Tops Friendly Markets Finds Success with Chef’d Meal Kit’s

Grocery stores must continue to evolve with consumers or risk capitulating more and more customers as they migrate to new avenues of fresh food distribution according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

After a successful debut of Chef’d meal kits late last fall, Tops Friendly Markets has expanded the line, which is now available in more than 80 stores. Customer relevance is equals new electricity for Tops Markets team. 

Johnson believes there is one dominate element that will power success within retail foodservice over the coming years.  Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships specifically strategic partnerships.   The partnership with Chef’d is clearly the new electricity for consumers.  Grocery stores

that want to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing new partnerships with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food suppliers. 

Jeff Culhane, SVP of merchandising for Williamsville, Tops Markets stated  “Chef'd answers the question for the person who says, ‘I still want to feel like I've done all the cooking myself, but I don't want to dedicate two hours to go through the whole process,’” …“They are a great option for those looking for a well-balanced meal, too,” he said, pointing to fresh ingredients and minimal preservatives, which provide “a good balance between protein, carbs, and veggies.”

In addition to Weeknight Chicken Pad Thai and Herb Crusted Flank Steaks, the latest additions to Tops’ subscription-free Chef’d meal kits include:

• 20 Clove Garlic Chicken
• Black Truffle Butter Sirloin Steak
• Smoky Maple Pork Loin
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Fried Chicken and Waffles 

This helps Chef’d grow as Tops Markets operates 169 full-service supermarkets. Where are you selling food today?  Consumers are dynamic not static is your brand evolving with consumers fast enough?  Where is your new electricity? What new avenues of distribution are you developing?

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

Tops Markets Meal Kits Score

It’s important to remember that while Meal Kits are “Training Wheels for Millennials” according to Tacoma, WA based Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson they are also meal simplification, for many more.  Meal Kits are a platform that continues to evolve with attributes that resonate with consumers.  So who is doing a good job with them?

When Tops Markets partnered with Chef’d to sell meal kits in dedicated displays inside Top’s stores physical stores, they were the second grocer to ink a deal with the service in recent months. So why Chef’d? Well Chef’d for one thing offers “generous portions” for two made with fresh and simple ingredients that can be prepared in as little as 10 minutes, the kits contain pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipe instructions. Unlike other services, Chef’d doesn't require any subscription plan for using the kits, which will be available in Top’s 171 supermarkets giving Chef’d the volume to keep pricing in line consumers expectations.  

Chef’d, works directly with meat processor Smithfield Foods to create the kits.  They now offer five varieties for in-store purchase including: Weeknight Chicken Pad Thai, Maple Glazed Pork Chops, Cajun Style Chicken Pasta, Pan-Fried Spicy Pork Udon and Herb Crusted Flank Steak.

The Meal Kits are developed through combining the Smithfield, Va.-based processor’s product development, sourcing capabilities, distribution network and brand portfolio with the service’s renowned chefs, meal portfolio and direct-to-consumer experience. So you see it’s a new avenue of distribution.  What are you doing different?  How are you expanding?

Today brick-and-mortar stores are critical to pure-play ecommerce meal kits’ future: Over the summer, market researcher Field Agent reported that some 78 percent of consumers want, to some extent, grocery stores to develop meal kits they could purchase in stores, suggesting that they may drop delivery kits in favor of ones sold at supermarkets.

Once again according to Johnson his success of Chef’d's and other services’ is partnerships.  Yes the price, quality, and service play a key role in the undercurrent of success.  However, Johnson insists that when you boil it down partnerships, with brands and relationships with customers to rule the day.

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