How would Richard Branson create a new restaurant?

Richard Branson is a Die Hard entrepreneur who loves up-setting the status quo.  He sees business opportunities differently and creates new rules of customer engagement. He delights when there is money to be made by benefiting the consumer; causing great consternation for legacy companies. 

Legacy food retailers operate under defined rules.  They evolve over time and shun risk taking.  These companies reluctantly step out of their comfort zones and are very slow to make changes.  They prefer to follow rather than lead. Branson is a leader because he creates new business segments and/or categories within the rules but without self-imposed limitations. Branson understand brands are inclusive not exclusive. 

The confluence of food and consumers has created renewed focus on innovation in food retailing. Ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food that is “better for you” is entering virtually every sector of retailing today.  For example: Tommy Bahama: clothing line and restaurants!  Walgreens: drug store and fresh food retailer!  Amazon: books and fresh food grocery delivery!  Whole Foods: better for you food foods, both shelf stable and ready-2-eat fresh!  Ikea furniture line: ready 2-eat fresh food!  Sheetz once a convenience stores, now restaurants with gas!  Richard Branson would create a restaurant within the fastest growing sector of food retail, the grocerant niche.

Documenting the evolving growth of the grocerant niche we wondered with the progress that has been made to date if someone were to start anew who would it be and how would they do it?  Seth Goldin, renown author, has defined a hierarchy of business to business needs that established companies use.  Most companies follow Goldin’s rules.  Richard Branson takes chances, he creates the playing field!

    Seth                                Richard 

1.       Avoid risk                 1. Focus on the Consumer
2.       Avoiding hassle        2. Empower Consumers
3.       Gaining praise          3. Go for Broke 
4.       Gaining Power         4. Create Chaos
5.       Having fun                5. Engage Employees and Consumers
6.       Making a profit         6. Profit equilibrium consumer win, 
                                             company wins

The ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food grocerant niche is consumer driven.  Richard Branson simple takes delight in disrupting the status quo. Branson also understands how to find a way of doing things cheaper, faster and with more profitability while the old guard limps along; fading to mediocrity and eventual failure. If you are one of the guys in so deep that you believe it’s your way and the way it has always been done protecting the brand, you might just look over your shoulder.  Richard Branson might just be there.

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or for positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us , Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant. www.FoodserviveSolutions.us