Restaurants can say yes to Food Stamps.

Food Stamp Recipients deserve the full range of Alternative and Affordable Meal Solutions. Food Stamps, or now more commonly called EBT cards (Electronic Benefits Transfer) should be accepted at Fast Food (QSR) restaurants.

Yum Brands did the right thing requesting permission to accept food stamps at fast food…its restaurants in Kentucky. Our question is: why not in every state?

The reported US unemployment rate is hovering at 8.9%, but we all know that combined with the underemployed and those not even looking any longer the unemployment rate is much closer to 20%. It's clear a large portion of America is going without. Unemployment numbers are disproportionately high for those under 24 and over 55 increasing anxiety while creating a climate of disorder in the workforce.

The NPD Group reports that" the number of annual restaurant visits by an average Millennial consumer (age 16 to 30) has dropped from 245 visits five years ago to 192 this year -- approximately one fewer visit each week. Additionally, a National Restaurant Association survey found that in July, restaurant performance dropped to its lowest level in almost a year, and restaurant owners predicted their worst overall performance expectations in 20 months. This gets more complicated as fast food blurs the lines between a meal and a snack .

Subsidized in part with food stamp programs Conveniences stores, Chain Drug Stores, Grocery Stores and now Walmart Express are increasing fresh food sales and garnering ready-2-eat market share.

Why Are the Food Police ignoring 45 Million people's needs in using food stamps for fast food?

QSR's, Fast Casual, Casual Dining and all other restaurant formats as well as deli's should be able to accept food stamps. Why?

Recession, stagnation or double dip… 45 million plus Americans are currently receiving assistance from the Food and Nutrition Service division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (the USDA SNAP), which oversees the food stamp program. Like most legacy government programs it's time to update this program ensuring participant parity and contemporized consumer relevance. For another view here is a link:

http://foodbeverage.about.com/b/2011/11/28/yum-brands-retreats-from-lobbying-for-food-stamps-at-fast-food.htm

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Quickchek when you’re ready-2-eat all day every day.

It does not matter what time of day to get started, Quickchek has fresh coffee, iced coffee, hot chocolate, cappuccino 24 hours a day every day.  Quickchek is one of the leading convenience store chains selling quality ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh food.  Quickchek is focused on the grocerant niche and building customer loyalty and frequency with fresh food.  

Understanding the power of choice they have breakfast burritos, sandwiches.  The Rancho burrito is filled with Scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese, southwest corn and black bean salsa in a 10” tortilla. They have a  breakfast club sandwich with scrambled eggs with ham, bacon, cheddar cheese and tomatoes with roasted tomato and garlic spread on a sub roll.  Quickchek is not your grandfather’s convenience store. 

They have chicken wings with a choice of five signature sauces including Spicy buffalo, creamy ranch, honey mustard, Bourbon BBQ or low fat jalapeno ranch.  With a full complement of signature salads and premium Angus Burgers Quickchek’s menu is more akin to many legacy casual restaurants chains than legacy C-stores.  Built on quality food and convenience Quickchek is rapidly growing in the grocerant niche.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Walgreens testing Soft Serve or food court.

When you’re ready-2-eat your next sweet treat you may just be stopping by one of the 459+ Walgreens CafeW’s for a frozen yogurt. Duane Reade aka Walgreens in NYC began testing a new frozen yogurt bar.  Now at the 52^nd and Broadway location you can find a: slurpee-esque Freezee station, its Good & Delish oatmeal station, self-serve juice/smoothie offerings and the Sushi Station for fresh custom ordered sushi and frozen yogurt.  That sounds  like a food court to me.

The Yogurt bar is called the “Fro-Yo Bar will include the following flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Original Tart, Blueberry Tart, Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate, Mango, Coffee and Peach. Toppings will include various candies, fresh fruit, cereals and Ghirardelli sauces.”

I like what Walgreens is doing.  They carry both fresh ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat prepared food.  I think that the addition of frozen yogurt is a perfect complement to cafeW’s all around the country.  If you’re in the store waiting for a prescription to be filled a cup of coffee or a frozen yogurt is a perfect way to pass the time.  Walgreens is going to be a large player in the ready-2-eat, heat-N-eat grocerant niche.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Foodservice Solutions® retail food success comes in the Grocerant Niche.

The Grocerant niche is inclusive of all ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared fresh food products offered by any food retailer.  This niche is driven by demand from consumers.  Food retail companies are now flooding into the space focused on ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food.   

Foodservice Solutions® assist companies in demystifying food channel points of distribution and menu opportunity.  We specialize in Grocerant niche program strategy development, including program rollout with consumer relevant contemporized components, specifically brand edifying new product positioning and brand continuum positioning. 

Many legacy companies peg their brand to a specific niche, product or channel.  In industry terms it’s called brand protectionism. Foodservice Solutions® integrates its 5 P’s of food marketing (Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price) into a company specific retail food strategy; providing a platform for success within the fastest growing retail food sector the grocerant niche. 

The consumer is dynamic not static, brands must be the same.  Foodservice Solutions views a product or brand from the consumer view utilizing well established but different set of consumer metrics than legacy traditional internal metrics. Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.   

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Burger King innovation success comes in better French Fries and Free.

Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing are: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price.  Today Burger King has declared “Free Fries Friday”.  Burger King is leveraging all® 5 P’s of food marketing are: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price offering consumer a free sample order of fries.

Free is “better for you”; the new Burger King French Fry, which I have had the opportunity to try is Good.  Indeed, it is then a “better for you” product with a “halo” of brand value and industry buzz via the free promo that will allow Burger King to regain some momentum in the burger sector.

Leo Leon, vice president, global innovation, Burger King Corp stated “We believe our new fries are the latest example of our commitment to quality and innovation, and we invite everyone to visit our restaurants and taste the difference.”

Here at Foodservice Solutions® differentiation does not mean different it means similar with a twist.  The new Burger King French Fry is very noticeably better and the twist is it will be a quality driver moving forward.

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Boston Market: Fewer Units Again

Boston Market finds itself at the end of 2011 with fewer total units than they had in 2010. This story is simply the same one we have witnessed year after year with this company.  Boston Market finds itself in the conundrum of being in Sun Capital’s retail food group. Ask Friendly’s and Real Mex employees just how that is working.  

Boston Market (BM) once a leader in the grocerant niche, attempted to re-position away from the fastest growing retail food sector the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food niche and into “casual in-store” dinning.  Why, why even bother asking.  Sun Capitals food team at least appears consistently filled with misguided efforts.  In the BM case they are so far wrong in direction and timing it’s simply professionally embarrassing.

Their spin is remaining unit sales numbers are up?  Well come on, all chain restaurants that remodel – positioning garner a natural 2-3% uptick.  However in BM’s case when you increased the marketing advertising spend one would expect to see stellar numbers.  We are hearing they are holding onto up numbers but nothing stellar or even close.  

Scott Beck please buy back BM, you understand BM, the grocerant niche, consumer flow and positioning for success.  Scott Beck understood how to look a customer ahead. When McDonald’s own BM they tried to put it in a QSR box, under Sun Capital they utilize retail foodservice philosophy’s, positioning and branding ideations from the 70’s and 80’s text book.  The consumer is dynamic not static.  Without change next year BM will be a bit smaller again.  Many retail food chains are growing units topline sales and bottom line profits. 

The fastest growing sector of retail foodservice is the Grocerant niche filled with ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food.  BM was once the leader of the pack, it time for them to get the mojo back.  

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant

Retail Foods contemporary relevance.

Retail foodservice is undergoing a transformation or is it simply a migration from traditional cooking from scratch to Ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food.  Here are some interesting view of a changing retail food world or not.  Maybe the more change the more things are the same. 

1.        Hudson Riehle  stated recently that 26% of chefs ranked smartphone apps as the top restaurant technology trend in 2012.  Can anyone be surprised? 

2.       McDonald's has "promoted" Tweet 2nite that goes to "Party with #BigMac" & Facebook RSVP link. 

3.       Google gobbles up restaurant-recommendation app. 

4.       TaskRabbit raises $17.8M, plans to hop into Seattle with errand service http  how many of the errands will be food related?  We suspect many. 

You better be good because Santa Claus is coming to a White Castle in a town near you this holiday season! More than 370 participating restaurants are hosting Breakfast with Santa from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 17. This is the first year White Castle is hosting Breakfast with Santa.

Up to four children, 12 and younger, eat free with each adult who makes a purchase.

The children’s menu includes:

• A small four-piece French Toast Sticks and small hash rounds with juice or milk
• tne breakfast Slider on a bun and small hash rounds with juice or milk

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant