The grocerant niche is Fresh and Easy!



Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA 5P’s of food marketing Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price are the key elements in elevating retail foodservice ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food programs.

Tesco’s Fresh & Easy continues to under go consumer relevant changes. Every time we learn of new changes to product mix and category advances we can see successful elements of Foodservice Solutions® 5P’s of food marketing.

Tesco’s understanding of the relationship of beverage products and food sales at present is contributing too their ongoing development and focus on success. Over regulation and bureaucratic hoopla in California with regard to beverage sales could delay, postpone or derail ongoing development within the Grocerant niche.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant or Facebook Steven Johnson

Memorial Day 2011

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions®  or Google Grocerants





Gen Y likes portable ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat foods.



Focused on the future, food retailers must pay attention to Gen Y shoppers. With a highlight on quick, easy, and a seeming laser focus on simplicity Gen Y fits perfectly in the grocerant niche. The grocerant niche will develop with and mature with this particular group of consumers.

With the level of “outside” noise ever increasing the opportunity for distraction and new areas of interest are simply shifting. Gen Y’s like saving time and increasing flavor profiles, with alternative food selection retail options and all of that will contribute greatly to the development of the grocerant niche. On the go people want on the go solutions.

William Gibson quote: “The future has already arrived; it’s just not evenly distributed.” Food retailers that understand that the benchmarks and drivers of food retailing have changed will be winning food retailers.

What will never change is evolving definitions of hot button issues on “sustainability”, "local" and “green” each will expand until they become as generic as organic. Value will continue to play a pivotal role with the success of food retail brands, particularly in ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat grocerant prepared foods.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant or Facebook Steven Johnson

The foodservice consumer in on the move and heading to the grocerant niche.



Foodservice consumer discontinuity is the focus on much attention from consultants to chain executives. . As an industry our concern is and should be share of stomach, first by company, second by niche-market share and third the restaurant industry overall.

The economy is not our largest problem it is competition for share of stomach; specifically by the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat prepared meal section of the grocery stores and C-stores battling restaurants for share of stomach. I call that space the Grocerant section.

That battle has been under reported however noted first by Foodservice Solutions. 2005; was the first year that recorded a consumer increase in percent household spending for food in grocery stores and away from restaurants in 25 years. We here at Foodservice Solutions have been discussing this fact since 2005 and studying the grocerant niche since 1997.

Restaurants, Grocery stores and the Convenience store sectors are all competing for share of stomach and the consumers are attracted to the options presented by within the Grocerant niche. Is your company in need of a grocerant niche assessment, national or global grocerant c-level overview?

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant or Facebook Steven Johnson

Convenience stores learned menu bundling from Quick Serve Restaurants.



Grocerant prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food is booming in the Northeast United States within the convenience store sector. According to Convenience Store news;” Rutter's Farm Stores recently expanded its fresh-food menu to include turkey wings and sliders, which are available in all 36 of its stores that offer touchscreen ordering. The wings, which are $1.39 each and can be ordered one, two or three at a time, comprise 2.25 ounces of meat that is marinated and then fried. They can be ordered with original, buffalo or spicy seasoning, according to the convenience chain.”

What I like is the fact that Rutter’s utilizes restaurant industry bundling options for items; “ new sliders offer a hamburger or fried chicken patty served on a fresh-baked roll. Yellow American cheese, pickle and onion can be added at no additional cost. Sliders can be ordered in quantities of one ($1.29); three ($3.39); six ($5.94); or 12 ($9.96) at a time.

QuickChek, Wawa, Sheetz and Rutter’s all have a strong fresh fast quality food program. Products that are priced with many would say is at a competitive advantage or many Quick Serve Restaurants. Recently we discussed all of the new product in test at 7 Eleven. This sector in currying favor with consumer and retailers are responding.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant or Facebook Steven Johnson

Is home cooking the new normal grocerant ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat.



What’s for dinner? If your cooking for an at home family meal for two, four, or five family members, chances are very good your buying several ready-2-eat or heat-N-eat foods. Grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants are all bundling fresh prepared meal components for the home cook. The home cook is responding buying individualized components.

Foodservice branded and private label food manufactures are all vying for your attention. Ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat foods from Swiss steak, meatloaf, baked salmon, rotisserie chicken, pizza and lasagna fresh prepared, portioned and portable in portions for 1,2, or 5 are not available at most foodservice retail location.

Most exciting is the opportunity for new start-up’s and regional manufactures to produce sustainable business built on local, fresh and unique flavor profiles. Legacy national brand manufactures are experiencing an increased consolidation and acquisition activities. They have taken there eye off the customer and increasing new points of distribution.

Consumer are responding buying meal components in new food channels, experiencing new flavor profiles all the while individualizing the family meal. The foodservice industry is evolving with the consumer. Those companies looking for opportunity for growth times have never been better.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant or Facebook Steven Johnson

Pueblo’s grocerant prepared food is perfectly positioned and building top line sales.



Clean well stocked stores that are beaming with patrons always are solid platforms for success. Pueblo is no exception. If your eye’s on the grocerant prepared food niche, Pueblo is one company that should be on your must visit list.

Professionally presented with clean, restaurant quality food presentation skill set, Pueblo clearly understands the positive halo affect a solid grocerant prepared ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food program can have on the entire brand.

Time starved with diverse appetites after years of exposure to multi-cultural flavors profiles today’s consumer want prepared meal components that can be individualized not just family sized. Pueblo’s prepared food program does just that. With detailed attention to service, cleanliness and food quality its clear Pueblo is focused on growing this booming niche within foodservice retail.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit Bing or google  grocerant,http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant or Facebook Steven Johnson,

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