Impossible Foods Success Scaling Drops Price

Consumers have decided that they like planted-based protein. In fact, The Good Food Institute (GFI) and the Plant Based Foods Association shows U.S. retail sales of plant-based foods continued to increase by double digits in 2019, growing 11 percent and bringing the total plant-based market value to $5 billion.

Now thanks to month-over-month production records and new economies of scale, Impossible Foods is expanding its product lineup and dropping prices just like the Grocerant Guru® predicted and customer adoption and migration to plant-based food has well exceed his predictions.   

Impossible Foods’ cut its current U.S. foodservice products prices to distributors by 15 percent on average. The move comes amid increasing demand for the flagship Impossible Burger, now served at thousands of restaurants including Burger King, Red Robin, Qdoba, Cheesecake Factory and Hard Rock Cafe. Last week, Impossible Burger was named the official plant-based burger of Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise Line.

Impossible Foods’ CEO Dr. Patrick O. Brown stated “We launched Impossible Burger at America’s top restaurants, and we still enjoy a premium reputation among the world’s best chefs and gourmets,” …“But our stated goal since the founding of the company has always been to drive down prices through economies of scale, reach price parity and then undercut the price of conventional ground beef from cows. Today’s price cut is just the latest step toward our goal of eliminating animals in the food system.”

New data released by Dollar sales for the total U.S. retail food market grew just 2 percent within the total grocery marketplace. While the value of plant-based meat — the second-largest category — is approaching $1 billion, with sales growth of 18 percent in 2019.

The consumer is evolving with seeking food and food products that have the ‘halo’ of better for you according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® and plant-based foods have that halo.  Are you evolving with your customers fast enough? Will you be price competitive in 2021, 2022, or 2023?

Foodservice Solutions® team is here to help you drive top line sales and bottom-line profits. Are you looking a customer ahead? Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.

MOOYAH Burgers and Ruby Tuesday think Plant-based Foods Will Help Sales

Copycat marketing is required when the customer moves.  There is no doubt that consumer adoption of plant-based food and beverages is the undercurrent of customer trial and adoption for new brands and new menu items in 2020 according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA base Foodservice Solutions®.

The conundrum for companies the ilk of MOOYAY and Ruby Tuesday is how do you enter a space and not look like ‘Johnny come lately’ so you branded messaging has customer relevance with a point of differentiation? In the case of Ruby Tuesday, you create new electricity for your brand via a partnership with a global retail giant known for ‘health & wellness’.  

For Ruby Tuesday that meant a partnership with a Nestlé via Sweet Earth Foods.  Fleur Veldhoven, vice president of food marketing at Nestlé Professional stated “Many consumers are looking to cut back on meat despite how much they enjoy eating it, and a plant-based protein option like our Sweet Earth Awesome Burger is the perfect no-compromise way to balance their diets,”.

Battle for Share of Stomach

Sweet Earth said its Awesome Burger was developed with Nestlé research and development support with no genetically modified ingredients and U.S.-sourced yellow pea protein, natural plant extracts and coconut oil.

MOOYAH point of differentiation by selecting a black bean vegan burger to replace its vegetarian burger and found it with the Dr. Praeger’s brand. New partnerships can drive new electricity for restaurant brands as long as the new product has differentiation with all of the ‘relevant consumer touchpoints’ according to Johnson.

In short differentiation dose not mean different, rather it means familiar but with a twist.  So, do you think either MOOYAH or Ruby Tuesday’s has the right balance of differentiation and consumer relevant touch points? How are you driving growth? Does your brand have new electricity?

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply chain and includes such things as fresh foods, Online ordering, delivery, plant based foods,  sampling, toy’s, beer, developing brands, unique urban clothing, 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?

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 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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.

McDonald’s ‘PlantWich’ a Millennial Touchpoint

Lead, follow or get out of the way.  In the case of plant-based protein McDonald’s has elected to follow.  So, just what does that mean?  Industry insiders know that no plant-based protein company had enough product supply for McDonald’s to rollout a new plant-based product nationwide.

According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® McDonald’s is testing of the operational and marketing messaging of a “P.L.T.” sandwich — plant, lettuce and tomato, featuring Beyond Meat patties at 52 southwestern Ontario, Canada, locations for 12 weeks.

Michaela Charette, head of consumer insights at McDonald’s Canada stated “As we expand the test, we’re continuing to listen to our guests across southwestern Ontario and assess the appetite for a plant-based alternative within the McDonald’s menu,”. This test is about edifying customer relevant touchpoints particularly with Millennials who are driving the plant-based protein adoption according to Johnson.

Regular readers of this blog know that McDonald’s also sells an imitation meat burger with a product from Nestle in Germany.  Plant-based proteins are no longer an option.  They have become a menu item of necessity if you want to avoid the “Food Veto”.  (Food Veto don’t have don’t go)

Leaders do not always have to lead.  There are times that they should follow in this case size does matter and filling the supply chain with product is a bigger problem than testing a new product?  The question every food manufacture of plant-based protein should be asking is who is McDonald/s going to buy?

 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, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or www.twitter.com/grocerant/

Battle for Share of Stomach

Do Chain Restaurants that Drive Growth Need to Buy Growth

By now most of you know that Yum! Brands, Inc, as has agreed to terms to buy Habit Burger Grill for approximately $375 million. That’s all fine and good if you want to keep doing what you have always done and doing it in the same way according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

The simple fact is restaurants are losing customers.  Year over year restaurant customer counts for 2019 declined 3.1%. Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food continues to drive growth in non-traditional fresh food outlets with sales up 9% during 2019 according to the team at Foodservice Solutions®.

Consumers are dynamic not static yet many restaurant chains like the formula, format, and footprint of their existing brands and would rather squeak and squawk raise prices to drive sales than evolve their business model. 

Rhetoric be dammed; rationalization is not justification for continue to do what you have always done.  It’s time that the restaurant sector admit that consumers are migrating from restaurants to other avenues of fresh food distribution for meals and meal components that are Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat.

Size and scale are legacy terms to rationalize and justify to those on Wall Street and their ilk that growth will come even if we have to buy it.  That may work for a while.  It won’t work for ever.  Is you brand looking ready to look for new non-traditional ways to drive top line sales and bottom line profits while garnering incremental customers?

Looking for success clues of your own? Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/  or www.twitter.com/grocerant

Battle for Share of Stomach

Plant-Based Millennials Driving Change

Regular readers of this blog know that Millennials are in a constant state of food discovery.  Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® stated that discovery has resulted in an unprecedented trial and adoption of plant-based foods.

Non-Millennials may not be ready for plant-based foods that are now coming as mind-bending innovations for those of us that remember Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef” commercials.  Today, millennials are looking past beef at other option.   

A new poll from Charleston|Orwig worked with two research partners, Maeve Webster of Menu Matters and Confidential Consumer, polling across the United States has some finding you might enjoy.

Key poll findings:

·         More than 40 percent of those surveyed describe the concept of lab-produced or synthetic foods and beverages as “scary,” with no intention of adding them to their diets.

·         Conversely, more than half of the population is open to the idea of products created with new technologies.

·         Younger consumers, Gen Zs and Millennials, are significantly more willing to try synthetic foods. Only 26 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds called lab-grown items “scary” and said they’d be unwilling to sample compared to 46 percent of those over 55.

·         About 20 percent of younger consumers agree these types of products will help “save the planet” and that they are “cool” and the “future of foods/beverages.”

·         The number one concern, expressed by a third of respondents (33.4 percent), is a lack of understanding about the long-term health impacts.

·         One quarter of consumers (25.2 percent) expressed concerns about the healthfulness of these products compared with conventionally produced food.

·         Other top five concerns: lab-produced foods/beverages would not be better for the environment (21.6 percent); would not include natural ingredients (19.2 percent); and would lead to completely processed products (19.0 percent).

Reading this one might think that plant-based foods are more a ‘fad’ than trend.  That according to Johnson simply is not the case. Johnson says “consumers move forward and at times pause they don’t go backwards.” Look for 100% plant-based restaurant chains in 2020, new plant-based menu items, and legacy brands scrambling with plant-based foods to garner favor with Gen Z and Millennials.

Foodservice Solutions® team is here to help you drive top line sales and bottom-line profits. Are you looking a customer ahead? Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Battle for Share of Stomach

Millennial’s Quest for Food Discovery is the Key Driver of Plant-based Food Sales

Regular readers of this blog know that ‘Food Discovery’ is the undercurrent running throughout most Millennials and Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® all evidence points to that quest for discover as the key driver of plant-based food growth.

New research by Sweet Earth Foods and conducted by OnePoll, the survey found that millennials’ relationship to food is unique from that of previous generations, as almost six in 10 millennials (57%) currently subscribe to a special diet, such as plant-based, Keto, vegan or Whole 30.

The results found that millennials spend $2,242 at the grocery store and $1,672 dining out over the course of a year– averaging $187 and $139 per month, respectively — and they also try an average of 46 new foods.

Why this might be a trend rather than a fad.  Well, for those who follow a special diet the study found, 44% do so because it’s better for the environment, while 37% say it’s more ethical. Millennials report making 17 tweaks or changes to their diet per year, with the top changes found to be eating healthier foods (46%), avoiding sugar/carbs (41%) and focusing more on plant-based foods (36%). That’s in addition to a third (34%) who have cut down on their meat consumption.

But while social media might not be where millennials are finding their food inspiration, respondents are using it for other things. Seven in 10 (69%) have posted photos of their food to social media in the past year; of those, 26% have taken 10 or more photos to get one that’s social media- worthy. And when it comes to what they eat, millennials’ top priorities are cost (48%), having it be full of nutrients (46%) and no artificial additives in their food (40%). This is followed by organic food (39%) and having it be plant-based (37%).

Now that brings us to JUST, a company that applies cutting-edge science and technology to create healthier, more sustainable foods, launched a new campaign to celebrate Better Breakfast Month, observed annually in September.  Because Millennials want better-for-you meals and snacks all day long according to Johnson.

JUST is teaming up with more than 150 foodservice operators, including restaurants, colleges and universities, to highlight how to make breakfast better for people and the planet with the plant-based JUST Egg.

JUST Egg is now stocked by 20 of the 23 largest retailers in the U.S. and is the #1 selling refrigerated liquid egg in the Natural Channel, according to SPINS, the leading provider of data and insights for natural, organic and specialty products1.

Global consumption trends and studies show that a growing number of people are seeking out plant-based products and healthier, protein-rich, low sugar options. JUST Egg, which is perfect for omelets, scrambles and quiches, ticks those boxes and more. In consumer surveys, 77% of those choosing JUST Egg are meat eaters; 21% do not eat animal products; and 57% plan to eat more plant-based proteins in the next 2 years.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or for a snack, plant-based foods will drive the undercurrent of new product adoption at restaurants, grocery stores, c-stores, and dollar stores according to Johnson. 

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, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or www.twitter.com/grocerant/

Two Minute Meals

It seems today that more and more consumers are seeking healthy alternatives that also respect the environment when it comes to choosing what’s for dinner.  However, Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® stated “ Our recent Grocerant ScoreCards continue to indicate with 74.4% of respondents say ‘time’ is top of mind when planning dinner.

Food consumers continue to be time starved and more and more grocerant niche Ready-2-Drink options are available that offer balanced and nutritionally complete meal that you can prepare in under two minutes. So, I I wanted to let you know that Huel, which is plant-based, is now the fastest growing nutrition brand in the world. Huel is a perfectly balanced and nutritionally complete meal that you can prepare in under two minutes.

I tried the recently introduced, new chocolate Ready-to-drink (RTD), delivering a delicious, complete and affordable meal in a handy bottle. Which contained all 27 essential vitamins and minerals, making it the perfect meal whether on-the-go, at home, in school or at the office or at least that’s what they said.

So, what did I think?  I liked it. It was full-flavored, a larger portion, and yes it held me from lunch to dinner.  I had two millennials try some for breakfast one said it was ‘better-than-nothing even pretty good’ the other said it was more than enough for breakfast and could ‘eat breakfast’ while driving to work.

Huel is big all around the world and has sold over 50 million meals across 80 countries. Huel sells a wide variety of Ready-to-drink meals and powders (including gluten-free options), making nutrition fast, easy and affordable. My friends grocerant niche Ready-2-Drink meals are here and growing a larger Share of Stomach.     Here are some key features of Huel Ready-2-Drink meals that include:

1. It’s Easy: Huel is a perfectly balanced and nutritionally complete meal that you can prepare in under one minute
2. Nutritionally Complete: Huel Powder is a nutritionally complete food that is high in protein and fiber, low in sugar and salt, rich in phytonutrients and contains all 27 essential vitamins and minerals
3. Plant-based and Lactose/Soy/GMO-Free: It contains no lactose or any animal products, no soy and no GMO
4. Affordable: Huel starts at just $2.35 for a 400-calorie nutritionally complete meal and bulk and subscription discounts can be enjoyed by anyone for as low as $1.95 per meal
5. Huel is Food: Huel is far superior nutrition to most conventional diets. Huel can replace any meal or even as a between-meal snack. In this way it can be an add-on improvement to your diet to ensure you’re giving your body what it needs.
6. Zero food waste: Because you only use the Huel that you need to consume, and because Huel powder has a 1-year shelf life, Huel produces zero food waste
7. High manufacturing standards: Huel’s facilities and equipment are held to the highest safety standards and regulations
8. Vegan/environmentally friendly: Being vegan and producing zero food waste means Huel has much less of an environmental impact on the planet than many other food products

Do you sell a meal that can be prepared in two minutes?   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, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or www.twitter.com/grocerant/

Dunkin’ Brands Planting Success One Menu Item at a Time

Copycat menu items don’t drive incremental sales today according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. What does drive sales are new menu items that are ‘plant-based’ according to Johnson.

Dunkin’ Brands is now offering plant-based food for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desert. Yes, even Dunkin’s Baskin-Robbin’s division has plant-based offerings.  So, Baskin-Robbins is dipping into the plant-based dessert category with the launch of two new non-dairy flavors. Both Non-Dairy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Non-Dairy Chocolate Extreme will be available for ice cream customer in-store beginning August 1.

Both flavors contain no artificial dyes, which have been absent from all Baskin-Robbins ice cream since 2017 as part of Baskin-Robbins’ and Dunkin’ Brands’ commitment to serving high-quality menu items. The Non-Dairy flavors are also free from preservatives, artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, and are Kosher

Plant-based food sales increasing in double-digits across the country, and are expected to reach $140 Billion over the next 10 years. Baskin-Robbins non-dairy indulgences will join Dunkin’s plant-based breakfast bowls, plant-based sausage and chicken sandwiches. Dunkin’ Brands is looking a customer, ahead are you?

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 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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.