At JAB Holding Company Coffee Subscriptions Work

 

Panera Bread tested a subscription coffee service as regular readers of this blog know then they launched an $8.99 per month coffee and tea subscription program for its MyPanera loyalty program members. Steven Jonson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® stated, it’s clear that Coffee subscriptions work giving the first-hand knowledge JAB Holding Company and JAB Consumer Partners have.  The own coffee companies the ilk of Krispy Kreme, Caribou Coffee, Pret A Manger, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Bagel Brands, Panera Bread, JAB Holdings and JAB Consumers Partners have the depth of insightful global data the few other companies could have.”

So, now Pret A Manger USA has launched a new Pret Coffee Subscription in New York City and Washington, D.C., the Pret Coffee Subscription allows subscribers to pay one monthly fee for access to coffees and teas up to five times a day.

In a company PR stated, “After seeing success in the U.K. market, Pret A Manger is eager to offer its U.S. customers a program with similar benefits, starting with a free first month for all new subscribers,” Regular readers also know that Panera’s program works.

At Pret A Manager, customers can choose between the Premium Plan at $29.99 a month or the Classic Plan at $19.99 a month for any size, hot or iced, with no additional charge for plant-based milks. Each new subscriber will automatically receive a free first month at sign up.

So, the Premium Plan includes all espresso-based, barista-made drinks, including lattes and cappuccinos, as well as organic coffees and teas with an additional espresso shot or flavor syrup add-on. The Classic Plan includes all coffees and teas with a flavor syrup add-on. Both plans include hot or iced drinks of any size with any dairy milk or non-dairy milk-alternatives.

The companies PR continued, “We used ‘Coffee Passes’ as a test in the U.S. market to see if there was interest in a program like this,” a spokesperson said. “They were only able to be purchased in our shops and customers had to purchase a new one each month. Our Coffee Pass program ended on July 23 to make room for our shiny new Pret Coffee Subscription.”

Just how fast can you drink a cup of coffee? So, the Pret A Manger spokesperson said customers can order up to five drinks a day, with only a 30-minute wait between orders. Previously, it was a wait of one hour between orders. The Classic and Premium Plans will now auto-renew and include other benefits, such as online account set-up and management and upcoming capabilities to send gifts.

Jorrie Bruffett, president of Pret A Manger USA, stated, “We are thrilled to be launching the Pret Coffee Subscription here in the U.S.,” said “We recognize our customers’ need for ease, flexibility and value, and this subscription model will be able to provide that.”

Bruffett said “the company had also invested in new technology that helps the rollout of the subscription program.” … “This innovation in technology comes with a new app redesign and more exclusive perks to be launched later this year,”.. “As offices in New York City and Washington, D.C., continue to open, we look forward to welcoming back residents, commuters and visitors into our shops.” The new mobile app will allow customers to make purchases, manage subscriptions and order ahead for pickup”

Pret currently has 32 locations in New York City and six in Washington, D.C.  With more than $50 Billion in global sales JAB Holding Company is evolving its business model. Don’t let your business model leave you behind.  Does your brand look more like 1990, 2000, than today?

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

Pret a Manger Revitalizes Grocerant Niche Fresh Food Thoughtfully

“New York, New York” you’re are a ‘helluva’ town was a song from the 1944 musical On the Town and the 1949 MGM musical film of the same name. The music was written by Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The world is routing for New York and no one more than global grocerant fresh food retailer Pret a Manger, according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Pret a Manger began reopening select New York City April 28. Those locations that will serve the majority of Manhattan from 8:30am-3 pm to allow for take-out and 10 – 3 for delivery via an exclusive partnership with Grubhub/Seamless increasing the fresh food options New Yorkers.

Pret a Manager like most global grocerant niche leaders understands that consumers are dynamic not static. Well Pret a Manager is evolving with New Yorkers during these difficult times with a new consumer touchpoint “Pret Groceries,” an on-demand delivery/pick-up service through Seamless that allows New Yorkers to shop for grocery essentials without the inconvenience and difficulty of securing a set delivery window.

New Yorkers can select their favorite Pret ingredients for delivery or take-out, including select whole produce, honey wheat & gluten-free breads, Pret’s Granola, Oats, quart-sized soups, organic coffee & tea and various milk products (whole, skim, half & half, oat and almond), and packs of their freshly baked cookies that will be delivered to their door within the hour.

Edifying both customers and employees concerns about safety Pret will implement new safety precautions including:

·         No more than 6 customers inside the restaurant at any time and tape will be applied outside to maintain a 6-foot distance while customers wait to enter

·         Shields will be placed on the till counter to avoid contamination

·         Hand sanitizer available for customer use

·         Customers have the option to pack their own bags

·         All cutlery, stirrers, napkins will be stored behind the counter and passed to customers on request.

·         Only contactless payment will be accepted (Pret App, Apple Pay, or credit card)

·         Only customers wearing face masks will be allowed to enter.

New York, New York” you’re are a ‘helluva’ town and luck to have a grocerant niche company the ilk of Pret a Manger focusing on all of the right things at the right time.  If success does leave clues and it does grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food is just what the doctor ordered.

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, local educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869

Building a Brand by Doing what you Do Best Pret A Manger Gets it

Expanding a chain restaurant, grocerant, or any food outlet can be a tricky endeavor, however if you do while doing what you do best the odds of success are greatly improved according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Pret A Manger as regular readers of this blog know has a menu of freshly prepared food Reasy-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food and organic coffee that have helped it find success with grocerant niche customers around the world according to Johnson

Johnson first visited Pret A Manger in the UK- over 20 years ago and staying focused on grocerant niche fresh food had help drive its growth to the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and has now  opened its first U.S. airport location in Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport providing a platform for flyers to get ‘better-for-you’ meals for less for on the plane, at home, or for eating at the airport while waiting.

HMSHost executive vice president of Restaurant Development Stephanie Havard stated “Pret has been at the forefront of offering diners freshly prepared food that is beautifully and conveniently displayed and available in attractive, highly portable packaging. Now, we’re thrilled to debut Pret to world travelers and expand its presence in U.S. airports from coast to coast,” “It is an exciting time for HMSHost and our airport partners as we continue to lead the way in elevating travelers’ dining experiences with the most delicious, on-trend choices to fuel their journeys.”

Airport are a great platform to drive food sampling, while introducing a brand according to Johnson. Perfect for travelers, Pret’s classic menu of portable freshly prepared food includes sandwiches, salads, wraps and hot items, a plethora of vegan and vegetarian dishes and a variety of beverage choices from juice to organic coffee. Customers can eat in, take away or eat on board, dependent on their preference, and enjoy breakfast, lunch, and evening meals from Pret, plus a range of sweet treats.

Pret’s food is made fresh on-site every day. Customer favorites include Pret’s Famous Ham & Cheese Baguette, the Chicken Avocado Salad, the Greek Egg White Frittata, the Mediterranean Mezze Salad (vegan), and the Chicken Parm Hot Wrap. Early morning travelers can get their day started with a range of breakfast dishes such as Pret’s Steel-Cut Oatmeal (vegan), an Egg & Bacon Brioche, and the Blueberry Yogurt Pot. Pret’s partnership with HMS Host is a perfect platform to drive ‘new electricity’.

According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new menu related products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, 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 retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different

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.

JAB Holdings Focusing on Hand Held Food for Immediate Consumption

The undercurrents of consumer migration from traditional avenues of fresh food distribution to new non-traditional avenues of fresh food distribution have been well documented by Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®

One company JAB Holding Co continued its food-industry buying spree this week this time targeting a leader in the grocerant niche chain restaurant Pret A Manger that excels with hand held food for immediate consumption and has outstanding growth prospects according to Johnson.

Jab Holding Co is the same company that bought Panera Bread to JAB in 2017 another company that excels with hand held food for immediate consumption, catering, and delivery.  The food category similarities place Jab Holding Co within the top tier of the growing grocerant niche retailers.

Pret-A-Manger was, founded in London in 1986, it currently has 530 locations worldwide, including 381 in the United Kingdom.  It has 92 restaurants scattered within the northeastern United States including Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Washington. The company had fiscal 2017 sales of $1.17 billion and according to Johnson is positioned for growth.

JAB grocerant niche has become clear to all retail players as they also have controlling interest in global coffee manufacturer Jacobs Douwe Egberts; Peet’s Coffee & Tea; Caribou Coffee Co.; Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc., and Espresso House, the largest branded coffee shop chain in Scandinavia.

The Grocerant niche is filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food for immediate consumption most of with is hand held and Jab Holding Co team has a record of innovation, consolidation, and marketing skill set to not only drive growth but incremental top line sales and bottom line profits.

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

Franchisee with a Focus Pret A Manger

This week Pret A Manger announced that it has signed its first franchise agreement in the U.S. the company will focus on college campus locations via franchises. Pret A Manager will open two university locations this fall the first will be Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania the second will be at the University of Chicago.  The team at Foodservice Solutions® believes that targeted growth Gen Z & Millennials will complement Pret A Manager’s brand value.

The new franchisee is Bon Appétit Management Company,  on-site restaurant company operating more than 1,000 cafes in 33 states for corporations, universities and museums, as well as public restaurants seems to be a perfect fit for Pret A Manger according to our own Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson.

The campus locations will offer Pret’s popular menu of organic coffee and handmade natural food, including sandwiches, salads, wraps, baguettes, and hot options. Using quality, ethically sourced ingredients, all of Pret’s grocerant niche fresh items are prepared on-site in the shop kitchens every day.

The menu includes items the ilk of:  Balsamic Chicken & Avocado Sandwich, Mediterranean Mezze Salad, Coconut Chicken & Miso Sweet Potato Balance Box, and Turkey, Ham & Wisconsin Cheddar Hot Baguette  which elevate flavor while satisfying Millennials quest for food discovery.

Jo Brett, Pret’s U.S. president  stated “Choosing the right partners is important for Pret and we really admire Bon Appetit’s values and operational strengths,”,,. “Our menu of freshly made food to go is perfect for students juggling a busy academic lifestyle, and I’m sure our organic coffee will also be very popular on campus. Pret is a natural choice for students looking for fresh and nutritious food and we hope that these three new university shops are the first of many.”

Success does leave clues www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  is the global leader in grocerant niche business development.  We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities.  Has your company had a Grocerant ScoreCard completed a Grocerant Program Assessment, or new Grocerant niche product Ideation?  Want one?  Call 253-759-7869 Email: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us

Pret A Manger Who Knew Vegan Only Was Hot

Understanding customers and giving them what they want is a trademark of a company that is on the right path according to Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson.  Last week UK grocerant niche retail chain Pret A Manger reveled that it will be installing vegetarian-only fridges in its shops following the success of its vegetarian-only stores.

The new refrigerators are currently in a month long trial, but could possibly remain in stores for the summer subject to performance. The company opened its second Veggie Pret store in London recently after the success of its initial pop-up veggie store in Soho, which was later made permanent.

Pret A Manger CEO Clive Schlee stated “the new fridges will be accompanied by monthly vegetarian and vegan specials created by the company's chefs.  This approach does carry some risk and we are treading carefully,” … “I’m curious if our veggie menu will appeal more or less to customers when highlighted in a single fridge. Will it attract or deter our regular meat-eaters?”

Schlee continues as he referred to a survey carried out in 2015, which asked consumers if they would rather add a vegetarian fridge into every store, build a Veggie Pret, or simply do nothing. “Fridges narrowly won the vote but we couldn’t resist the bigger challenge for our chefs, so we opened a Veggie Pret pop-up instead”.

He commented that after the success of the two stores the chefs have “expanded Pret’s veggie and vegan offering to such an extent that we can now honour the outcome of the original vote.”  The grocerant niche is filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food that is ‘better-for-you’ and this expands that halo of better-for-you according to our own Grocerant Guru®.

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us  the Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.