Wendy’s can’t get out of its own way.



Food manufactures and food retailers that are embracing the grocerant niche filled with ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat fresh prepared food are garnering market share from legacy company’s that just can’t seem to get out of their own way. Many companies are entering the fresh prepared food niche for the first time.

Consensus decision making does not work well in the creative process. Given the ideation must accomplish a set of goals; those goals can’t be defined by 15, 20 and 25 year franchisee’s who want to remember yesterday and look backward rather than look at today let alone look forward. Success can be grounded in the past but must be contemporized for today’s consumer.

Restaurant consumers are dynamic not static. Wendy’s customers of 15, 20 and 25 years ago are older. 
They like the brand but don’t eat burgers, fries and frosty’s as much or as often use too. Reverting to copy cat marketing once again Wendy’s misses the mark. This time copying Burger Kings “bigger burger” theme is not good enough. Just look at the results of Burger King, how well did it work for them?

While other restaurant chains are reporting up sales numbers Wendy’s/Arby’s Group is not. Recycling old ideas that did not work and copy cat positioning are not steps too growth or profitability. Retail foodservice success is can be found in new product for today’s customers. Wendy’s appears to want to do what it has always done. How well do you think that will work?

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits. Invite Foodservice Solutions® to provide brand and product positioning assistance or a grocerant program assessment. Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A.

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