Chili’s Brand Migration for Customer Relevance

How hot is to hot?  Chili’s is spicing things up in the retail food sector with a bold new look at with remodeled, repositioned, and remenued restaurants.  While customers are looking for bold flavors, ‘better for you” food offerings Chili’s has come to understand that in an Omni-channel retail world that consumers still may not want to eat in a restaurant.

So part of the repositioning packaged focused on enhanced Online Ordering, Food Delivery and Catering.  With all of that in place Chili’s still need to edify the restaurant experience with extended brand relevance; thus they are entering the frozen food court.

While frozen food sales have been experiencing a protracted sales slump within the grocery sector Chili’s hope to provide a much need lift for grocery stores while edifying its customer base. Joining the ilk of Boston Market, California Pizza Kitchen, Claim Jumper the Frozen Food Court does provide a platform for brand inclusion.

Mark Toth, VP-marketing at Bellisio Foods, is working with Chili's. . "We loved the brand and the idea of bringing Southwestern to the freezer, something that's been missing in frozen-entree category,"

Chili's saw opportunity to experiment with "bold flavors" that consumers want, but found that what works in a restaurant might not fly at retail today, but could migrate in reverse at some time.  Claudia Schaefer, VP-food and beverage development at Chili's said "The strategy is not to take existing products and force them into retail” but too 'Chili's-ized' it." At the right time.

Some of the new items are  Bacon Mac 'N' Cheese; Cajun-Style Chicken Alfredo; Cheesy Chicken Pasta Florentine; Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl; Island Chicken & Rice and Mango Chicken with Rice. These new products will begin arriving at some 14,000 grocery stores soon and should be available June 2.

The Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat grocerant niche has created a platform which both fresh prepared and frozen products can coexist.  Success does leave clues and extending the brand creates additional customer relevance. The question in Chili’s case is the marketing messaging strong, focus and integrated? Slotting fees alone are inconsequential points of consumer relevance in brand messaging.  Will Chili’s become the next 100 Million dollar product without a strong integrated messaging?  Let me know?

Success does leave clues and integrating Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing is a success clue many should be following.  Interested in learning how the 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization contact us via Call 1-253-759-7869 or Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us