Everyone has heard of the Big Mac at McDonald’s, Whopper at Burger King, and the Chalupa Supreme at Taco Bell, chain restaurant messaging has
been clear, on-target, resonating with consumers as we have noted today there
are 29 restaurants in the US for every grocery store.
However, let us not forget that 7 Eleven’s
Slurpee was branded before any of those items and is sold in more countries at
more outlets than any product offered at any chain restaurant according to Steven
Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.
Once again success does leave clues and
our friend Don Longo, Editorial Director at Convenience Store
News is one of the best at identifying,
qualifying, and quantifying success within the convenience store sector
according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice
Solutions®.
This time Longo informed us that the judges on the Convenience Store News Foodservice Advisory Council lauded Rutter's overall approach to foodservice, from dispensed beverages to fresh prepared foods giving them the well-earned title of prepared food innovator of the year.
One of the judges noted that, "They've
always been progressive with prepared foods in general, but I think they really
lifted their game in cold dispensed beverages with their Spiked Slushies and
Xtreme Shakes,".
Reading on, it was also noted how well Rutter's adjusted its menu due to the
pandemic (e.g., new comfort-food offerings). And the company's approach to
marketing its offerings to consumers digitally via social media, geofencing and
a new loyalty app did not go unnoticed. All in all, Rutter’s paints a picture of a retailer
operating on all cylinders despite the global pandemic. Johnson noted, that today convenience
stores look more like chain restaurants when it comes to targeting consumers
and developing new food and beverage products.
So, Rutter's
introduced Spiked Slushies to the Pennsylvania market before any other chain as
regular readers of this blog know. Being the leader in this category allowed
the retailer to innovate even more. In 2021, Rutter's introduced limited-time
seasonal flavors to further spice up the category.
Just like most restaurants, the pandemic
forced Rutter's to adjust its foodservice offering, which it's done with great
success. Customers wanted comfort foods and brands they trust, so Rutter's
introduced a second Beef Traveller option, along with SPAM
as a limited-time offer (LTO) add-on available for breakfast, lunch and
dinner items. Both have been huge hits.
Marketing messaging is important at Rutter's
as they found new ways to reach its customers, primarily through digital media.
Platforms such as Twitch and Instagram
have offered the retailer ways to reach customers who weren’t on-site as often
over the past year. By using these, along with other social platforms, Rutter's
was able to target consumer preferences in a strong way, with geofencing and
demographic profiles. Like many other retailers, Rutter's trips have been down
overall, but the chain's baskets have increased dramatically.
Rutter's Director of Fuel, Forecourt and
Advertising Chris Hartman, "Through our new loyalty platform with
Paytronix, launched in 2020, we also have the ability to now survey customers.
This has allowed us to determine what's working and what isn't,"… "We also rolled out menu screens above
our foodservice areas, in many of our new stores and remodels, allowing
customers to look at all we have to offer in a quick time period."
Hartman continued, “If one thing is clear
it is that Rutter's believes innovation isn't just about having the most creative
item, but about adapting to customer needs. "Thriving during a pandemic
isn't something that was expected at the beginning,". "However, our
great foodservice team, led by Robert Perkins, took it as a challenge and came
out with an improved menu offering and creative flair that fit what Rutter’s
customers want."
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
us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter
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