Re-evaluation of food priorities

“Give a man food, and he can eat for a day. Give a man a job, and he can only eat for 30 minutes on break." — Lev L. Spiro
The consumer price, service, value equilibrium is being reset. The consumer is re-evaluating priorities around time, income and activities. Many strong retailers understand that and are addressing the issue head on. The pro-active retailers can be found in the Convenience Store sector, Grocery sector and Restaurant sector.
Kwik Shop, the convenience store chain owned by Kroger, is considering adding pharmacies to its stores. Kroger understands that the consumers like the attributes of Kwik shop; additionally realizes the consumer wants more! Grocery stores like Central Market have added hot food to-go of restaurant quality. Starbucks realized that people do not want less coffee; they want more experience so they are extending the experience into additional brand food print to accommodate their consumers. Foodservice Solutions understand it as well. The Grocerant sector is not static, it is dynamic and booming. Interested in an understanding traditional positioning in non-traditional times? Need to learn more about a Grocerant tour, Grocerant program assessment or simple in-depth consultative understanding of the growing Grocerant niche? Read more on this blog or contact me directly for more information.

Time for Picnic Food

Give me books, French wine, fruit, fine weather and a little music played out of doors by somebody I do not know. ----John Keats
Summer is the time to picnic! Today choice’s are outstanding. Do you want to stop at H. E. Butt and pick up a complete Grocerant meal with all of the components easily available. You can stop at Exxon’s On The Run and pick up any thing from sushi to salsa. Stopping at Metropolitan market one can get Breakfast bundled to go. Food Lion has the On The Go Bistro where bundling grocerant style components is the key element. Then there is Hess Express where ready to eat or ready to heat food is positioned to sell.
Looking around the industry it is easy to see why the Grocerant sector is booming. Day or night high quality food can be found ready to eat and or ready to heat. Is your company on top of the Next big wave Grocerants? Grocerant program assessment are available and industry research can assist you in positioning your self for continued success. Foodservice Solutions is having a picnic today!

British Petroleum understands franchisee empowerment. BP’s Franchisee have a basket of opportunity to chose from when it comes to offering food at their units. The range is runs anywhere from Burger Kings and McDonalds to Sushi! Yes, made to order ready to eat sushi. In Memphis, TN the BP on Poplar Avenue sells fresh made to order Sushi. One would ask who would eat Sushi at a gas station? Well the answer is lots of people from Attorneys to college students. In fact “J.J. Lee who manages the business reports that they are taking in about $1,500 per day in Sushi sales.” That my friends that is a lot of Memphians.
The grocerant sector is about consumer choice in ready to eat, ready to heat food. Don’t let Brand protectionism get in the way of your companies success. In this and many other cases the customer is the answer. Leave brand protectionism to brand manages that do not understand channel blurring. Want to keep up with what is happening in the Grocerant sector? Contact me directly and I will send you a copy the new Technomic Retailer Meal Solutions Monitor. Success can be found from 7 Eleven, Boston Market, Holiday Food Stores, Kwik Trip, Gaint Eagle and Eatzi’s. Success leaves clues, first clue is keep informed.

Top of the weekend to you all!
What a great week it was. I want to take this time to thank all of you that I so that called and I spoke with, Email and those of you who left me messages. The Grocerant sector is truly taking hold, from North to South and East to West. This week I spoke too many of you directly about Technomic’s RMS Monitor. I again want to take this opportunity to recommend the Monitor here on my blog. The information contained within the RMS Monitor is niche focused, powerfully relevant, consumer reflective and regionally revealing.
Many of you asked about the possibility of a Grocerant Tour, without doubt, that is something that we can arrange and do. For those of your interested feel free to contact me directly via phone or Email. So far the request have been on viewing ready to eat hot food and interesting packaging products. Any suggestion or specific geographical local or company specific request will of course be considered. Keep in mind that we also conduct Grocerant program assessments.
The Ready to eat, ready to heat prepped and prepared food niche or Grocerant niche continues to build momentum with the consumer. Companies from Piggly Wiggly, Vons, ACME, Aidi, HEB, Sheetz, and Wawa all are active in the Next big wave; The Grocerants niche!

In a recent report conducted by New York-based Ipsos Marketing, Consumer Goods found that consumers are eager for innovation when it comes to packaged goods, household and personal products. Most notable “Eighty-nine percent of consumers said they would be interested in trying new food products at the grocery store.”

Then when questioned which product categories are most likely to introduce services and products that are new and different from what’s currently available, 34 percent of respondents indicated household products, 28 percent included personal products, and only 26 percent indicated food and beverage. Again when questions which products were the most innovative according to 60 percent of respondents. “Electronic media (58 percent), cameras and video equipment (54 percent) also ranked highly.” The food industry has not been meeting the needs set of the consumer when it comes to innovation.

Well enough said! Why do we still see a majority of Grocery stores, Convenience stores sell fried chicken as there featured retail meal solutions? The consumer has and is moving on. The consumer wants Grocerant style food that is ready to eat, ready to heat and portable.

On the restaurant side perceived better for you products are driving sales for Yum brands KFC, and we all know of the success that Chipotle is showing. Whole foods is turning heads with quality ready to eat and ready to heat foods. Grocerant style food is leading the way in portability and consumer choice. It is different, comes in a different format and packaging. The opportunity is out there for all. If you would like a Grocerant program assessment feel free to contact me directly or leave a comment.

Convenience Store News today published this article; Quick Chek Asks 'What's Your Beef?' Pleasse read it and think again about channel blurring? Is it important to you?

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. -- Quick Chek, a chain of 119 convenience stores throughout New Jersey and southern New York, is launching a new collection of quarter-pound Angus beef burgers.The six unique varieties include:-- The Classic American with yellow American cheese, pickles, tomatoes, red onions, lettuce, ketchup and mustard on a Kaiser roll;-- The Bourbon BBQ with cheddar cheese, bacon, red onions and bourbon barbeque sauce on a Kaiser roll;-- The Spicy Buffalo with white American cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and spicy buffalo sauce on a Kaiser roll;-- The Roasted Tomato & Garlic with roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella and roasted tomato and garlic spread on a Kaiser roll;-- The Southwest with Monterey Pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise on a Kaiser roll; and,-- The Ultimate with provolone cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and Texas horseradish sauce on a Kaiser roll."We're happy to bring our customers another new and exciting choice on our expansive fresh food menu," Jennifer Vespole, senior category manager of foodservice, said in a statement. "The launch of our new quarter-pound Angus beef burgers represents our commitment to offer a wide variety of menu choices that satisfies every craving morning, noon and night."Regularly priced at $4.49 each, Quick Chek customers can try a new Angus beef burger of their choice for $2.99 each every Friday for a limited time. In addition, on July 17, from noon to 4 p.m., the retailer’s own Burger Brigade will visit Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth, N.J., where they will offer shoppers the chance to share their own "beef" on videotape. Each participant who records their own "beef," will receive a coupon for a complimentary Quick Chek quarter-pound Angus beef burger.

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
Grocery Stores, Convenience stores and Supermarkets have upped the quality of prepped and prepared meals. The stated goal is to compete with restaurant quality food products. Central Market, Whole foods and Wegmans are doing an outstanding job and obtaining customers reviews at times higher than many restaurant chains. Albertsons and Safeway are vastly improving in quality and pushing price points that draw customers back for more.
The deep discounts that chain restaurants have been offering to lure cash-strapped customers out of their kitchens may coming back to bite them. There focus has gone from “quality” food to food price focused. Restaurant chains ranging from Denny's to Applebee's this year have been giving away food in special promotions or special offering deals to boost customer frequency. While Yum Brands Inc., who’s Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands have been emphasizing low-priced seems to be the only focus.
Grocerant ready to eat ready to heat food must first be GOOD, Second better than one can make at home and third be portable in consumer friendly packaging. Foodservice Solutions offers a Grocerant program assessment. Interested in a Grocerant program assessment, leave a comment or contact me directly.
George Bernard Shaw said, “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” There is no greater gift that customers that love your food, brand and service. What are your customers putting in there shopping basket and how is your food stacking up?