Steven Johnson, known as the Grocerant
Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, is a thought leader in
the food industry. He works at the intersection of competitive intelligence and
successful business development. Johnson is the founder of Foodservice
Solutions® and was the first to identify, quantify, and qualify the unique food
sales opportunity platform now called the Grocerant niche. He also coined the
term "Grocerant" and was first to be published in both Nation’s
Restaurant News and Restaurant Business Magazines.
The Grocerant
Guru's perspective is centered around the concept of "Grocerants", a
term that combines "grocery" and "restaurants". This
concept represents a niche filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and
fresh prepared food options, including full meals and meal components. This
reflects a shift in the food industry towards more convenient, ready-to-eat
options that blur the line between traditional grocery stores, restaurants, and
new non-traditional fresh food retailers.
Based on these
insights, the Grocerant Guru® believes in the importance of adapting to
changing consumer behaviors and trends in the food industry. This includes
recognizing the growing demand for convenience, quality, and variety in food
options. The Grocerant Guru's perspective emphasizes the need for businesses in
the food industry to innovate and evolve in order to stay competitive.
The
"Grocerant" niche, has seen significant evolution since its inception
in the 1990s. Here's a brief overview of its journey:
Early
1990s: The concept of Grocerants started to make
its presence known in the food industry market. Major retail chains such as
Monoprix in France, IGA in the US, or Farm Boy in Canada began to increase
ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat products. Some even included a dining area in
their stores with table services.
Late
2010s: The term "Grocerant" started to go
mainstream. A grocerant can today essentially be any retail store
that sells prepared meals, to either eat on site or take home. According to NPD
Group, grocerants generated 2.4 billion new visits and over US$10 billion in
sales in 2016. This was a massive shift, reflecting efforts to offer more
convenience, similar to the drive-through phenomenon several decades ago, and
well before the pandemic.
Early
2020s: The data reveals that prepared foods have
exploded in growth. According to one Market-force survey, more than
70% of consumers say that they've bought prepared food over a 90-day span.
Grocery stores started to serve as the grab-and-go option for households, and
many took advantage of their kitchens to compete with restaurants on delivery
apps as well as other new entrants selling fresh prepared full meals, meal components’,
and bundled beverages.
Present
Day: The term “grocerant” is not just a trendy
phrase, but also now a legitimate reality in big cities, rural areas and
everywhere in between. Today, grocery stores are not only serving as the
grab-and-go option for households, but many are also taking
advantage of their kitchens to compete with restaurants on delivery apps such
as DoorDash and Caviar.
Think
about this, the Grocerant niche has evolved from a novel concept in the 1990s
to a mainstream reality today, driven by changing consumer behaviors and the
increasing demand for convenience and variety in food options. This evolution
reflects the food industry's adaptability and innovation in response to these
trends. It's
an exciting space to watch as it continues to evolve and shape the future of
the food industry. Is your retail food brand evolving?
Are you ready for
some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday
than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru®
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 one of
the following links: Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter
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