famously said “Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.” However in the minds-eye of today’s consumers like blod flavors that have high protein, gluten free, keto, paleo, vegan, organic, local, fresh, all-natural, free from artificial ingredients, preservative free and non-GMO according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or www.twitter.com/grocerant/

At Taco Bell Value is Out ‘Craving Menu’ is In but will Pricing be a Problem

They call it fast food for a reason.  One of those reasons is given its limited menu most fast food retailers can realign, reset, customer relevance with a new slogan, menu or Limited Time Offer faster than other retail fresh food retailers according Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

It was not long ago that Taco Bell promised 20 new $1 menu items, a goal it reached with the Grilled Fiesta Potato Breakfast Burrito, Spicy Tostada and Chicken Mini Quesadilla. Clearly that was a sign to consumers that Price was it’s number one concern according to Johnson.

Now that the economy is humming along it clear that Taco Bell’s Global Chief Brand Officer Marisa Thalberg wants to realign, reset, adding incremental profit with relevance driven by marketing messaging according to Johnson.

Thalberg is going to introduce a new “Cravings Value Menu” with items ranging from $1 single items to $5 boxes resetting the Price, Value, Service equilibrium according to Johnson.  Starting on Dec. 27, the limited time offer consisting of its Grande Burrito for $1 in two varieties: Chicken Enchilada and Three Cheese Nacho.

This is an effort to move Taco Bell from a focus on price to one of product according to Johnson. Thalberg stated   “As a brand that likes to challenge industry norms, we have really sought to rethink what a value menu should be and the conventions of storytelling for it,”

The company plans to elevate its least expensive menu items with national ads featuring what it promises is “a world that is fantastical and surreal” that discusses “value beyond belief.” The ads will be televised nationally starting Dec. 27 and will also be featured on the chain’s social and digital platforms.

The Cravings menu will continue to have $1 items, including the Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito, Beefy Fritos Burrito, Triple Layer Nachos, Cheesy Roll-Up, Spicy Tostada, Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla and Beefy Mini Quesadilla, along with other items.  It will also be rolling out more $5 boxes.

How well will it work with Christmas bills coming due in January and a looming trade war?  Well we will just have to wait and see.  I want to thank all of you who have asked about this promotion and it’s timing.

Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization? Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

Is the Chain Restaurant Business Model Broken?

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson asks “do consumers want more home-cooked Meals in 2019 than they bought in 2018 and 2017?  If so just what does that mean for chain restaurant sales? 

Well one online grocery store Peapod, found that Millennials were particularly interested in whipping up meals at home in a new Peapod, found more than three-quarters (77 percent) of respondents to a recent survey said that they'd rather eat a homemade meal than go out for dinner. What's more, they're planning to make good on this in the new year: 43 percent intend to cook more in 2019 – the number rising to 59 percent for Millennials. The report also found that in/for 2019:

1.       Reasons for cooking at home include cost savings (77 percent),

2.       Eating healthier (51 percent)  

3.       Family time (41 percent overall,

4.       48 percent for Millennials).

5.       The weekdays are the top times to cook at home, Wednesday being the top day to cook from scratch (75 percent) or using meal kits (51 percent).

6.       The biggest food resolutions are to eat healthier (53 percent), eat less processed food (51 percent) and order less takeout (40 percent).

7. Keeping it simple will be important for Americans, with 47 percent of all adults surveyed wishing to take advantage of at least one of the following: click-and-collect (27 percent), home delivery (26 percent) and/or meal kit delivery (20 percent).
8. Men are more interested than women in using a meal kit (23 percent versus 18 percent), as are Millennials compared with Baby Boomers (60 percent verus 31 percent).
9. Millennials show far more interest than Boomers in creating weekly meal plans (51 percent versus 16 percent), cooking with kids (39 percent versus 9 percent) and using home delivery (29 percent versus 10 percent). It's likely that having children leads to all three of these being more important to Millennials than to the Boomer generation.

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit www.GrocerantGuru.com , www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or call 1-253-759-7869

Grocery Store Fresh Prepared Food Attracts Yesterday’s Restaurant Customers

Grocery store grab-and-go, Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat grocerant niche fresh prepared food continues to be the platform that takes the stress out of cooking dinner according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. 

Recent Grocerant ScoreCards indicate that 88 percent of Americans feel stressed celebrating the holidays, with 30 percent dreading cooking a holiday meal so guess where they are search for mix and match meal component options?  Well according to Johnson, consumers are turning to the service deli at their local grocery store.

Eric Richard, education coordinator for the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) stated that “Side dishes play an important role in connecting with today’s shoppers, who are looking for prepared foods,” “It’s really important for supermarkets to know what their consumers want in terms of different flavors and tastes from their prepared foods.”

Let me ask retailers how are you elevating side dishes that complement not only holiday dinners but dinner every night? Mix and Match meal components bundling are key takeout fresh food sales.  If you are a grocery retailer with a desire to garner restaurant customers it’s time to up your fresh food game.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or twitter.com/grocerant

Dunkin help the Girl Scouts Once Again

Most of you remember the song by Robert Palmer “You Can’t get enough of A Good Thing” well Dunkin sure does and they believe it as they are once again helping the Girl Scouts of the USA by selling Coconut Caramel and Thin Mints inspired coffee flavored beverages according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Under a licensing agreement with Girl Scouts of the USA, Dunkin’ will bring back Coconut Caramel and Thin Mints inspired coffee flavors, along with new Trefoils shortbread flavor. All will be available by the end of December through the beginning of spring 2019 at participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide.

Thin Mints coffee flavor features the classic cookie’s combination of cool mint and decadent chocolate, while the Coconut Caramel coffee flavor treats with the taste of toasted coconut together with creamy caramel. The new Trefoils shortbread coffee flavor brings the sweet and buttery flavor of the traditional shortbread cookie to Dunkin’ coffee. All of Dunkin’s coffee flavors inspired by Girl Scout Cookies will be available in the brand’s full lineup of hot and iced coffees, espresso beverages, frozen coffee and frozen chocolate. With Dunkin’s new handcrafted espresso experience, featuring new equipment and a new recipe, guests can enjoy authentic lattes and cappuccinos with a new robust flavor and a rich, smooth, balanced taste.

To help support Girl Scouts participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, Dunkin’ franchisees at select locations across the country will once again welcome girl entrepreneurs, as local troops will be invited to sell Girl Scout Cookies at Dunkin’ restaurants on weekends in February. Through opening their doors to Girl Scouts in 2018, Dunkin’ gave more than 12,000 cookie entrepreneurs the opportunity to build skills essential to becoming the next generation of female business leaders. Doing good things does drive sales.

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

Are Consumers Ready to Forget City Grocery Stores for Farmstead

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCards have consistently shown that consumers prefer food that has the ‘halo’ of better for you around it according to Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®.  Recently digital micro-grocer Farmstead raised an additional $2.2 million venture round to help accelerate its nationwide expansion empowering incremental choice for consumer looking for fresh food that is ‘better-for-you”.

Farmstead is less than three years old.  They source and delivers fresh, local food from farm to fridge within 60 minutes, using its AI-powered predictive analytics models to accurately predict demand and supply accordingly to help minimize food waste. The company currently serves the Bay Area, where its customer base has been growing 20%-30% month over month with strong repeat business, according to a statement.

Mike Hirshland, general partner with Resolute Ventures stated “To replace a trip to the grocery store, so many things have to go right, from ordering the right inventory to last-mile delivery,” “Farmstead has cracked the code on making grocery delivery profitable and rapidly scalable—this could legitimately become a monster company.”

Legacy grocery store are still focused on driving customers into their legacy footprint grocery stores where consumers spend an average of 43 minutes in the store.  Let’s stop right here and just think about it.  From farm to fridge in 60 minutes or spend 43 minutes in a grocery store buying old food?

Legacy grocery stores reputation for innovation has not be stellar over the past 30 years.  If fact most grocery stores today look like those of 1970.  Why?  Legacy grocery stores must start looking a customer ahead rather than looking back.  Consumers are starving for grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.  What are you selling and where are you selling it?

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

Restaurant Sector Customer Traffic Continues in the RED Its time to Wake-up

The restaurant sector continues to bleed customers.  Just in-case you don’t understand the consequence of capitulating year over year same store customer counts for six years, well; it’s not a good thing according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

The simple fact is consumers food consumption patterns have evolved and many restaurant menu’s look more like a restaurant of the 1980’s, 1990’s, or 2005.  That my friends is a long way from what a fresh food restaurant will look like five years from now according to Johnson.  Something has to change.

Clearly the restaurant industry leadership of today is comprised of the ‘unwilling to evolve’ as they continue to follow the old CEO adage / first rule of a new CEO ‘do no harm’.  That simply has not worked and will not work moving forward. There is a clear and present danger for many legacy restaurant brands.  That danger is an increasing lack of customer relevance according to Johnson.

Restaurant sector same-store sales rose 1% in November, according to the latest Black Box Intelligence index.  Victor Fernandez, vice president of insights and knowledge for Black Box parent TDn2K, stated “same-store takeout sales are up nearly 9% year to date, according to Black Box, while dine-in same-store sales are negative.”  Just stop and think about that. 

 Back in the day the team at Foodservice Solutions® was first to identify, quantify, and qualify The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome, and few chain restaurants were willing to evolve.  They hunkered down and practiced brand protectionism.   However, those in the foodservice that did are garnering incremental customers today.

If success leaves clues and it does restaurant brands that embrace change, evolve with consumers will do well moving forward.  If not many will continue to capitulate customer traffic, lose sales, and close stores.  Are you driving top line sales, bottom line profits, and building customer counts?

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or www.twitter.com/grocerant/