Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Grocery store ready-2-eat fresh prepared food is becoming aspirational.

At the intersection of the consumers desire for new food innovation and aggressive fresh prepared food positioning by grocery stores is a battle for the consumer.  That battle is about to move up another notch.  After years of consumer research, supermarkets are now moving outside their comfort zone and finding success with fresh prepared food creating consternation for restaurants.

Time starved consumers are finding ready-2-eat fresh prepared meals and entrĂ©e’s that are as aspirational as any on a restaurant menu.  Grocery stores fresh prepared food is priced for less and without a tip can be found at: Whole Foods, Central Market, Metropolitan Market, Pueblo, Publix Wegmans and Safeway. Each has a regionalized fresh food focus and they are creating unique fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food that is as aspirational as any restaurant offering for less.

Let’s look around the country and see what grocery stores are now offering. Starting with Prime Rib dinner combo’s and Chicken Prosciutto Ravioli, Pit-Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Crumb Topped Stuffed Salmon, Praline Sweet Potato Casserole, Watergate Fruit Salad, Chicken with Peach & Chive Sauce, Bronzed Tilapia, Chicken Masala & Rice in addition there are specialized sandwiches, wraps, burgers and pizza all can be customized as well.

Chain restaurants have traditionally leveraged buying power and brand messaging to out-position creative independent restaurant operators.  Grocery stores have both buying power and brand managers that can match the strength of any chain restaurant.  The retail fresh prepared food playing field is in flux.  The grocerant niche filled with ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food is the clear winner.  Foodservice Solutions® has been in this space since 1991, if you have a Chain Restaurant, Convenience Store, Grocery Store or Drug Store looking for success Email:grocerant@q.com

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.

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