Success
does leave clues and retailers are evolving from Convenience Stores and
Restaurants to Grocerant niche fresh food concepts that are garnering
incremental customer loyalty, driving food retail migration, expanding
disruption within legacy retail food sectors according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based
Foodservice Solutions®.
Dash
In a new concept store by the Willis
Group created a platform where time stared consumers can get a fresh meal
and or meal components or eat a fresh prepared meal according to Johnson. Dash
In has 5,600 sq. ft. and blurs the lines between restaurant and C-store by
combining a neighborhood bar and grill format with the self-service gas station
and car wash layout that is familiar to consumers.
To
appeal to consumers’ on-the-go lifestyles, the store stocks fresh,
made-in-house grab and go menu items such as artisan sandwiches and salads, in
addition to locally sourced snacks such as Good Earth Peanuts, grown in
Skippers, Virginia, about one hour south of Richmond.
The
bar and grill features of the Dash In store include indoor bar and communal
seating, and outdoor seating. An open kitchen will prepare items from the
store’s “Craveable” menu which includes Memphis pulled-pork sandwich made with
slow-cooked pork in a maple brown sugar barbecue sauce and topped with
caramelized onions, as well as a cranberry chicken croissant that Willis Group
noted is a customer favorite. The sandwich is made with chicken breast, dried
cranberries, red onion, and a hint of lime.
Julian
B. Wills, president of Dash In stated “Our
newest Dash In is a demonstration of our commitment to creating a store design
that offers an elevated brand experience for our customers,” Dash In capitalizes on several strategies food industry research
company Nielsen identified as necessary to
remain competitive in a saturated food retail market most of which mirrors
Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCard data.
In an Insight report from 2017 Nielsen noted that convenience
stores have many sources for inspiration. “In the QSR realm, speed has become
an essential service element,” Nielsen reported. “Convenience stores need to
follow suit, ensuring that customers looking for a quick meal can get in and
out swiftly.”
The
Dash In concept store offers all-day breakfast, as a nod to the quick-service
restaurant (QSR) channel and a direct invitation to customers. Nielsen also
recommended restaurant-style seating, broad menus for in-store service and
premium product offerings as strategies for elevating the customer experience.
Here
is what was different “Digging deeper, Nielsen data shows that subcategories
like enhanced water, import, super premium and craft beer, ready-to-eat (RTE)
meals, e-cigarettes, tools and housewares and sparkling wine all delivered
mid-to-high double-digit sales growth for convenience stores last year,”
Nielsen said in its Insight report.
Darleen
Nascimento, director of brand marketing for Dash In “We are delighted to support the craftsmanship
of local purveyors and breweries throughout the region within this new Dash In
experience,” “Dash In’s commitment is to
make life more rewarding for time-stretched people — we look forward to
transforming necessary errands into engaging experiences.”
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
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