Share of stomach equilibrium resetting in 2011.



Restaurants will continue too see a downward trend in per-meal spending during 2011 according to a new study by AlizPartners North American Restaurant & Foodservice Review. Convenience stores will garner both top line sales increases in new customers.

The Grocery sector continues to shed stores from coast to coast lead first by A&P now Albertsons aka Supervalu. Grocery stores focused on trade dollars rather than the consumers will continue this cycle well into 2011. Ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat fresh and prepared food is driving consumer to the C-stores sector expanding the grocerant niche. Restaurants particularly QSR’s are increasingly vulnerable to this increase in completion.

AlizPartners North American Restaurant & Foodservice Review offered the following c-store figures:

-- 5.5 percent same-store growth for c-stores, vs. 1 percent for QSR and fast casual.

-- 48 percent increase in promotional spending on food sales.

-- 43 percent increased food sales in 2010.

-- Top 49 percent of c-store customers purchase food at least once a month.

"A lot of convenience stores have taken advantage of quick, low price and healthy, and that’s a good combination for today’s consumers," Eric Dzwonczyk, co-author of the study and director in the Restaurant & Foodservice Practice of Alix Partners. 7 Eleven

With Wawa, Sheetz and 7 Eleven all either entering new markets or adding new units in 2011 it clear the battle for share of stomach will be heated and fresh! Ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat fresh and prepared grocerant niche food will continue to garner global attention in 2011.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For product or brand positioning assistance contact Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook at Steven Johnson, BING / GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant