Chipotle Mexican Grill Healthy-Up Selling Will Drive Q1 2021 Sales

The ‘halo’ of better for you will be the undercurrent to drive top line sales and bottom-line profits, within the grocerant niche filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food, according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. The consumer is dynamic not static, giving the consumer what they want will pay off.

In 2021, Chipotle Mexican Grill once again will be leveraging the call for ‘better-for-you’ fresh prepared food to garner incremental customer brand buy-in. The brand messaging invitation centers on Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice, which is available at U.S. and Canadian restaurants for a limited time. This latest plant-based option is made with freshly grilled, riced cauliflower, finished with hand-chopped cilantro, lime, and salt, and prepared fresh in-restaurant every day.

Consumers seeking the ‘halo’ of better for you can start 2021 off right with a new rice option that is compliant with Keto, Whole30, Paleo, Vegan, and Vegetarian diets. Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice has 4 grams of net carbs per serving1 and puts a delicious twist on Chipotle's classic white rice recipe by using the same fresh cilantro and lime ingredients, and similar culinary techniques.

The demand for cauliflower rice is way up, so is the price, not to worry Chipotle knows consumers will pay extra for what they want. So, it will cost an additional $2 and will be available in-restaurant and through the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com, and third-party delivery partners. Through January 11, Chipotle is waiving the Delivery Fee on any U.S. Chipotle app and Chipotle.com order of $10 or more that includes Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice. Service fee applies.

Chipotle’s Chief Marketing Officer Chris Brandt, stated "Chipotle fans have been craving more plant-powered, better-for-you options that align with the latest health trends and emphasize the benefits of real food," "That's why we are thrilled to offer Cauliflower Rice nationally and help our fans achieve their diet or lifestyle goals."

Prior to the test market launch, one out of three new menu item requests from Chipotle customers had been for cauliflower rice. In the test markets, Chipotle estimates that nearly one third of orders that included Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice came from new guests and customers who visit Chipotle restaurants infrequently.

To celebrate the launch of Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice nationwide and support fans' New Year's wellness resolutions, Chipotle has introduced four new variations of its Lifestyle Bowls. In addition to its already expansive Whole30, Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, and High Protein options, the digitally exclusive, diet-driven menu offerings now include:

·         Whole30 Bowl: Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice, chicken, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, and guac. Available only in U.S. restaurants

·         Keto Bowl: Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice, chicken, tomatillo-red salsa, cheese, and guac

·         Vegetarian Salad Bowl: Supergreens lettuce blend, Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, and guac

·         Vegan Bowl: Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice, black beans, sofritas, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, and romaine lettuce

Success does leave clues. One clue that time and time again continues to resurface is “the consumer is dynamic not static”.  Regular readers of this blog know that is the common refrain of Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Our Grocerant Guru® can help your company edify your brand with relevance.  Call 253-759-7869 for more information.  

Will Walmart’s New Electricity be All-Electric Self-Driving Cars

 

Chain restaurants have focused extensively on the ‘halo’ of better for you in 2021 with everything from fresher food to sustainable packaging. Grocery stores are not going to miss out on one of consumers top of mind trends in 2021 either according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Walmart in a new partnership with Cruise will bring fleet of 100% renewable-energy vehicles to Scottsdale, AZ beginning in 2021.  While the U.S. is reentering the Paris Agreement within the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change, Walmart will launch a pilot in Scottsdale, Ariz., with self-driving car company Cruise to operate an entire fleet of all-electric delivery vehicles powered with 100% renewable energy. The project will support the retail giant’s initiative to reach zero emissions by 2040.

So, as part of the pilot, customers can place an order from their local store and have it delivered, contact-free, via one of Cruise’s all-electric self-driving cars. Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply chain and includes such things as; corporate partnerships, fresh foods, online ordering, delivery, self-driving cars, plant based foods, sampling, toy’s, cereal, developing brands,  grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All food and beverage retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food and beverages that are portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.  Does your retail path forward look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why?

 

Walmart's Relevance 

Tom Ward, senior vice president of customer product, Walmart U.S.  stated “Technology that has the potential to not only save customers time and money but also is helpful to the planet is technology we want to learn more about,”.

Ward continued, “This year, we’ve had our foot on the accelerator expanding our pickup and delivery services, so customers can get the items they need quickly and safely,” he continued. “In April alone, we launched Express Delivery and have since scaled it to more than 2,800 stores, reaching more than 65% of American households.”

In case you did not know this pilot is focused on renewable energy, it is not Walmart’s first foray into self-driving delivery vehicles. Earlier this year, the retailer tested the unmanned Nuro R2 delivery vehicle — which only hauls products and has no onboard driver or passengers — in Houston, as well as autonomous Toyota Priuses to bring Walmart online grocery orders to customers’ homes. Both vehicles are powered by Nuro’s self-driving software and hardware.

“You’ve seen us test drive with self-driving cars in the past,” Ward said, “and we’re continuing to learn a lot about how they can shape the future of retail. We’re excited to add Cruise to our lineup of autonomous vehicle pilots as we continue to chart a whole new roadmap for retail.”

The world is evolving fast and Walmart is as well, in addition to electrifying and zeroing out emissions from all of its vehicles, that does including long-haul trucks, by 2040, Walmart, with over 11,500 stores worldwide, is building on its long-standing commitment to climate action by also harvesting enough wind, solar and other renewable energy sources to power its facilities with 100% renewable energy by 2035, and transitioning to low-impact refrigerants for cooling and electrified equipment for heating in its stores, clubs and data and distribution centers by 2040. How are you going to extend the ‘halo’ of better for you in 2021?

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

Why Do Grocery Stores Fresh-Takeout Look more like Yesterday

 

While many grocery stores have remodeled and made the grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food the welcome mat / ‘centerpieces of the in-store shopping experience’. Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® ask why have many of the remodeled stores and most of the legacy stores continue to treat grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food as if it were a legacy CPG product?

Regular readers of this blog understand “consumers do not want to cook from scratch’.  Ok, yes some do most however will cook from scratch on the ‘weekends’ 83.1% according to the most recent Grocerant ScoreCard.

Johnson continues the recent Grocerant ScoreCards found 88.7% of consumers bought Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food because it was Fresh. With 86.4% of consumers saying they were seeking a specific Flavor, 82.6 % believe it is restaurant quality and 77.2% were buying because it was a Fast Meal. 

The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) has emphasized the importance of creating a dynamic in-store experience for shoppers leveraging fresh foods. To help educate the IDDBA members and the industry, they teamed up with the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) on a series of webinars that delved into this issue, from a case manufacturer, retailer and culinary viewpoint. Among the trends and suggestions shared by panelists representing the aforementioned groups were:

·         Modifying existing hot and salad bars to better accommodate pre-packaged and grab-and-go products, including the use of risers, sneeze-guard extensions or complete removal of sneeze guards, removing pans and divider bars from the cold wells, and installing hot tiles.

·         Offer packaged do-it-yourself meal kits and/or pre-packaged items sold individually to create meals at homes. Consider seasonal themes and products used to create them, such as summertime grilling.

·         Convert all or part of the bar into a made-to-order service area, whereby associates can take orders and deliver the meal container hands-free via an attached chute.

·         The customer will determine the future of salad and hot food bars, based on their shopping habits and comfort levels.

·         Continue to focus on the benefits of packaged items while thinking of other creative ways to utilize the bars.

·         Devote half of the bars to pre-packaged items and the other half to bulk items.

·         More single-serve, packaged options.

After reading that one thing is clear.  They should have asked outsiders not insiders.  The reason most grocery store delis look like yesterday rather than today or tomorrow is that all they know and tomorrow who they asked.  How about asking the customers?  Success does leave clue and one clue we have all learned is doing what you have always done and doing it the same way does not is not the formula for tomorrow.  

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

QuikTrip’s QT Kitchen Menu Looks Like Fall Does Yours?

 

Fall has arrived and everywhere you look there are signs of trees turning color, election signs in yards, and several pumpkin coffee menu items or deserts at every restaurant in the America. It not just restaurants any more either QuikTrip Corp. (C-store) QT Kitchens offer great fresh fast food and grocerant niche items for takeout are now offering once again pumpkin Snackles.

QuikTrip is just the latest convenience stores that has begun to look more like a restaurant than aa C-store according to Johnson. brought the pumpkin-flavored menu items to its QT Kitchen locations in mid-September.

The pumpkin Snackles hitting its QT Kitchen stores this season are the Pumpkin Pretzel, which has proven to be fan-favorite treat among QuikTrip customers. The Pumpkin Pretzel is a warm, soft pretzel topped with a sweet cinnamon and sugar blend and stuffed with a pumpkin filling. One choice of dipping sauce is included as well.

But that’s not all, Fall-themed creations are also making a repeat showing on QuikTrip's soft-serve menu. The Pumpkin QuikShake is a drinkable frozen treat featuring premium vanilla soft-serve and blended with pumpkin flavor. The Pumpkin QT Twister features premium vanilla soft-serve twisted with pumpkin syrup.

The Pumpkin QT Twister is only available in the Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines, St. Louis, Atlanta, Charlotte and Greenville-Spartanburg markets.

On the coffee bar, the retailer is bringing back its line of seasonal coffee items, which vary by store and market. The beverage options include the Pumpkin Frappe, Hot Pumpkin Latte and Iced Pumpkin Latte, and pumpkin flavored Cold Brew and Cold Brew Frappe. So, what are you doing this fall? Are you looking a customer ahead?  What are you doing next Spring?

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.

 

7-Eleven’s Competitive Breakout Foodservice Move

 

Consider this 7-Eleven is in only 17 countries but has over 70, 319 stores selling fresh fast food.  Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® stated, “as 7-Eleven increased fresh food offering by daypart delivery will add incremental top line sales and bottom line profits at the unit level around the world blurring the lines between food sector even more.”

Milk, Eggs, Beer, Wine, Pizza, Beef Jerky, Bread, Pepsi, Coke Cola, Coffee, chips and Slurpee’s create a grocerant niche mix and match fresh food delivery juggernaut the retail food industry has never seen the likes of, until now. Restaurants, grocery stores have one new conundrum, who to slow down 7-Eleven until they can figure out how to compete according to Johnson.

Price drives trail, and customer adoption and convenience store giant 7-Eleven continues its creep into the restaurant space, this time enticing diners with the offer of a free pizza, available through its app leveraging technology as good as or better than most restaurants of grocery stores.

So, the free cheese, pepperoni or extreme meat pizza is available only for delivery or pickup on Oct. 4 via the 7Now delivery app, the Irving, Texas-based company announced Thursday. Diners will still have to pay for delivery. I urge all of you to try it.

The offer is designed to “help loyal sports fans cheer on their teams and properly homegate,” 7-Eleven said in a press release. We all know that the gameday meal occasion, of course, has long been dominated by quick-service brands such as Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Wingstop.

There is no doubt that 7-Eleven is looking to one-up many restaurants with its convenience offerings, noting that customers can add items such as cut fruit, fresh-made salads, and bone-in and boneless wings, as well as beer or wine in participating areas.

Regular readers of this blog know that mix and match meal component bunding is the hallmark driving the explosive growth of the grocerant niche.  Raghu Mahadevan, the chain’s vice president of digital and head of delivery for 7-Eleven stated, "Our 7Now delivery app has proven especially popular as people choose to order-in their favorite comfort foods and snacks not only while watching sports games, but also when working at home, helping kids with schoolwork or binge-watching Netflix,", "We at 7-Eleven want to make life easier and convenient any way we can."

7-Eleven’s delivery app is currently available in about 1,300 cities, with a menu of fresh and hot foods, household items, groceries, over-the-counter medications and more. Most orders are delivered in about 30 minutes. Upsetting the price service value equilibrium even more the new 7Now customers can use a promo code for $50 in delivery credit until Nov. 3.

Regular readers of this blog know that this is not the first time 7-Eleven has tried to steal business from restaurants. The chain has been opening Laredo Taco Company restaurants inside its retail units for at least 18 months. The Mexican concept specializes in housemade tacos and other traditional street foods.

Regular readers also know that 7-Elven has also been experimenting with a new format, known internally as the Evolution concept, that features a designated area for on-premise food consumption as well as a section for craft wines and beers.

The consumer is dynamic not static.  Is your brand dynamic? Are, you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.