Thursday, June 30, 2011

Expanding the food melting pot, the grocerant niche is doing just plus new points of distribution.


Alice May Brock 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.

I say, grocerant meal components bundled and portable make a family meal, a happy meal!

Grocerants allow customers to select from Italian, French, Russian or Greek and utilize the components at home any way they like. The new American meal can be a composite of any prepared food components that the individual may want and they can mix and pair them any way as well. Our society is a composed for people from all over the world, with different cultures, traditions and flavor preferences. The new American meal is a melting pot of flavor and choice.

Prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat foods are now available for all comers and can be found at Convenience stores, Grocery stores, Restaurants, Mobile trucks all just waiting for the taking.

Consumers have been exposed to a plethora of flavors and have not the time to master the skill of cooking each. This growing trend is empowering the consumer to establish new customs and traditions in eating better, more flavorful food. The Grocerant niche is about convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization.

Success leaves clues: Foodservice Solutions® in Tacoma, WA has been gathering them just for you! For a Grocerant program review or opportunity assessment contact Foodservice Solutions®.

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

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Private label food brand managers are out branding legacy retail food brand managers.


Private label branded products contribute too the success of Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Kroger, Starbucks and Walgreens brands while building market share, top line sales and bottom line profits. Without inflated ego’s professional brand marketers continue to create, position and place quality consumer focused products that garner a loyal following.

Economic downturn aside it’s about private label retailers improved quality and selection that is driving the success. A Nielsen survey found “Fully 88 percent of shoppers globally said they intend to keep buying private label even after the economy improves, suggesting that store brand quality has reached parity with national brands and delivers on consumer expectations”.

Private label brand managers have created great-tasting better-for-you comfort food utilizing legacy brands niche success but adding their own twist to create differentiation within consumers comfort zone. Here at Foodservice Solutions® we contend that differentiation does not mean different it means familiar with a twist. Success does leave clues and private label brand managers are picking them up and exploiting them in the Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food niche.

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



Monday, June 27, 2011

Food, Local, Fresh drive decentralization within the grocery sector?


The grocery sector finds itself in another quagmire of its own making. Driven largely by category managers and number crunchers that leverage the past, not present or future of food retailing, again is not sure what direction it should peruse.

Kroger and Safeway have built a national footprint and have tried to leverage buying power into a branding voice. It has not worked. From Tom Thumb to Fred Meyer both Safeway and Kroger allowed regional brands to remain, diminishing any added brand value halo that may have been developed.

Given the growth within ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food niche combined with the consumer focus on sustainably it just might be best for the grocery sector if regional operating chains/units were spun off and allowed to develop their own identity with relevant consumer messaging.

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

Friday, June 24, 2011

Mix and Match food bundling continues to be a hallmark of the grocerant niche.


Customization, personalization, and globalization are key attributes of any grocerant niche fresh prepared food program today. Combine that with the ability for families to mix and match meal components and incremental sales follow.

Subway’s $ 5.00 foot long too First Watch’s “2 for You” a mid day deal that empowers consumer choice allowing them to choose two items from a menu of half - portioned soups, sandwiches, and salads.

First Watch chief marketing officer Chris Tomasso said “the breakfast-and-lunch-only concept conducted 12 months to 18 months of consumer research that found the brand’s customers sought customization options for sandwiches, salads and soups at an attractive price point.”

Food retailers are finding that when these tactics are combined with Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of Marking which are: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price with a consumer focus incremental sales follow.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader within the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson Bing or Google Grocerant or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook.com/StevenJohnson

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Macy’s edifies grocerant niche ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food movement.


Food retailing has forever changed with the success of the grocerant niche. Retailers of all kinds are experimenting selling fresh and fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food creating a high level of consternation in the C-level suites of legacy chain restaurants and grocery stores, simultaneous creating incremental top line sales and bottom line profits for chain drug stores, dollar stores, convenience stores and department stores.

This week Macy’s launched a food truck tour “Macy’s Chefs A-Go-Go”. “The Macy’s-branded truck will make appearances in cities across the country this summer with celebrity chefs on board. The roster includes Rick Bayless, Michelle Bernstein, Cat Cora, Tom Douglas, Todd English, Marc Forgione, Marcus Samuelsson, Nancy Silverton, Ming Tsai and Takashi Yagihashi.

Dishes prepared by the chefs are free, but guests are invited to donate to Feeding America, which is dedicated to hunger relief. For every dollar donated, Feeding America can help provide seven meals to those in need on behalf of local food banks.

The tour kicks off in Miami on June 28 at the Biscayne Triangle Truck Round-Up and will hit New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles -- the latter being what I like to call the buckle of the food-truck belt.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader within the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson Bing or Google Grocerant or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook.com/StevenJohnson

Monday, June 20, 2011

5 tips on getting consumers buying your food for dinner tonight?



Consumers make choices each and every day on what they will eat. When they eat and how they eat. When given the choice, the vast majority do not want to cook. However preparing a family meal consisting of fresh prepared foods components can simplify the process, allowing for greater diversity of flavor profiles and portions size.

Consumer exposure to multi ethnic and multi cultural foods has not only created an ongoing search for the next new flavor or “hot” food entrĂ©e. It has left a void in the cooking skill set. Many consumers simply don’t have the skills or spices on the shelf to prepared there favorite meal. When consumer is shopping for ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat prepared food, here are five top reasons to pick your products.

1. Visceral presentation based on how it looks and is presented.

2. Bundling, the ability to build your meal with components you want.

3. Individualized portions, power to select quality and quantity of items viewed.

4. Convenience, unit /store location on the drive home from work, it’s fast & easy.

5. Price, ability to evaluate price vs. cost at restaurant with tip, and vs. time to cook from scratch.

Grocerant ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food is growing in popularity within every sector of retail foodservice. Is success does leave clues adoption of Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing is one of them.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader within the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson Bing or Google Grocerant or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook.com/StevenJohnson

Friday, June 17, 2011

What we learned this week in Retail Foodservice, compliancy and contrived don’t work.

2011 is nearing it mid-point. This week like so many others this year has provided the clues to success within retail foodservice particularly within the restaurant sector.

1. Leadership compliancy simply is not a platform for success within the restaurant sector when the consumer is migrating too new avenues of food distribution. This week Perkins & Marie Callender filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Consumer are dynamic not static. Restaurant brands that practice Brand Protectionism will simply be left behind. Consumer are looking forward, always seeking the “NEXT BIG THING”. Brands that spend more time protecting the brand rather that growing it will end up the ilk of Perkins & Marie Callender’s.

2. National TV advertising is great for brands. However never under estimate the intelligence of the American Consumer. "America's Next Great Restaurant" the TV show that inspired "Soul Daddy" restaurants after finishing first on NBC's short-lived competition series had opened three restaurants; well this week two of them were closed for good. That is just a month after opening. Consumers call tells the difference between authentic and contrived. Many national chains that are floundering because they lost authentic and force the new “contrived”.

3. Hedge funds continue to look for opportunity within retail foodservice. Those who entered two years ago are seemingly cutting there cash displacement and getting out. While others think we are at the bottom and looking to get in and make there mark (millions). One problem, are they going too keep replacing and recycling industry executives from failed, failing or complacent brand protectionism companies? The results in a dynamic retail foodservice market may not be what they are looking for.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader within the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson Bing or Google Grocerant or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook.com/StevenJohnson

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Legacy retail foodservice is stepping up the tempo of competitiveness for customer dollars.

Re-Branding is not back to the basic’s it’s a step into the future of marketing, positioning and essential for legacy brands continued consumer relevance. Re-Branding means positioning a product, or a company focusing on the core foundation of the legacy product or companies value with a dramatic shift in contemporized customer relevance.
                                        
Grocery stores, Restaurants and Convenience stores are all scurrying to reposition their menu mix of better for you prepared food to garner an increase in share of stomach. Competitive may not be a strong enough word for the battle between sectors and companies for the consumer. The Grocerant niche is where all the action is consisting of better for you prepared portable ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food.
 

McDonalds, Wegmans, Starbucks, Sheetz, Boston Market and Wawa have done great things in the foodservice area but the equilibrium between financial success and breakthrough top of mind recognition might be amiss. In Seth Godin's  book Purple Cow where the entrepreneur wants to recapture some of the magic that the brand at one time had. Godin suggests that the key to success is finding a way to stand out and be remarkable, like a purple cow in a field of regular cows.
 
Subway’s $5 dollar foot-long was and continues to be a Purple Cow.  The $5 dollar foot-long has been an industry leading market share mover allowing Subway to garner additional share of stomach.
 
Equally as bold was Domino's change to its core product its pizza and crust! The new crust is a garlic-seasoned recipe with parsley, and the sauce will be sweeter and bolder with a medley of herbs and a red-pepper kick." The cheese is made with 100% mozzarella, flavored with just a hint of provolone”. Not only were these moves bold, they are targeted directly at the consumer, grounded in consumer relevance. Congratulations Domino’s; marketer’s around the world have been watching in envy, wondering why they have been held back.
 
 Safeway’s “lifestyle” are another example for ground branding a turn away from the middle of the store and focus on consumer relevant fresh, prepared food. These “lifestyle” units have proven a focus on the grocerant niche prepared food sector provides a halo for even the burdened center of the store. This is about winning the heart and minds of the consumer.

Simply look at the results of companies that have not been bold rather they have been incremental at best.  Perkins, Marie Callender’s and Shari’s all have closed stores this past week.

The challenged for each company is the ability to see and understand the customers focus at its core, not your brands core. Success does leave clues and companies leading the charge in 2012 will be leaders within there niche for years to come. Those that do not will be reading headlines that C-level change is coming or came. Without bold new leaders those brands may simply become non relevant. In the event that they are more about their brand than the consumer they will simply fall to the way side.
 
Does your team have the ability to ask outliner questions of researchers in order to identify outliner results for your product or brand? Have you identified a new avenue of distribution or a new product that can be your Purple Cow? Many companies are in turmoil due to the economic quagmire, very few companies will do something bold, new and fresh if they do they will garner market-share for years to come. I 'can't run fast, leap tall buildings but I sure can think outside the box with a consumer focus. Do you need an outsiders eye’s with inside knowledge, capable of assisting you to break out of the quagmire and into a new leadership role within your niche. Now is when the next generations of industry leaders are being formed. We all know the status quo is not. Success does leave clues and looking forward is just one of them.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader within the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson Bing or Google Grocerant or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook.com/StevenJohnson

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Northeast US convenience stores are setting the sector standard in food quality.


It’s no wonder that when people Email or call me about their favorite Convenience stores, they 9 out of 10 times refer to one of these four outstanding Convenience store companies: QuickChek, Rutters, Sheetz and Wawa. Having traveled to 49 states, sampling, viewing and listening I have to agree. When looking at food quality, service levels and customized food products they win hands down. I would say success leaves clues and any company that wants to expand their foodservice sales in the ready-2-eat or heat-N-eat niche, must visit all of these companies.

There can be no confusion in the fact that the Grocerant niche may be taking off in the Supermarket arena as well however from what I am hearing even they have been studying the NE Fab Four! They are allowing consumers to define where they eat, how they eat and when they eat. Even more important is these four operators have established food brands with brand managers that can rival any national restaurant chain. Recent industry research indicates extremely high levels of brand loyalty for each company as well.

Over the next decade as American’s eating patterns are revealed we will find that these Northeast companies provided the format and platform for a new era in food consumption patters. Interested in a emersion tour for Grocerants and developing food trends?

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader within the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson Bing or Google Grocerant or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook.com/StevenJohnson

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Evolving food trends driving top line growth in the Grocerant niche.

Legacy food retailers driven by outdated metric’s just may be unwitting market share capitulators.  One needs only to look at the prepared fresh food area expanding in grocery stores.  Once called the deli section, meal solutions, quick fixes or ready-to-eat sections has now evolved into the Grocerant niche.  Company after company is expanding, enlarging and repositioning in this booming niche to accommodate the demand for increased options for the consumer within fresh prepared food.

Super Max is a great example of a grocer on the path to success within the grocerant niche. Super Max is one food retailer that has done an outstanding job with both the breakfast daypart and lunch daypart.  Safeway’s lifestyle stores are building on the lunch daypart and doing great things in the PM or dinner daypart. Wawa, Sheetz, QuickChek do great things with fresh prepared food and now 7 Eleven is entering the grocerant niche as well with testing new products from coast to coast.

Here are some of the new values driving consumers in the grocerant niche:

1.       Food that is Ready-2-Eat

2.       Fresh, local better for you

3.       Portion size options, single serve

4.       Multiple choice of sides and entree per day

5.       Portability
Retail foodservice marketers can no longer rely on preconceived segmentation strategies, but rather need to think differently about who they are trying to reach and how to reach them. In a world where all shopping has become faster, the grocerant niche provides the bundled solutions consumers are looking for.

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

Monday, June 13, 2011

Manufactures focused on retooling food retailing.


The grocerant niche continues to evolve with the assistance of national and regional food manufactures help. National and regional restaurant chains have for years leveraged internal or external central kitchens to reduce labor cost and improve product consistency.

Supermarkets and convenience stores have been doing the same thing at an increasing rate. Consumer acceptance of the fresh and prepared meal options have been propelling increased consumer loyalty at retail locations offering them simultaneously driving top line revenue and bottom line profits.

Food manufacturing companies have taken notice. Tyson foods, BYO Bistro entrees is a national line prepared meal solutions available for any retailer but focused on direct competition with restaurant meals. Sara Lee it refocusing its efforts on fresh prepared food. Real Mex Foods creates and distributes a full line of specialty food for retailers within southwest flavor profile.

With Dollar stores and national retail drug store chains the likes of CVS and Walgreens jumping into the grocerant niche offering fresh and prepared bundled meal solutions. The opportunity for food manufactures has only just begun.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader within the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson Bing or Google Grocerant or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook.com/StevenJohnson

Friday, June 10, 2011

Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of retail foodservice marketing focus on the future of food retailing.


Tacoma, Washington based Foodservice Solutions® has been gathering retail food success clues since 1991.  Within the clues they discovered some universal commonalities from those commonalities they developed: The 5’P’s of Food Marketing:   Product,   Packaging Placement Portability, and Price.

If you are interested in learning how the 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer focused convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization contact Foodservice Solutions®.

Channel blurring is not in the mind’s eye of the consumer.  It is only in the mind’s eye of the legacy marketing managers in legacy companies. The explosive growth within the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food niche is a perfect example of how the consumer is moving forward.  Retailers must meet the evolving consumer meal assembly need-set.

This year alone Walgreen’s, Rite Aid, Sears and Amazon all have developed and rolled out fresh food programs. 7 Eleven continues building on its global success with fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food. The grocerant niche is redefining avenues of fresh food distribution. In fact it will define success in years to come within each sector including, Restaurant, Convenience Store, Grocery Store and Drug Store channels.

It’s time for many in the industry to reconsider individual brand positions. What does your brand stand for today? Where are consumers heading?  QSR’s are moving into fresh prepared “better for you food”. Grocery stores are selling bundled meal components that are fresh prepared. Chain Drug stores are finding success with fresh ready-2-eat food. Grocerant fresh prepared food is going main stream.  Are you?

Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price are the 5 P’s of successful grocerant fresh prepared food retailing. Combine the 5 P’s with technology, a consumer focus and success follows.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food is expanding the retail food footprint.


Consumers are finding ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food in Dollar stores, Drug Stores, Convenience stores in addition to the usual outlets; restaurants and grocery stores.

Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food is now known as food belonging in the grocerant niche. The Grocerant niche is thriving in large part due to its ability to bundle meal components. Those components create for a family convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization which is a key driver in family meal planning today.

Consumers have been exposed to a plethora of flavors and have not the time to master the skill of cooking each. This growing trend is empowering the consumer to establish new customs and traditions in eating more flavorful food. The Grocerant niche is about convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization.

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

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Global Grocerant development underway France, USA, and Malaysia.


Costco is looking at vacated mall locations in the US to open more stores. Blending ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food with traditional CPG products has proven successful for Costco and these new locations with younger demographics will assist Costco in positioning for the future!

Malaysia’s Jaya Grocer currently in the Empire Shopping Gallery has focused on ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat grocerant food. They are transforming the grocery shopping; blending a dining and shopping experience. Here is how it has been describe in Malaysia.

“THE next time you head for Jaya Grocer to get your fresh cut of steak or seafood, you might not land up taking it out in a bag with you. Instead, you are probably going to enjoy tucking into the steak or fish, the way you like it prepared, sitting down in the middle of the supermarket. This is Jaya Grocer’s newly introduced “grocerant “at its Empire Shopping Gallery outlet – a one-stop shopping and dining experience within a supermarket. Shoppers can walk in, choose their choices of meat or seafood from the butchery or seafood counters, head to the El Fresco cashier to pay for it and specify their choice of how they want it cooked.

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

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Are food retailers Grouponing brand value down drain of the information super highway?


Food retailers create direct relationships with the consumer. The goal is too yield a targeted, repeatable experience which will drive frequency of use while edifying brand value and driving top line sales. Groupon is about DISCOUNTING your product and your brand. Bundling your brand and or your product within a Groupon offer may be counter productive to your long term brand building objective.

The information super highway is a location most consumers frequent. Retail food brands must have a location that is easy for consumer to find. If location, location, location is a key ingredient in success. Then food retailers must be keenly aware of the location that they select even if it is an LTO (limited time offer).

Last month while speaking at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago on the rise of the Grocerant niche; I heard first hand stories of cash flow losses from retail operators selecting the wrong online niche marketing program. While Groupon has been testing and expanding into the supermarket arena I have not as yet hear any stories of retailers growing both the top line sales and bottom line profits long term on their platform in either the restaurant or grocery sector.

Don’t throw your brand down the drain of the information superhighway. Consumers are looking for brands and products with consumer relevance. Discounting simply discounts relevance.

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

Monday, June 6, 2011

Foodservice Solutions® retail food consultancy sous vide grocerants early often and right!


A Danish Philosopher once said: Life can be understood by looking backward, but must be lived by looking forward.”

Looking back, the past 20 years senior executives at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions have an outstanding record of seeing and understanding the evolving retail foodservice space. From the viewpoint article “CALL THEM GROCERANTS in Foodservice Director, August15, 1996 or “Understanding the Value of Restaurant Branding” in Nation’s Restaurant News August 21, 1995 outlining the power of restaurant brands within their environment. Even forecasting the growth of both cook chill and sous vide in; “Beyond 2000: Growing your top and bottom line” Nation’s Restaurant News, April 7, 1997.

Just in cast you have not been following this blog or simply wonder what the confluence of current trends and events may bring the industry here a few additional insights from a look backward. (see links below) Join us here the rest of the week for a look forward.

Home-meal-replacement niche is the future of foodservice at: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n32_v30/ai_18609897/

http://foodservice.com/articles/restaurant-management/Restaurant-Consumer-Discontinuity/

http://foodservice.com/articles/restaurant-marketing/Convenience-store-sector-the-stage-is-set-for-consolidation-in-2010/

http://foodservice.com/blogs/restaurant-marketing/food-fight-and-the-convenience-store-sector-garnering-share-from-qsr-s-2699/

http://foodservice.com/blogs/c/The-frozen-Food-Court-is-the-new-restaurant-real-estate-play/

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

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Amazon Fresh selling food and delivery on a global platform.


At one time many on Wall Street scoffed that Amazon would ever be a serious threat to retailing. Today they continue leading while evolving retailing. Five years ago they began sell fresh food in the Seattle Metro area. They have since expanded retail food sales and deliver in Great Britain and in Germany. Now the world is watching. Wal-Mart the world’s largest retailer is considering a new test of delivery in Southern California. Has Amazon found the “last mile solution”?

Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price; play a key role on how food will be sold, packaged and delivered. When Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food is thrown into the mix, consumer frequency and customer loyalty will both increase.

Meijer has an online grocery service, called ‘MeijerDoorstepGrocer.com’ is the retailer's first effort to sell non-bulk groceries online and is also the retailer's first foray into international online sales. This is a very important step for its e-commerce operations.

Fresh Direct started off in New York City about six years ago and is growing and profitable. Publix recently tested a new service for curbside delivery of customer groceries and have found the test, originally scheduled to be a year long, to be very successful in just a few short months of testing. Safeway and Albertsons both have delivery service but allot very little C-level interest in this burgeoning sector.

Online and internet shopping represents one of if not the fast growing sectors within the global food and grocery market at present, particularly across the more developed parts of the world. The grocerant niche continues to develop across the globe and Amazon my care out a leading position. With Walmart testing delivery is there any doubt that food delivery is here to stay.

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

Friday, June 3, 2011

Take Away, Grab-and-Go Grocerant niche food is driving global food sales.


Grocerant niche food is prepared ready-2 -eat and heat-N-eat fresh food. It can be prepared via sous vide /cook chill or frozen. It must have the ability to be portable however. It can be eaten on-site, in the car, at the office or down the road at the park. At times it is reheated; it is focused on single serve portions or portions for two.

One of the most interesting new developments is bundling of the meal components. It’s a mix and mach game that is very empowering for the consumer. Consumer’s can buy a fresh prepared sauce, and utilize it on fish, steak, chicken, a burritos or pasta. Two people in a home may use the same sauce on two different entrees. The same can be said for each course of the meal. This mix and match of small portion, fresh products makes meal time a time of convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization.

What is the most exciting are the new points of distribution of quality ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food. In Asia Convenience stores assemble meals on site and many get delivery of fresh food three times a day; focused on the next meal period. With this focus on freshness and quality consumers are paying respect by spending more and more money on food at C-stores.

Department stores are a source for grocerant food in Asia and Europe. Where outstanding displays of quality prepped, prepared and packaged. In the US you can now find fresh prepared grocerant niche food in most urban chain Drug stores.

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

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Retail foodservice evolving with the grocerant niche and preferred consumer preferences.


Foodservice Solutions® is focused on understanding the Grocerant niche. The grocerant niche is creating quality new points of retail food distribution. Expanding points of quality food distribution simply mean more happy retail food customers. Retail foodservice continues evolving with a strong focus on the consumer. At the intersection of the consumer, technology and retail food sales we find the grocerant niche.

The grocerant niche is a result of the blurring of the line between restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, and drug stores all selling fresh prepared, portable convenient meal solutions. Targeted at the time-starved consumer with Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food components that are “better for you”, portable and portioned for one or two.

Restaurateurs need to be particularly mindful of developments within grocerant niche for they are driving the change within the price, value, service equilibrium in retail foodservice.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy 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, twitter.com/grocerant or Facebook Steven Johnson

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Will decentralization drive growth within the grocery sector?


The grocery sector finds itself in another quagmire of its own making. Driven largely by category managers and number crunchers that leverage the past, not present or future of food retailing, again is not sure what direction it should peruse.

Kroger and Safeway have built a national footprint and have tried to leverage buying power into a branding voice. It has not worked. From Tom Thumb to Fred Meyer both Safeway and Kroger allowed regional brands to remain, diminishing any added brand value halo that may have been developed.

Given the growth within ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food niche combined with the consumer focus on sustainably it just might be best for the grocery sector if regional operating chains/units were spun off and allowed to develop their own identity with relevant consumer messaging.

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