The Grocerant Guru Talking Turkey for Thanksgiving

 

There is a reason too talk turkey for Thanksgiving early this year.  It will be different with more restaurants and business scheduled to be closed for the holiday more Americans will be home, unwilling to travel, and or not invited to an extended family members home.  Many people will be home ‘alone’ or in couples celebrating than ever before resulting in new smaller meals and meal solution will be needed.

NCSolutions, a New York- based media firm that helps CPG companies improve their advertising conducted a survey and found that: Eighty-three percent of Americans surveyed said that they view Thanksgiving 2020 as equally or more important than last year, The survey also asked consumers to weigh in on their favorite Thanksgiving dish a full 70% rated turkey No. 1,and more than half (56%) said that they’ll celebrate at home.

Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes that close to 68.4% of Americans will celebrate at home this year.  However, Johnson noted: “When asked if they wanted to cook dinner from scratch or assemble dinner from fresh meal components 91.1 % of Gen Z chose assemble from Fresh Prepared Meal Components and Millennials 83.6 chose meal components.”

While NCSolutions survey found that 59% or respondents in the October 2020 survey said that are planning for the same number of guests at their table. While 31% of Americans indicating that they’ll have somewhat fewer or many fewer people at the meal this year.

With the ‘second / third wave’ of the pandemic seeming picking speed things could change and change fast. After all most Thanksgiving celebrations will largely take place indoors, as 90% of Americans said that they plan to eat inside in the NCSolutions. In addition, 61% of people said that they’ll give thanks this year with people who don’t live in their household again in the NCSolutions survey. Let’s see other key findings:

1.       More than half (56%) indicated that they would celebrate at home,

2.       25% said that they would celebrate at a relative’s home,

3.       12% had no celebration plans this year.

4.        “Historically, our data shows a 7% increase in household grocery spending in the weeks prior to Thanksgiving.

5.       We are currently observing household spending on groceries to be up 24% compared to the same time last year

6.       While the majority of consumers (80%) said that they plan to buy Thanksgiving goods in-store,

7.       19% indicated that they would purchase those goods online for delivery,

8.       15% said that they plan to use curbside pickup (survey respondents were able to select multiple responses).

Restaurants, Grocery stores, Convenience stores, Service Deli’s all have an opportunity to sell grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared meals, meal components, and incremental branded items to consumers this year as more will be at home and as we know they don’t all want to cook from scratch.

Note: Jacqui Lyons, divisional merchandise manager, seafood and seasonal meat for Walmart found that

“This year has brought rapid and constant change in every facet of our daily lives, and we know Thanksgiving celebrations will be no exception,” says Jacqui Lyons, divisional merchandise manager, seafood and seasonal meat for Walmart, pointing to data from Butterball, which found that the number of consumers who plan to host extended family and friends for Thanksgiving has dropped from 30% during a typical year to 26% this year.

Additionally, the number of people who plan to celebrate with immediate family only has risen from 21% in a typical year, to 31%. Thus, Lyons Walmart will have plenty of whole turkeys this year, it has also increased its assortment of bone-in and boneless turkey breasts by 20%-30% in stores across the country.

Our Grocerant Guru® has three success clues for all retailers this year selling Grocerant Niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food for Thanks Giving:

1.       Focus on Mix & Match Meal Compoents

2.       Advertise early, take online orders, and offer pick-up, delivery, and curbside service.

3.       Offer complete meal options for two, four, and six people.

Yes, empower choice, Thanksgiving meal bundles to accommodate a variety of gathering sizes but don’t limit the meal and meal options to food only.  The battle for share of stomach this Thanksgiving is underway and Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Convenience stores, and Dollar stores all have a shot at the same customer for all or part of the meal. 

Don’t over reach. Do what you do best and reinforce that with consumers and you will be able to win. However remember what Johnson noted: “When asked if they wanted to cook dinner from scratch or assemble dinner from fresh meal components 91.1 % of Gen Z chose assemble from Fresh Prepared Meal Components and Millennials 83.6 chose meal components.”  Give consumers what they want and you win.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® 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 us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Battle for Share of Stomach