1,2, 3, and TO-GO; may be the way for Friendly’s

Repositioning a legacy concept for contempory relevance is a daunting task. Success does leave clues and Friendly’s Ice Cream Corp. has picked many of the clues up. The goal was to fit the concept more squarely into the fast casual niche. They have had to make many major adjustments

Remember that the traditional Friendly’s building is large, with table service meant to provide a guest experience of 45 minutes. That just does not work for in the fast casual niche with respect to time or cost.

Here is what they did, first up a new menu with focus on ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat To-Go foods and new packaging to ensure that customers will get the food home or to the office in top condition. Jim Sullivan, vice president of development stated “The ordering counter has a case stocked with cold beverages and grab-and-go side dishes. Outside, a new logo tells passersby that this isn’t their father’s Friendly’s.”

“We play very well in fast casual based on the portability of our product offering," Sullivan continued. Ice cream, he adds, fills in daypart gaps of afternoon snacks and evening treats.

The grocerant niche is filled with opportunity. Companies large and small are entering and finding success with ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food. The grocerant niche consist of ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food that is portable with a halo of “better for you”. Saving time fall within that halo.

Join me here on my blog for insights, information and inspiration. Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook at Steven Johnson