Fresh Food Fast at Green Zebra Grocery

What’s for Dinner?  Well in growing numbers it might just be Green Zebra the ‘better for you’ hybrid convenience store / grocery store started by Lisa Sedlar is proving all of her critics wrong having turned the Green Zebra profitable in less than one year!  

Sedlar while announcing a new Green Zebra coming soon stated “Green Zebra Grocery  hit a big milestone last November marked the Oregon startup's first profitable month, and the company is working to raise money to open two more stores in the near future.”  Want in on a good thing call Lisa. 

In her previous life Seldar was New Seasons Grocery stores CEO. She understood that the average customer buys only 100 different items from their favorite grocery store a year.  They simply buy them over and over again.  Green Zebra is her innovative new business model combining, health-food, in a convenience store format, providing a halo of a ‘better for you’ in a grocery shopping experience.

Every start-up learns a lot about the concept, customers, and drivers of sales during the first year.  The next new store Green Zebra Grocery will be just a little larger at about 6,400 square feet.  That will free up more space for the “store's growler and kombucha areas, as well as wine on tap and more grab-and-go foods.”

Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat mix and match meal component offerings are playing an ever expanding role in the success of non-traditional retail outlets according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™.  Clearly Green Zebra is playing to the mainstream grocerant niche consumer. 

Green Zebra Grocery is a concept that should be on industry professionals must visit, must see, and must follow list. Now profitable, it appears all that is green can be golden.  Non-traditional concepts that turn profitable early prove disruptive and move from non-traditional to mainstream before many notice.  Success does leave clues. My tip of the day, follow Green Zebra.

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization? Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information. Bottom of Form

What Food Retailers Learned from the Recession

Recessions come and go and every recession at some point in time becomes a learning lesson.  When the current great recession began eight years ago in late 2007, the American consumer once famous for our “free-spending ways” has now according to a new report from Consumer Reports turned into the “American scrimper”.

During the past recession, American’s began buying less of everything from restaurant meals to housing even haircuts.  The Consumer Reports National Research Center study found: “Americans are showing a new optimism. We’re ready to shop again. But we’re not the same old spendthrifts we used to be; this harrowing economic era has changed America’s buying habits, perhaps permanently.”

Consumer Reports found that Americans are spending their money very pragmatically. Almost half of respondents said that during the past few years they’ve been spending more on “groceries” less at restaurants. In fact the study found that 48% of respondents are packing a brown-bag lunch instead of eating out

According to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ the largest increase in retail grocery sales over the last seven years can be bound within the Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food aka Grocerant niche food. Consumers are seeking time savings and convenience; finding both practicality and indulgence at the intersection fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food. 

Consumer Reports found that the one thing that Americans hate to give up. “Our caffeine habit, for instance.” Starbucks has become America’s indulgence according to our Grocerant Guru™.  While Consumer Reports found “People aren’t trading down; they’re trading off, there has been a huge surge in gourmet bagged coffee sales.”

Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food has evolved with consumers, endured the rescission and is positioned to lead the food industry into its next evolution.  Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ has been at the forefront and can help your company, brand, or leadership team reposition for success in the Grocerant era simply call: 1-253-759-7869. 

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For additional Information Contact: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us

Consumers Quest for Flavorful Food Discovery

In search of food discover consumers are now Omni-Channel consumers. The success of Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food has been documented, talked about and written about for one reason of late. It is driving top line sales and bottom line profits within existing points of distribution and more importantly at non-traditional points of fresh food distribution garnering share from legacy food retailers.

Are you cultivating a brand or curating your brand? Are you still doing what you did in Is your food company prepared to succeed in 2015, 2016 … 2020? Here are some of the advantages to entering or expanding your business within the grocerant niche:

Customers Drive Top Line Growth

Today, brand protectionism is dying.  Are you over protecting brand?  Most large food retailers, big companies, have a narrow brand focus. That worked for 50 years. They have honed their brand and supply chain. They have set and defined boundaries, and it is difficult for insiders to see outside. Time and technology have redefined the consumer playing field. Your brand must become dynamic again or risk losing consumer relevance. There is a huge opportunity for share of market if you elect to evolve you brand with migrating fresh food consumers in take-out and take-way options.

 Results not Potential Matter

Large food retailers typically pay more at the C-level, and are seen as stable employment currencies (not-taking risk). However the grocerant niche when vertically integrated into an existing brand creates a new level of excitement within the entire company. When sales grow, the opportunity for advancement expands, building team momentum, excitement explodes like a wildfire. Customers can feel the proactive positive buzz from employees. Doing the same old thing is simply doing nothing and Boring.  Doing Something new is Soaring. Customers notice companies on the move and reward them,

Exposure to Change is a Positive

Change is incredibly dynamic, consumer focused changed is contagious. Change evolves and will go through a bell curve, and you see the whole thing step by step when you vertically integrate change into brand and consumer values. If not integrated you do not really get to escape the velocity of the event, but change is exciting nonetheless and customers will still follow.

Momentum Comers from Consumer Relevance

Are you going to tangibly impact your company or maintain the status quo? Today like never before companies have the ability to evolving a brand at a speed not seen since your company was a start-up. What impact are you going to have on your company? There is a difference between the work you do and the impact you have. Fresh Food retailing is evolving at break neck speed, evidenced by the Dollar Store formats selling more foods and Walgreens selling fresh foods and doing it well as you can see from this video of a Walgreens in San Francisco. Is your brand evolving fast?

Spin Out, Spin Off or Springboard to more Profitability

If you do nothing but wait, watch or blame the economy you are very likely to simply spin out of control. Redefining your brand with consumer relevance will position you too either create a positive spin off or springboard to the next level. Legacy organizations need to be mindful that springboards do great things for your organization, your team and your shareholders.

Success Does Leave Clues and Foodservice Solutions® is clue # 1

LTO's (Limited Time Offers) can drive top line sales and bottom line profits while taking you in a new direction. Are your LTO's leading your brand, testing your brand or simply copy-cat marketing tactics absent strategy?

Fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food in non-traditional outlets poses an ever increasing threat to restaurant growth. Want to know how to best address these new competitive threats?  Contact Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru™ at: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  1-253-759-7869

The New American Dream includes Starbucks and Grocerant Fresh Food.

Every recession at some point in time becomes a learning lesson.  When the current great recession began seven years ago in late 2007, the American consumer once famous for our “free-spending ways” has now according to a new report from Consumer Reports turned into the “American scrimper”.

In large part during the recession, American’s began buying less of everything from restaurant meals to housing even haircuts.  The Consumer Reports National Research Center study found: “Americans are showing a new optimism. We’re ready to shop again. But we’re not the same old spendthrifts we used to be; this harrowing economic era has changed America’s buying habits, perhaps permanently.”

Consumer Reports found that Americans are spending their money very pragmatically. Almost half of respondents said that during the past few years they’ve been spending more on “groceries” less at restaurants. In fact the study found that 48% of respondents are packing a brown-bag lunch instead of eating out

According to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ the largest increase in retail grocery sales over the last seven years can be bound within the Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food aka Grocerant niche food. Consumers are seeking time savings and convenience; finding both practicality and indulgence at the intersection fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food. 

Consumer Reports found that the one thing that Americans hate to give up. “Our caffeine habit, for instance.” Starbucks has become America’s indulgence according to our Grocerant Guru™.  While Consumer Reports found “People aren’t trading down; they’re trading off, there has been a huge surge in gourmet bagged coffee sales.”

Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food has evolved with consumers, endured the rescission and is positioned to lead the food industry into its next evolution.  Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ has been at the forefront and can help your company, brand, or leadership team reposition for success in the Grocerant era simply call: 1-253-759-7869. 

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For additional Information Contact: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us

Is The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome slowing restaurants growth?

Retail foodservice continues evolving with a strong focus on the consumer.  At the intersection of the consumer, technology and retail food sales we find the grocerant niche creating and expanding points of quality food distribution.  It’s at that intersection that Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ identified one universal commonality driving consumers buying pattern changes.  Johnson calls it “The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome. 

The grocerant niche is the result of the blurring line between restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, and drug stores all selling fresh prepared, portable, convenient meal solutions.  Targeted at the time-starved consumer with Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food components that are perceived “better for you”, and portioned for one or two. Consumers like the Convenient Meal Participation, Differentiation, Individualization / Family Customization that these retailers offer. 

Restaurateurs need to be particularly mindful of developments within grocerant niche for they are driving the change within the price, value, service equilibrium in retail foodservice.

It is at the intersection of the consumer, technology and The 5 P’s of Food Marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability, and Price that retail food sales competition is expanding. Driving ever greater Mix and Match bundled meal options and new points of distribution for consumers.  Consumers love the on-the-go options in fact Zaget’s 2013 NYC Restaurant Survey found that in New York at-home meals surpassed dining out for the first time in 30 years.  The growth continues today

GrubHub the nation’s number one online and mobile food ordering service data reveled that pre-game orders spiked more than 35 % for the first four weeks of the professional football season when compared to the same timeframe during the previous season.  “When it comes to watching football, the best seat in the house really is at home,” stated Susanne Dawursk, GrubHub’s brand marketing director. 

More than just sports The 65 inch HDTV Syndrome is driving customers away from frozen foods as well. In a study from Packaged Facts, reports that sales in the $44 billion U.S. retail market for frozen foods have been flat to declining, with nearly all dollar sales gains attributable to inflation or new products -- not to increased consumer demand. The study found that Preference for 57 % of consumer say fresh foods the top reason why US consumers have not purchased frozen foods in the last three months, followed by preference for home-cooked meals.

Fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food in non-traditional outlets poses an ever increasing threat to restaurant growth. Want to know how to best address The 67 inch HDTV Syndrome?  Contact Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru™ at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us

 

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant