Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Roll, Roll, Roll, Away Roller Grill food is getting Fresh..

Harkin back to the days that employee’s uniforms were back & white.  Employees all dawned paper hats, a time that the roller grill was introduced and ready-to-eat hot prepared food was introduced in the Convenience store channel. It was a time when the availability of food staples in extended hours of operations drove sales in this dynamic channel.  The Convenience store channel continues to be dynamic, currently it is booming in the prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food sector or what I call the grocerant sector.  I believe that differentiation does not mean different it means familiar within each food niche and this one is no different.  Consumers young and old are demanding more choice, fresher quality and more contemporary food options.  

Niche and industry global leader 7-Eleven is de-emphasizing the roller grill and recently has introduced Fresh Bananas, Pizza, and Chicken Wings.   They are testing in new pilot stores their “latest insights into market trends to provide a range of 45 freshly prepared food products, including a hot breakfast menu and toasted sandwiches cooked to order.” This test includes a “café-esque range of hot lunch alternatives and will combine with Lavazza to offer barista-made coffee.” 

Sheetz & Wawa both offer a full range of prepared food choice including fresh salads and fruit options. Good companies do good things over and over again.  Recently Wawa CEO Howard Stoeckel detailed several efforts the convenience store chain is undertaking in during the economic slump the US is in, He stated "we're performing better than the vast majority of retailers,"  Fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food products are strongly contributing to on-going sales and profit success.
Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  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.


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Restaurant consumer discontinuity persists.

Restaurant consumer discontinuity is the focus on much attention from consultants to chain executives. As an industry our concern is and should be share of stomach, first by company, second by niche-market share and third the restaurant industry overall.

The economy is not our largest problem it is competition for share of stomach; specifically by the ready-2-eat and  heat-N-eat fresh prepared meal section of the grocery stores and C-stores or as I call it the Grocerant section.  Under reported but noted by Foodservice Solutions® first in 2005.  That was the first year that recorded a consumer increase in percent household spending for food in grocery stores and away from restaurants in 25 years.  We here at Foodservice Solutions® have been discussing this fact since 2005 and studying the grocerant niche since 1997.  

Restaurants, Grocery stores and the Convenience store sectors are all competing for share of stomach and the consumers are attracted to the options presented by within the Grocerant niche.  Is your company in need of a grocerant niche assessment, national or global grocerant store tour? 

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

Monday, November 28, 2011

Ready-2-Eat food positioning is key to retail foodservice success.

Does anyone hear the collective clamoring from consumers that they want to cook from scratch more?  Not a snowball chance in Tacoma, WA did I hear that from my friends, relatives or overnight guest this holiday weekend. My guess is you did not either. 
Research from technomic.com, NPD Group and Nielsen has for the past 7 years documented and confirmed strong growth in ready-2-eat and the heat-N-eat sector aka the Grocerant Niche.  Chain restaurants the ilk of Popeyees.com, Maggianos Little Italy, and Pick Up Stix all specialize in bundled ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat single or family meals.  You can get anything from a Whole Turkey dinner to buy a dinner in house get one to take home for FREE.  

Central Market (HEB), Wegmans, and Wholefoods.com continue leading the grocery sector with ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and fresh prepared food.  Each has edified their market position with fresh food that has regional flavor profiles strengthening overall brand authenticity. In 2010 the only area of the grocery sector to show positive growth was fresh and fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food. 

Restaurant chains, Grocery Stores chains and Chain Convenience stores are all utilizing fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food that is seasonal; regional via LTO’s to build top line sales and bottom line profits.  All food retailers need to look for ways to integrate Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing for sustainable niche growth.

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Food Product Innovation, 10 guidelines for success.

Consumer relevance requires an ongoing strategy for innovation in product / menu development if a brand is to remain top of mind for customers. Building on work by  both John Lord and Stefan Lindegard below are 10 helpful suggestions of common pitfalls to avoid misfiring on your innovation process.

• The lack of and food and brand repositioning innovation strat
egy.

Executives and innovation leaders have failed to link innovation with overall corporate strategy. As a result, the innovation efforts have no clear direction, and there is not the necessary mix of incremental and radical innovation. No strategy, no focused effort, no resul
ts.

• Non- integrated definition of innov
ation.

At Foodservice Solutions we believe differentiation does not mean different rather it means familiar with a contemporized twist. Innovation means different things to different people. Every company should develop its own definition that fits its situation and should use this definition to build a common language for innovation initiat
ives.

• Too much focus on internal capab
ilities and brand
protectionism.

The future of innovation is open and global. Who will understand your customer base first? You? Or your compe
titors?

• Not enough focus on open i
nnovation.

Yes, you need to go open, but open innovation is not the Holy Grail. A key to innovation success is the ability to combine internal and external resources and be in a position to act on opportunities within your brands consumers focus.
  • Internal silos are too firmly ingrained, utilize outside ‘eyes”.
If you cannot make innovation happen across your own business units and functions, how could you possibly expect your innovation to sing beyond your company borders, expensing your brand.

• Too much focus on ideas and too little fo
cus on people.

Consumers are dynamic not static, your brand should be as well. People and processes matter more than ideas. Yet too few companies establish programs in which they can identify and develop the right people and match these people with the right ideas at th
e right time.

• Lack of a strong net
working culture, get outside your box.

Although executives might acknowledge the value of relationships, they often undervalue the importance of a strong innovation culture. People can figure this out by themselves, they say. Not true. Executives need to establish networking strategies and employees need training that fits those strategies, along with the time to build and nurture
relationships. Enlist others to think about your brand all of the time.

• Innovation efforts need to focus both on techn
ology  and food products.

Most companies do not work with innovation models, such as the Ten Types of Innovation developed by Doblin. In that instance, executives are led to focus on innovation within four main categories; finance, process, product, and delivery. This can help employees and external partners view innovation in a m
ore holistic way.

• It's all about
the usual suspects, but don’t exclude the busboy.

Innovation champions and other elite units can work, but the setup of such departments often sends the signal that those guys will take care of it. Other employees might think they do not need to get involved. Sure, everyone should not work with innovation at the same time, but programs or platforms that give everyone opportunities to get involved need to be
put in place, too. Be inclusive.

• Executives and innovation leaders underestimat
e the speed of change.

The consumer is dynamic not static. Things are changing fast, and executives need to move equally fast to claim their position. Yet too many companies have not even begun thinking about open innovation yet. That could prove costly in the long run.
 

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant

Friday, November 25, 2011

Whole Foods Fresh Food saves time, is fun for the family.

Ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared solves the problem what to you feed the company that’s spending the entire holiday weekend. 33 Million Americans went out to restaurants for their Thanksgiving Dinner.  There are no leftovers for them, the rest of you are most likely tired of Turkey already, there is answer Whole Foods. 

If you not cooking but shopping consider one more stop Whole Foods.  In a hurry for a quality “better for you” meal and you don’t have time to cook?  Whole Foods provides a consumer interactive participatory set of options via the ready-2-eat meal stations located around the store.  Seafood, Salads or Steaks at most stores pizza, pasta or potatoes can be found ant many others as well prepared and ready-2-eat or packaged for home consumption and simply heat-N-eat.   

Don’t worry about cooking for the company all weekend or the need to go out to restaurants for every meal. The grocerant niche is filled with options.  Whole Foods is one of the very best in the niche and the walk around the stores will provide you with more options than you ever expected.  Whole Foods Fresh Food saves time, is fun for the family take everyone along and see shopping can be fun filled with food.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Food Brand building top 10 success steps by Foodservice Solutions®.


Purpose.   Why you are there contemporized relevance! The most successful brands are inclusive include values greater than themselves. A lifestyle, a philosophy, an emotion a point in time today that means “ better for you and better for all”.

A story. Most major brands have a story. Examples: if you like Ford vehicles, you might be familiar with the story of Henry Ford or if you love your Nikes, you probably know how the Nike swoosh logo was created.

Consumer interaction. When your business is first starting out, don't fool yourself into believing that your marketing efforts are 'brand building' efforts. They're not because to build a real brand, you have to have an extensive track record with consumers. Consumer will build the brand and the story for you.

Trust. When you've consistently delivered for your customers long enough, you'll gain the type of trust that many brands have.  Would you buy a Toyoda today? Maybe so, but how long do they have to rebuild that trust?

Consistency. When a consumer chooses a product or service because of brand association, he or she is buying an expectation. Perhaps it's the expectation that the branded product is of higher quality or that the service will be provided in a more efficient manner. The expectation must be met time after time.

Differentiation. Expectation is often borne of differentiation. Many brands offer products and services that are commodities but they're successful in developing some differentiation for their products and services that consumers are sold on.

Imitators. Imitation is the sincerest of flattery and you're probably not a 'brand' until you have competitors trying to copy you. Do what you do best and lead your niche don’t follow.

Market leadership Top brands are usually looked at as leaders in the markets they compete in. Own the space, and understand why you do.

Grow The best brands are flexible and capable of reshaping and reinventing themselves and their messages over time. Consumers are not static!  Your brand must be dynamic and grow, change and adapt over time.

A strong marketing presence. The information super highway is evolving; your message must follow the traffic.  Don’t get stuck on the road less traveled.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant

Happy Thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Malaysians reward Jaya Grocer again this Thanksgiving.



Jaya Grocer was first to introduce the grocerant niche to Asia.  Regular readers of this blog know we have highlight Jaya many times.  With the Holiday season in full swing we again want to highlight the success the grocerant niche can bring too retailers around the world.

The Jaya story began way back in the mid 2000s when a few industrious individuals had the vision for a good value supermarket grocer to meet the discerning appetite of Malaysia Klang Valley residents for quality household food products and goods for their everyday needs.

Their flagship outlet at Empire Subang introduced Malaysians to the "Grocerant" experience - fresh from the store, freshly cooked and served. Here's our customers enjoy dining in the store by picking meats right off the shelves and straight to our chefs who then prepare their choice of dishes accompanied with condiments and sides.

Spurred by overseas graduates returning to Malaysia Jaya strives to reward Malaysians with a customization and personalization shopping experience.  They have setup Malaysia's first culinary 'grocerant' - combination of grocery store and restaurant - at our flagship store in Empire Subang.

If Grocerant freshly cooked is the name of the game. El Fresco is Jaya Grocer's introduction of the 'grocerant' (which stands for both grocer and restaurant) to the Malaysian palate and taste.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant

10 fastest growing restaurants all fall within the Grocerant sector.

NPG Group Vice President and noted industry keynote speaker Harry Balzer provided the list of top 10 growing restaurants from NPD’s ongoing data collection of in-home and away-home eating habits. “Growth was determined on a year-over-year percent change in customers for restaurants with more than 300 visits. NPD Group Vice President Harry Balzer acknowledged that a list of restaurants with the greatest number of customers would look different but added that the businesses with the greatest percent change in customers are what the industry looks to for direction in the market.”

Simply look at this list and you can clearly see that every single one of these companies fall within the grocerant sector.  In addition you can clearly see how Foodservice Solutions® 5P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price plays a key role.

Here’s the complete list of the 10 fastest growing restaurants, according to NPD Group:

1.       Five Guys Burgers and Fries

2.       Chipotle Mexican Grill

3.       Jimmy John’s

4.       Buffalo Wild Wings

5.       Little Ceaser’s

6.       Qdoba Mexican Grill

7.       Panda Restaurant  Group

8.       Panera Bread

9.       Papa Murphy’s

10.   Starbucks

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant

Monday, November 21, 2011

Julia Stewart is America’s chain restaurant and retail food success maven.

Cultivating a brands relationship with the consumer is what Julia Stewart does best.  Rule number one that the consumer is dynamic not static she mastered early in her career.  Today her successful stewardship of brands currently in the portfolio of DineEquity Inc. during these turbulent economic times is a look at the future of successful food brand retailing.  

With a background in restaurant marketing success steps and both eyes focused on the consumer Stewart is leading DineEquity with success into the grocerant niche.  No one integrates the Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price: into a retail food concept better than Julia.

Consumers are continually moving and on the go and IHOP is moving with them.  Last week IHOP opened a new express unit, smaller footprint, faster service, filled with legacy brand attributes.  Understanding the consumer acceptance of, and desire for handheld food for immediate consumption IHOP added some new menu items. 

The items include Options include the Cup O’ Pancakes, served in a cup and topped with strawberry–banana, double blueberry or caramel apple toppings; corn cake tacos with meat, shredded cheese and fresh salsa; and lower-calorie options from the chain’s Simple & Fit menu, such as a ham and cheese crepette.”  Julia has put together another team of consumer focused industry leading leaders.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or Bing: Grocerant

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Accelerating retail foodservice innovation will propel growth.

Ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food must have a high degree of consumer relevance to succeed in any retail food niche today. Technomic Inc. understands retail foodservice, the foodservice consumer and is beginning to focus on the grocerant niche. For over forty years they have been listening to consumer and benchmarking key retail food data for manufactures, restaurants, grocery and convenience stores.  They understand what the consumer wants, how they have changed and importantly how they eat.  How they eat, by the way has evolved dramatically over the years.
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets listens to consumer and understands that building top line sales and bottom line profits is a result of giving consumer what they want.  Fresh & Easy has recently launched a better for you line of products called eatwell “a line of more nutritious products to help customers manage their diets without compromising on taste”. They understand that in America we want to eat our way thin.

John Burry, chief commercial officer for Fresh & Easy stated. “We created a range of items designed to make it easier for customers to eat well without compromising on flavor. With products like mojito shrimp and sweet chili chicken, we’re building on the huge success of our kitchen items and helping our customers more easily manage their diets.   This line was based on direct customer feedback, ““Customers asked us for products with less sodium, calories and fat, and we listened “
The eatwell product line contains no more than “25 percent of the daily values (based upon a 2,000-calorie diet) for calories, fat, saturated fat and sodium… The eatwell products also carry front-of-pack nutritional labels, which are designed to communicate the calories, fat.” Grocerant ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food continues to get better for you!
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, BING / GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant

Friday, November 18, 2011

Heat-N-Eat Thanksgiving is as easy a point-click-eat.

Worried about all the extra people coming over for Thanksgiving? Not an issue anywhere in the United States.  Getting a Thanksgiving meal delivered is as easy as point-click-eat. You still have time.  The grocerant niche is filled with consumer focused choice.  Send a meal to a friend.

Ok, so now you need the list:

1.       www.DeanDeLuca.com
2.       www.sendameal.com/seasonal
4.       www.bobevans.com
5.       www.bostonmarket.com/catering
6.       www.crackerbarrel.com
7.       www.HoneyBaked.com
8.       www.Safeway.com
9.       www.albertsons.com
10.   www.meijer.com
11.   www.lazybonessmokehouse.net
12.   www.magickitchen.com/thanksgiving.html
13.   www.dinewise.com/thanksgiving_food
14.   www.Amazom.com
15.   www.themainbakery.com/Thanksgiving-Dinners.html

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Thursday, November 17, 2011

PDQ chicken is Pretty Darn Good.


Bob Basham co-founder of Outback Steakhouse is very good at picking up success clues.  Cultivating success while at Outback was but one of Basham strengths that he brings with him to PDQ, which stands for “People Dedicated to Quality”.  Legacy QSR chicken chains have provided the clues, some by stumbling others with recent success and Bob Basham and his partner Nick Reader have picked them up.

The PDQ concept is the result of two years of researching the sector, sampling of chicken sandwiches from around the country. PDQ is consumer interactive, participatory and transparent. The open kitchen sells quality to the consumer, reinforces freshness and edifies “People Dedicated to Quality”. Utilizing consumer focused “better for you” attributes within the restaurant sector Basham and Reader have created a consumer focused fresh prepared food concept squarely positioned within the grocerant niche.

With a focus on freshness and made-from-scratch food, PDQ crafted a platform for consumer focused differentiation.  That point of differentiation fills the void legacy chicken QSR operators left open. This is very similar to the opening provided both Five Guy’s and Smashburger within the QSR burger sector.  We all know that those two burger chains are leading the industry in growth. Watch PDQ grow.

PDQs is well funded, complemented with proven industry leadership skill set, positioned within the fastest growing sector of retail foodservice the grocerant niche.  The food quality is good.  The menu and operation will continue to develop but the focus on fresh prepared ready-2-eat high quality food will set it apart from legacy retailers.  My success clue for 2011 is DPQ.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Chain Restaurant Brand Protectionism Stifles Growth.

2012 is fast approaching and three retail foodservice trends are clear.  First; the convenience store sector will report the highest increase in sales of any retail food sector in 2011. Second; Grocery stores fresh and prepared food is expanding rapidly while driving all the top line growth in the grocery sector in 2011.  Third: there will be fewer restaurants at the beginning of 2012 than there were at the beginning 2011.  This is a trend that continues to plague the restaurant sector.  The reason is brand protectionism.  

The consumer is dynamic not static.  Many companies within the chain restaurant sector have created “brand” silos.  Restaurant industry titans spend way too much time and effort maintaining the silo, protecting the brand, promoting from within too “maintain continuity”.  While they are “maintaining continuity” their customer has moved on.  The brands become trapped in the silo, sales slip, and franchisee’s flounder. Restaurateurs should fear not the evolution of their retail food brand, but the lack of it. 

The evolution of retail foodservice is a blend of operational efficiencies that complement the 5P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price, while edifying the legacy attributes of a specific brand. Operational efficiencies are a required for brand equilibrium. 

The balance between consumer relevance and brand relevance can only be maintained with dynamic positioning.  The consumer is dynamic not static. The legacy ideation of brand protectionism is tied to the C-level management and marketing mindset of the late 50’s,60’s and 70’s and has no place in contemporary retail foodservice.

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Popeyes Cajun Fried Turkey Thanksgiving.

Popeye’s marketing team understands that on-going industry leadership and niche leadership requires continuously garnering share of stomach from all competitors.  However rule number one is take care of your current customers.  This LTO provides Popeye’s the platform to meet and expand the brand.  Lookiking  for Grocerant program ideations, call Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.
This Cajun Fried Turkey LTO highlights industry leadership at its best.  Popeye’s ready-2-eat Cajun Turkey is a QSR sector leader within the grocerant niche.   Success does leave clues and Popeye’s mix and match bundled options for the Cajun Turkey is a standout choice for holiday meal deal in the entire restaurant sector! This is not the first year we highlighted this particular meal.  Regular readers of the blog understand grocerant niche leaders continue to lead the industry.   

Billy Jacob Executive Chef for Popeyes said ."We hear from our customers every year that they not only enjoy the taste of the Cajun Fried Turkey, but also the fact that it requires less time in the kitchen,… The Popeyes Cajun Fried Turkey takes the guess work out of preparing a great Thanksgiving meal."
Understanding consumers is key; and Popeyes is one company that does. One universal commonality in every retail food sector today is consumer are time starved. In second place is a lack of cooking skills. Popeyes understands both and meets a critical consumer need set with this LTO.
Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

Monday, November 14, 2011

Safeway’s Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat Thanksgiving. Was a big hit!

Safeway continually learning from its customers is set this year to garner top line sales and bottom line profits within the grocerant niche.  Safeway will be meeting and exceeding time starved cooks, novice cooks, and those tired of cooking expectations with a plethora of mix and match meal options.  Don’t want to cook, don’t know how to cook, consider Safeway. 

Leveraging information from its consumers, leading foodservice ready-to-eat research firms, and a team of industry leading foodservice professionals Safeway has a ready-2-eat meal component for everyone.  From a “Frozen Thanksgiving Meal” complete bundle to Ready-2-Eat Complete Holiday Dinners including a “Turkey Dinner”, Spiral Ham Dinner” and Prime Rib Dinner” .  Each of the ready-2-eat dinners come with a unique combination of traditional sides and each has a traditional pie for desert. 

If you’re not cooking the meal but simply hosting a pre-holiday get together the choice of ready-2-eat “Le Petite Croissant Sandwich Tray, Seafood Party Trays, Fresh Fruit Platter or Salas Fresca could be your answer.  Safeway has vertically integrated consumer traditional holiday food preferences into ready-2-eat consumer relevant meal options for multiple day-parts.  As important they are vertically integrating the ready-2-eat messaging into the center of this season’s holiday advertising. Safeway is going to win both the hearts and minds of the consumer while pleasing stakeholders.  

Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price are all in play with Safeway’s ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat holiday options. Here at Foodservice Solutions® we understand that differentiation does not mean different; it means familiar with a twist. This year Safeway understands that for success that holiday twist is Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat Mix and Match meal options. 

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com