The “Frozen Food Court” Revisited a Trip to the Grocery Aisle

In an Omni-channel retail world the one thing that is perfectly clear.  That is “within the legacy restaurant chain branded world; the status quo is broken” that according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru Steven Johnson.  Since 2009 when he first wrote about the “frozen food court” one thing has changed.  Restaurant consumers continue to migrate to non-traditional avenue of fresh food distribution. A restaurant brand can’t be contained within 4 walls in 2014. 

Playing catch-up, many legacy restaurant chains have entered the frozen food court each edifying their brand with consumers while building top of mind brand awareness. Consumers acceptance of these products remains solid as restaurant brands maintain, elevate, or create new product standards for product both from retail too restaurant or restaurant too retail.

Channel blurring only exists in the blind eye of Neanderthal restaurant chain brand managers. Today restaurant brand managers must understand their brand and their customers. If they do they can integrate marketing plans that complement their consumer’s food consumptions footprint while positioning the brand in multiple channels of distribution.  In many cases that means new products including fresh prepared food in new non-traditional avenues of distribution.

Today restaurant companies the ilk of Boston Market, TGI Friday's, PF Chang's, California Pizza Kitchen,  Taco Bell, Burger King are the most-thorough players with integrated marketing programs at retail. However others including Red Robin, Dunkin Brands and its Baskin-Robbins joined the likes of Romano's Macaroni Grill, El Pollo Loco, Captain D's, O'Charley's and Ivar’s at retail

The legacy branded restaurant status quo is broken.  Brands and customer exist outside the 4 walls.  Is your brand trapped within 4 walls?  Are you a food merchant the ilk of Howard Shultz or Kat Cole? Does your brand merchandise your product in one channel? We live in an Omni-Channel retail world.

The frozen food court is only one channel, many masquerading as grocerant niche experts consider the frozen aisle the only channel opportunity not us.  Success does leave clues, call Foodservice Soluitons® Grocerant Guru™ at 253-759-7869 or visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more.