Foodservice Innovation is not a Copy-Cat Menu or Copy-Cat Building

Back in the day ‘Fern Bar’s’ were all the rage and investors and entrepreneurs could not open a new ‘fren bar’ concept fast enough to hold all of the customers.  Oh by the way the main stream press touted each and everyone as the ‘Next Big Thing’ and if your restaurant was not a ‘fern bar’ you were out of luck. Some of you remember the names T.G.I. Friday’s, Bennigan’s, Houlihan’s, Maxwell’s Plum, Henry Africa’s, and Bobby McGee’s to mention just a few.  Well, we all know that gone are the good old days and sadly so are many of the ‘fern bars’.  

Let’s cut to the chase Copy-Cat Menu Items Don’t Garner New Customers, or long-term sustainability according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™.  More than ever before brand innovation is a vital consumer selling point that requires new food messaging, new food products, new points of distribution, and a new perceived price / value relationship according to our Grocerant Guru™. 

Jonathan Pirc Founder marketing research firm Lab42 set-out to find-out if consumer care about innovation.  The graph above illustrates just how much they do care.  The goal was to discover the consumer relationship with innovation and how important it is to the purchase decision. Here is some of what they found:

1.       Consumer’s care about innovation. In fact 84% say it is somewhat or very important.

2.       69% agree that research is needed to create innovation products

3.       62% have purchased a first-generation product at least once.

4.       49% of Generation X are most easily seduced

5.       45% of Millennials

6.       67% of consumer will pay a premium for grocery store item deemed innovative

7.       Here is a curve. 66% say a company can be innovative without technology

Yes, back in the day ‘fern bars’ were all of the rage.  Today every new restaurant company wants to be a fast casual brand. Investors and entrepreneurs can’t seem to open a new fast casual restaurant fast enough.  How different are they? Are they different in average check? Are they different in points of distribution? Service? Product?  

Yes, that are in fact some that are different .  There are some the ilk of Hello Fresh, Maple, and Munchery that are establishing a new standard in fresh food delivery, service, and pricing. Is your brand evolving to look like a brand of yesterday or a brand of tomorrow? 

Consumers are dynamic not static according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™.  Is your brand dynamic or are you a copy-cat brand with copy-cat menu, marketing, and messaging? Are you ready for some Outside Eyes? Innovation is not dead, not dying, it’s evolving with consumers.  Are you? 

www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  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 since 1991 Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us