The answer is Quick Chek

The Grocerant sector is booming with reports of niche consumer acceptance from Maine to California and Florida to Washington State. Rarely does an industry have a fast developing niche that consumers are flocking to that is a platform for higher margins and a driver to increase customer frequency while building customer loyalty. However that is what we are finding in the Grocerant niche. The Grocerant sector filled with ready to eat and ready to heat food continues to flourish. Let me ask a coupe of questions and let’s see if who can get the right answers.

Who has the best vertically integrated marketing program for their ready to eat or ready to heat products, Village Pantry Convenience Stores or Boston Market?

Which company has the highest percent of food sales from the Grocerant sector products per store, Wawa or Safeway’s lifestyle stores? What Convenience store has the best Angus burger?

Did you know that THE NEXT BIG WAVE IS GROCERANTS? If not it may be time for a Foodservice program re-assessment or Grocerant program assessment from Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions. http://www.anything4restaurants.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/restaurant-consumer-discontinuity-the-consumer-moved-first/

www.FoodserviceSolutions.us of Tacoma, WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche providing Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat program assessments aka Grocerant Niche assessments. 1-253-759-7869 or linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below.

Food Success Clues

Twice baked bacon stuffed potatoes, Frappuccino, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Sizzli, Chili Cheese French fries all of these items are signature items at Grocery stores, Restaurants and Convenience stores around America. Since 1991 here at Foodservice Solutions we believe that Differentiation dose not mean different in new food product development, it means familiar.

 Consumers young and old are demanding more choice. Today that means they look for the choice in different ways, at different times. Why people eat and when they eat is paramount to where and what they will eat. More and more consumers of all ages are looking for food with fewer calories, less fat or bolder flavors. Positioning consumer friendly options directly for the consumer is always a win-win. How well do you think Ahold USA or Aldi are doing? Highland Park I think they are doing a great job what do you think? Is Cracker Barrel or Loves Travel Stops meeting your expectations?

The Grocerant niche filled with ready to eat or ready to heat portable foods is exciting. Just one of the over lapping hot button trends in this niche is better for you foods. Consumers are utilizing new tools to identify, quantify and qualify where and what they will eat. Where you find quality better for you foods today, Winerschnitzel, Quick Check, Maverik stores or Harris Teeter?

www.FoodserviceSolutions.us of Tacoma, WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche providing Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat program assessments aka Grocerant Niche assessments. 1-253-759-7869 or linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below.

 Send your comments directly to Steve Johnson or post them here. For more on Grocerants the next big wave click this link: http://www.foodandbeverageunderground.com/grocerants.html

Stop stifling food creativity

The quagmire of reality that corporate foodservice menu managers find themselves in to day is stifling. The day to day task required by many chain restaurants, grocery stores, Convenience stores in the foodservice / Grocerant ready to eat or ready to heat sector stifles pro-active development. Each company within the niche seems to impose odd regulations on it’s teams.

 The stated reasons range from; food safety to labor guide lines, food costing goals etc all non consumer focused reasons. No matter what the reason they are self imposed, self regulated, and limiting. Some of the best chains utilize guidelines that are restrictive. They include, Corner Bakery, Wegmans, Sheetz, Central Market, HEB, Publix, Albertson, Boston Market, Starbucks, and A&P.

When equilibrium is reached in the corporate world in the grocerant nice; that means or so I have heard that “marketshare is growing, profit margins are higher than other sectors”. The reaction to that is; STOP, lets saver this and most importantly maintain what we have in niche customer satisfaction levels and profits.

This quagmire of internal regulation stifles creativity, limits growth and reduces the chance of true breakout products within the niche. One company Technomic a highly respected foodservice research firm has insights with their Retailer Meal Solutions Monitor that can assist you to break out of the confines of your day to day routine. Keeping up with the grocerant niche at a minimum or break away and lead the pack, the information is a platform for success. Companies from Brookshire Grocery, Bristol Farms, Lowes Foods, 7 Eleven, Houchens, Kroger and Kwik Trip can gain valuable insights. Steve Johnson and Foodservice Solutions understand this niche better most.

www.FoodserviceSolutions.us of Tacoma, WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche providing Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat program assessments aka Grocerant Niche assessments. 1-253-759-7869 or linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below.

 For more here is link to a recent article written by Mr. Johnson. http://www.anything4restaurants.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/restaurant-consumer-discontinuity-the-consumer-moved-first/

Food Price Portion Product

Might it be restaurateurs have missed something? Could it be that the consumer is shifting spending and consumption habits? As Nielsen’s channel blurring study has stated year after year, channel blurring is not in the mind of the consumer; it is only in the mind of the BRAND MARKETERS! Restaurant brand marketers are more focused on controlling the brand than cultivating it. The food industry PRICE, PORTION, PRODUCT equilibrium is resettling and it is all about share of stomach. Better for you is on its way. That includes less fat in food, less calories and less PRICE!

Menu boards with calories on them are having an affect on consumers if you want a point of a solid point of differentiation; you had better understand that. It is my belief that copy cat niche chains have no marketing differentiation. Restaurants, C-stores and grocery operators are all faced with this new unstable paradigm. Grocery stores and C-stores on the East Coast have repositioned themselves with solid research, new highly educated staffs, and a laser focus on the consumer. Here is how I think they are winning: Packaging, Price, Portion, Portability and Purpose. Targeting the Grocerant consumer and sector!

Many in the food industry are reluctant to spend on research, quick to hire recycled industry vets, and even faster to copy what worked for others during the past 6 months, while looking no further. The Grocerant sector is full of opportunity for manufactures of food, food packaging companies, operators of Restaurants, Supermarkets, Convenience Stores and Dollar stores for new product ideation, positioning opportunities. 

www.FoodserviceSolutions.us of Tacoma, WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche providing Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat program assessments aka Grocerant Niche assessments. 1-253-759-7869 or linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below.

Cooking 1, 2, 3 2009

I was invited over to a new neighbors for dinner and of course accepted the invitation. The previous home owner had lived there 20+ years and was a great neighbor, friend and cook. I was amazed with the young couple (26ish) display of food when I arrived. Several other neighbors were also invited, kinda a meet and welcome. I was asked if I could come over early to introduce everyone and since I wanted to see what they were cooking I simply jumped at the chance. This was my lesson in Cooking 1,2,3! Boxes and bags were stacked on the counter top. I could see COSTCO, Metropolitan Market, Trader Joes, and Safeway labels, bags and containers.

Starters: Packaged, pre-cut, pre-washed vegetables, wings, meatballs;

Salads: Tabouli, broccoli slaw, beet salad;

Entrees: Pulled Pork, Rotisserie Chicken, Ribs;

Desserts: Cream Puffs, Fresh Fruit, Individual Petifores.

Ready, Set, Cook! Then in less than 6 minutes the food was unpacked placed on serving plates and one pour a beverage for me while the other took out the trash. Everyone came the party was a smash hit and the food was GREAT! I was raised on slow cooking, planning and hard work. This my friends is much better! In fact FUN! At the time they did not know what I did for a living. It is just one of the reasons I get it. Grocerant ready to eat and ready to heat food is here to stay. I hope these neighbors stay as well. Interested in positioning your Grocerant food for success. Leave a comment and we will help.

Work Place media study

I found this at Progressive Grocer.com and wanted to share. "A survey from WorkPlace Media, a Cleveland, Ohio-based marketing solutions firm that specializes in targeting people in the workplace, has found that the economic recession is having a impact on workers’ eating habits, and possibly their health. Overall, 31 percent of the 760 workers surveyed last month said they were making less money because of the economy, and 76 percent said they had cut down in some way on food and beverage consumption. Additionally, 34 percent said that cheaper fast food trumped health considerations during the recession, while 66 percent disagreed.Other findings from the WorkPlace Media survey include the following:--Changes in breakfast consumption:37 percent said their breakfast habits had not changed35 percent said they prepared breakfast at home more23 percent said they lessened the amount of times they purchase breakfast out10 percent discontinued purchasing breakfast out9 percent said they rarely eat breakfast anymore3 percent said they chose cheaper fast-food alternatives for breakfast--Changes in lunch consumption:40 percent said they lessened the number of times they purchase lunch out39 percent said they prepared their lunch at home more28 percent said their lunch spending habits had not changed8 percent said they chose cheaper fast-food alternatives for lunch7 percent discontinued purchasing lunch out3 percent said they rarely eat lunch anymore--Changes in dinner consumption:48 percent said they lessened the number of times they purchase dinner out42 percent said they prepared dinner at home more23 percent said their dinner spending habits had not changed7 percent said they chose cheaper fast-food alternatives for dinner5 percent said they discontinued purchasing dinner out2 percent said they rarely eat dinner anymore--Changes in grocery store habits:57 percent said they use more coupons50 percent said they buy more generic products31 percent said they save their trips for larger stockup trips23 percent said they buy fewer items on stockup trips17 percent said they shopped more during lunch or on the way home from work“When it comes to how the recession has affected the daily routines of workers, fewer working consumers are purchasing breakfast, lunch and dinner out. Some have even resorted to skipping meals to save money,” said WorkPlace Media CEO Stephanie Molnar. “You can expect even more changes to these habits as the recession plays itself out -- and hopefully recedes. But staying in touch with these changing attitudes is utterly crucial for any company looking to stay in step with today’s working consumer.”

Food getting better for you!

Consumers are rethinking what they buy. When consumers are rethinking what they should buy; are they considering your brand or product? During our current economic rescission and continued slump many consumers are rethinking what type of food and where they will buy it. Several recent studies have come out of late focusing on the Premium customer and the “low end” consumer. Each surprisingly signaled that the consumer is willing to trade up for products that they believe are “better for you” “sustainable” or even “organic”.

No matter the reason the rescission is top of mind for consumers and health is there as well. If customers have lost hours per week or lost employment both the high end consumer and the low end consumer are willing more conscious about spending money on food. They are showing signs and sending messages with their spending that they care about Health, Good Health and want a “better for you” product.

Quick service Restaurants are now posting calories on menu boards, many restaurant menus do the same. The information is a powerful veto over time for legacy menu items loaded down with fat and calories. Change is coming, it will continue in this area to come at a slow pace but very steady. Interpreting consumer data and global patterns is all part of Grocerant Program assessments, for one leave a comment. Who has the worst food in America for fat and calories? Albertsons- Fried Chicken, KFC, Pizza Huts Stuffed Pizza? Where is the best? Eatzi’s – salads, Wegmans, or the New A&P? Grocerant program placement can help you position for success.