Grocerant Meal Solutions are Consumer Driven

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson was the one who identified, quantified, and qualified the Grocerant niche back in the day. In fact Johnson also came up with the name Grocerant to help explain the undercurrents of the evolving foodservice path to purchase.

 Since 1991 Johnson has studied, followed walked through, shopped, and sampled fresh food and consulted for food retailers around the world helping to drive incremental success.  

The undercurrents driving the success of the grocerant niche in 2018 continue to be the consumer according to Johnson. The top five key consumer drivers for retail grocerant success today are:

1.       Time = Fresh Food Fast (Speed of Service)

2.       Digital Footprint designed for Grab-N-Go Ease (Mobile Payment)

3.       Visceral Meal Component Mix & Match Bundling (Emotional Customization = Choice)

4.       Meal Kits both Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat (Cook or No Cooking Single Serve & Family Size)

5.       Deserts & Snacking Items that complement each day-part (Reward Drives Frequency)

Today retailers that utilize Foodservice Solutions® FIVE P’s of Food Marketing while integrating new menu items can drive incremental customer migration.  How are to incorporating the key into your brands offerings?  

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®. Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

Strategic Relationship Drives Hopdoddy Forward

Hopdoddy Burger Bar was Looking A Customer Ahead when the entered a partnership with T3 to revamp and revolutionize the Burger Bar’s web and mobile experience. Hopdoddy is noted for its hospitality, and T3 has been brought in to ensure the online-ordering practice reflects the company’s exceptional customer experience according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. 

Success does leave clues and Hopdoddy Burger Bar’s growth is edified with customer relevance moving forward with a partnership with T3 according to the team at Foodservice Solutions® who believes that this new partnership will be the new electricity that will fuel incremental growth at Hopdoddy.

In the minds-eye of Johnson, there is one dominate element that will power success within retail and foodservice over the coming years and that is partnerships. Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships specifically strategic partnerships.   

The new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh food, grocerant positioning, Mix & Match bundling, foodservice consultants, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing.

Retailers the ilk of Hopdoddy to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable in some form.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships more now than ever before according to Johnson.

Terry Haley, chief growth officer of Hopdoddy stated “Our intent was to find more than just a short-term technical solution,” .. “We partnered with T3 to help us build new and optimize existing tech solutions that will continue to drive sales, delight our guests, and streamline our operations.”

T3 has a proprietary restaurant accelerator, which combines best-in-class customer experience with loyalty practices to provide a nimble technology solution. Armed with the accelerator, T3 will help Hopdoddy guarantee that their passion to bring you burgers made with fresh, all-natural ingredients prepared by hand remains steadfast whether you’re there in person or picking it up on the go.

So just what is your New Electricity? Success does leave clues www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  is the global leader in grocerant niche business development.  We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities.  Has your company had a Grocerant ScoreCard completed a Grocerant Program Assessment, or new Grocerant niche product Ideation?  Want one?  Call 253-759-7869 Email: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us

Tell a Friend that Jack is Back Jack in the Box Delivers

Regular readers of this blog know that food delivery is not the answer to building top line sales and bottom line profits that exceed the industry standard.  That said today’s customer expect the option of food delivery and delivery is an integral part of consumer relevance for and ever increasing number of consumers according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®

So when Jack in the Box announced a deal with Postmates that will make at-home delivery available at 1,000 locations in 29 markets it is important to note. What is also important is noting that Jack in the Box is using social integrated marketing to launch the new delivery service. 

Here is how it works Postmates and Jack in the Box will give away a free Jumbo Jack to Postmates customers who get friends to try Jack in the Box using the delivery service this week. Postmates customers can also get free delivery this week (first week of the new service).

Postmates customers must download and open the Postmates app then click on “Invite Friends.” There, they will see a referral code they can share with friends and family, who have seven days to use the code for a free Jumbo Jack and regular fountain drink. Once the friend uses the code, the referring customer will receive a credit on his or her Postmates account for a free Jumbo Jack that is valid for seven days.

Dan Mosher, senior vice president, Merchant Lead, for Postmates stated “We’ve been delivering Jack in the Box for years,” …“But by entering into an official partnership we look forward to working closer with them to get an even better customer experience.”

You all know the old adage lead, follow, or get out of the way.  No company can lead in every category of growth all of the time.  Following a huge industry trend at times is as important as leading according to Johnson. 

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

Fatburger Slims Down

Consumer are dynamic not static and if your company is not evolving with consumers you are simply fading away according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. When Fatburger announced that they were rolling out a vegan-friendly Burger you knew they were doing all of the right things.

The new Vegan burger is called the Impossible Burger and consumer can add traditional toppings including lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, and pickle relish. Customers can also customize with additional items.

An early trendsetter in the better-burger industry, Fatburger's nationwide launch of the Impossible Burger demonstrates the brand's commitment to pushing the envelope for its dedicated customer base. In development since 2011, the Impossible Burger is the world's only burger that handles, smells, cooks, and tastes like ground beef from cows but is made entirely from plants. Its unique texture and flavor has, like Fatburger, earned a cult-like following.

Fatburger CEO, Andy Wiederhorn  stated “I knew from the moment we debuted the Impossible Burger patty in Los Angeles that this was going to do well with our customers. It quickly became one of our best-selling items,” says. “There's no doubt our customers will always love 100 percent beef Fatburgers, but we're hoping to engage both old and new fans alike with a top-notch meat-free option.”

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

At Starbucks Cold is Hot

Starbucks has been leading in restaurant industry in sales growth and unit growth for over 20 years with little competition or challenge.  All the while Starbucks continues to expand it retail partnerships around the world selling ‘’kyan coffee” (canned) and selling  lots of it elevating the Starbucks brands relevance with consumers according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Soltuions®.

Starbucks partnership have been and continue to be the right fuel to drive new electricity into Starbucks  top line sales and bottom line profits according to Johnson.  In the minds-eye of Johnson, there is one dominate element that will power success within retail and foodservice over the coming years and that is partnerships. 

Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships specifically strategic partnerships.   The new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh food, grocerant consultants, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing.

Retailers the ilk of Starbucks in order to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable in some form.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships more now than ever before according to Johnson.

Starbuck’s investments with cold CPG beverage products have now driven it in store focus to revolve around cold beverage offerings as they continue to expand its lunch menu edifying a grocerant niche mix and match meal bundling opportunity that is second to none in the industry according to Johnson.

Rosalind Gates Brewer, chief operating officer and group president of Americas, stated Starbucks plans to continue investing in cold beverage innovation and expanding its afternoon menu offerings.… Cold isn’t just for summertime anymore,”

Brewer continued “Five years ago, cold was about 37% of our beverage mix, and now it’s over 50%. With 2017, total cold beverage sales in the U.S. company and operated stores reaching nearly $5 billion. So, we’re building multibillion-dollar platforms within cold.”

Ms. Brewer called Starbucks the “market leader” in the cold brew coffee category and announced the company will be expanding the availability of its Nitro Cold Brew platform from 2,300 stores around the world to 4,000 by the end of the year.

Grocerant niche mix and match bundling drives sales.  Brewer Stated “…the biggest opportunity for food innovation is for lunch,” …we will offer customers more of what they are expecting and elevating our current Bistro Box line, which has grown at a rate of 20% in each of the past two years. We will also continue to roll out Mercato regionally, with more than 1,000 stores by the end of the year.”

All good retailers understand that selling hot food hot and cold food cold is job one.  Success does leave clues and remembering that evolving food retail includes both hot and cold foods.  Are you evolving your retail food platform to include fresh? Or are you evolving your restaurant platform to include branded CPG products?

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu 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

Dunkin’s Mobile Grab-N-Go Drive’s Customer Flow

Regular readers of this blog understand the strength and key drivers of grocerant niche growth and Dunkin Donuts new prototype emphasizes those attributes.  The team at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes that Nancy Luna of Nation’s Restaurant News captured some of the visceral customer touch points in her recent NRN article. We have added out view and included some of Nancy’s NRN article photos to drive home our points.

Dunkin’s store of the future edifies consumer increasing demand for fast service, quick payments, and grocerant niche mix and match meal component bundling all while edifying customer choice with relevance according to Steven Johnson our Grocerant Guru® convenience, takeout and tech

The relevance comes in as pointed out by Nancy in the form of a pickup counter for mobile orders, nitrogen-infused cold brew and tabletop outlets to power devices all focused on convenience, takeout and technology that edifies speed of service. 

Dunkin’ Donuts plans to open 50 of these store of the future units by the end of 2018 according to the company. While calling itself a beverage first company these new units underscoring the interplay between food and beverages creating a platform that enables mix and match meal component bundling superiority to that of McDonald’s and Starbucks.  

The new eight-tap beverage system empowers choice including cold-brew coffee infused with nitrogen which continues to garner new customers. This new display will prove inviting to consumers and elevate product sampling according to Johnson.

The Donut display puts the doughnuts out front, instead of behind the counter like in traditional locations.  Combine that with an expanded to-go section is stocked with a variety of snacks and merchandise, such as bottled drinks, yogurt parfaits, nutrition bars, coffee mugs, beef jerky and mints the grocerant niche mix and match bundling will enhance the consumer experience.

Mobile order and pay add relevance to Gen Z and Millennials as the mobile pickup counter enable consumers to simple skip the line when they pay online. How is your brand expanding consumer choice?

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu 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

The Grocery Store Conundrum Customer Migration

In the United States the undercurrents of change are forcing legacy grocery stores to evolve in way they never could have imagined 10, 15, or 20 years ago according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Family size has hovered at 2.54 persons per household for close to ten years in the US where in 1985 it was at 2.74 and in 1970 it was 3.14 persons per household according to the US Census. Smaller households mean smaller food sales per household. What has changed even more is the rapid migration from the suburbs to cities of Millennial the largest demographic in the US. 

Pantry vs Meals

Millennials seeking jobs have been rapidly moving to cities creating urbanized households that are lucrative to food retailers but since they are also delaying starting a family they have been abandoning legacy grocery stores in groves seeking fresh prepared foods as meal solutions rather than cooking dinner from scratch according to Johnson.

The conundrum for most legacy grocery chains is that their stores are in the suburbs catering to an ageing population that simply buy less food as they have even smaller households and smaller appetites. In food retail the increasing completion for consumer’s dollars has hit a tipping point today there are 29 restaurants for every grocery store according to the team at Foodservice Solutions®. Restaurants elevate convenience as a preference to coking and doing cleaning up.

Digital Skill-Set vs Cooking from Scratch Skill-Set

Complicating the conundrum even further Gen Z and Millennials continue to drive digital consumption as they have grown up with technology and most would rather play a game, text friends, or take photos of food on their iPhone than spend three hours cooking a meal from scratch according to Johnson.

The simple fact is today and tomorrows consumers continue to cultivate a digital skill-set and show very little interest in developing a cook from scratch skill set.  In fact research from Foodservice Solutions® has indicated that when Millennials were showed 20 different cuts of beef form a grocery store 85.4% had heard of only 6 different cuts.  However when asked if they could identify 20 different digital food app’s 83.2% identified 17 of 20.

Bifurcated Grocery

The Grocery store conundrum has become one of yesterday vs tomorrow.  One of urban vs suburban where legacy branded grocery stores can’t afford the rents in cities for the large stores they like to build and if they are in cites consumers prepared grocerant niche fresh prepared food over pantry stocking legacy foods. Simply put meal assembly have become cooking replacing cooking from scratch.

Legacy grocery stores must adopt a new food service platform to drive growth.  Most grocery stores will have to create two different brands one for the suburbs and one for urban.  Moving forward customer frequency will be more important that ‘basket size’.

Legacy CPG brands will increasing be replaced with or by fresh food retailers that are focused on Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat and prepared fresh food. If success leaves clues and it does retailers that evolve faster will garner the next generation of customers first. Does your company look more like yesterday than tomorrow?

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

At Taco Bell is the Status Quo Good Enough

Taco Bell is going a good job driving top line sales and bottom line profits while expanding its legacy line of CPG groceries products.  That said Taco Bell’s legacy line of products is yesterday’s grocerant niche positioning not today’s or tomorrows according to the team at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®

In case you missed it. Taco Bell will soon be selling tortilla chips inspired by its sauces, but only at grocery stores Starting in May Taco Bell will roll out Classic, Mild and Fire tortilla chips in grocery and convenience stores. The chips take their flavor and packaging inspiration from Taco Bell's signature sauces.

These packaged chips will join the line of dips, sauces, shells and seasoning mixes that Taco Bell sells in partnership with Kraft. We must note that Kraft is a good partner to have if your brand wants to enter the frozen food court or the shelf of a 1970’s mercantile.

Steven Johnson our own Grocerant Guru® as regular readers of this blog know believes that brands need to  create strategic partnerships with new fresh food retailers creating new electricity in order to drive meaningful incremental growth, top line sales, and bottom-line profits.  

In the minds-eye of Johnson, there is one dominate element that will power success at Taco Bell and Yum Brands over the coming years.  Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships specifically strategic partnerships within the fresh food space.   Brand relevance requires looking forward not backward or simply maintaining the status quo.

The new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh food, sustainable packaging, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing.

Sustaining the status quo will placate those on Wall Street for a while but not consumers.  Consumers are dynamic not static; Limited Time Offer’s (LTO’s) are just that; a top of mind attention grabber but not the fuel to garner incremental customer migration. 

While the team at Foodservice Solutions® congratulates Taco Bell on expanding its line of CPG products we remind all retailers it’s important to edify your brands relevance with today and tomorrows customers so you look more like a brand of tomorrow than a brand of yesterday.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Chili’s Friendly Fresh Food Freebie’s

No one ever went wrong catering to their best customers according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® This week when Chili’s Grill & Bar announced that it was strengthening its reward program by giving you a Free Beverage or Chips and Salsa every time you visit they strengthen the brand relationship with their best customers.

Here is how it works every customer who belongs to My Chili’s Rewards will be given the choice during a visit of getting free chips and salsa or a complimentary nonalcoholic beverage. In tests, customers were about equally divided in what they chose, according to Chili’s.

Steve Provost, the casual chain’s chief marketing and innovation officer stated that “The offer is intended to give customers a break from having to calculate what rewards they’ve earned with their frequency credits. ..We heard the feedback loud and clear that loyalty programs feel too complicated, so what would keep them coming back is to make things simple,”

Provost continued “The reality is a loyalty program is a way of saying 'Thank you' to our guests for being one of their top dining options, and we weren't doing a good job of that until now,".

Positive reinforcement every time you enter the restaurant is exactly what Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCards indicate both Gen Z and Millennials relate to best.  Chili’s is building a long term relationship with customer today and for tomorrow?  How are you edifying your base customer?

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information

Del Taco’s Dinner Dash and Save Cash

Success does leave clues and at Del Taco customers can focus on meals and meal components as a complete dinner solution fast according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Mix and Match meal bundling is at the heart of everything that Del Taco has been doing to drive customer counts and sales. Plato’s are one of Del Taco’s most successful high price offerings and are positioned to garner sales from fast casual and limited service restaurants. The  Del Taco leader ship team understands that 50% of consumers over the age of 18 in the US are single. 

Finding a flavorful meal solution for less than a full service restaurant has become top of mind with most consumers.  At Del Taco consumers can do that while saving consumers time, which is exactly the right thing to be doing today according to Johnson.

Del Taco has a top of mind presents with its Buck & Under repositioning of its message to showcase the fact it features 15 items, including the new $1 Salsa Chicken Taco. That’s were a meal solutions becomes so important.  The ability of consumers to choose from a complete ‘restaurant’ meal as with Plato’s and if they want the can customize it with their favorite from the dollar menu.

The move from cheap fast food to customized meals will contribute to an increase in family dinners via the drive thru and or from delivery.  Currently Del Taco said its initial testing with third-party delivery companies has delivered significantly higher average checks. Much like other before them Del Taco is seeing an incremental sales lift that most retailers experience with when they focus on mix and match meal bundling for both customization and personalization. How are you positioning for the evolving consumers?

Success does leave clues www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  is the global leader in grocerant niche business development.  We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities.  Has your company had a Grocerant ScoreCard completed a Grocerant Program Assessment, or new Grocerant niche product Ideation?  Want one?  Call 253-759-7869 Email: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us