What do you do when your grocery store is too big?

Grocery stores customers have been complaining about the length of time it takes to go grocery shopping for years. The problem is the legacy grocery managers want to address the problem from within the “box”. They have added cashiers, express lines, customer service centers and yet still never addressed the wants and needs of the consumer.

Trader Joe’s reduced the size of the footprint! Ah think about it. Trader Joe’s customers do not complain about the length of time it takes to shop. Legacy grocery retailers seem constricted to legacy metrics. Particularly BASKET SIZE. If your goal is to fill a basket and get consumer to walk up and down every isle you can’t get them out fast!

Publix reportedly started “Publix Curbside, a test of online grocery ordering and at-store pickup, debuted in one Atlanta store yesterday and will launch at a single Tampa, Fla., location in the near future, according to the Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix Super Markets”. If you don’t want to go into the store, why buy form Publix at all?

A Danish Philosopher once said: “Life can be understood by looking backward, but must be lived by looking forward.”

Innovation trumps complacency in retail foodservice! Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price are the 5 P’s of successful grocerant fresh prepared food retailing. Combine the 5 P’s with technology a consumer focus and success follows. I wish Publix well, but it might be time to remember success leaves clues and the 5 P’s of retail foodservice might be a good place to start.

Grocerant program assessments available; since 1991 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 or on Facebook at Steven Johnson or BING / GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants