Today retail foodservice continues to
evolve it is not dominated by Restaurants, Convenience Stores, Grocery Stores,
Drug Stores, or Dollar stores according to Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant
Guru® Steven Johnson; who stated “retail foodservice is now about the
consumer empowerment, complexity free food, it’s about Grocerant Ready-2-Eat,
and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food. The battle is one for share of stomach
the retail channel is less important than ever.”
A Grocerant is a term used to describe any retailer that
sells fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.
Today, it can be any retailer from Ikea to a traditional brick-N-mortar
outlet the ilk of Kroger, ecommerce outlet like Amazon, or non-traditional
retailer the ilk of Everytable or Green Zebra Grocery. The word Grocerant
and term Grocerant Niche were coined by Steven Johnson of Foodservice Solutions® shortly after
the first Eatzi’s opened in Dallas, Texas in 1996.
The
word / term GROCERANT first appeared published in an Op-Ed article titled “CALL
THEM GROCERANTS in Foodservice
Director,
August15, 1996. Then again in an Op-Ed article titled “Home-meal-replacement niche
is the future of foodservice” in Nation’s Restaurant
News,
August 19, 1996. Both authored by our own Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson
Success does leave clues and
Foodservice Solutions® has left many. In
fact you all know the old adage “imitation is the highest form of flattery” we
the industry leading team at Foodservice Solutions® is FLATTERED. Let’s look at what other just now
singing the praises of the grocerant niche are saying:
1.
"Neither restaurants nor
grocery stores are the future of food shopping. Instead, what could dominate is
a hybrid of the two – grocerants." - Forbes
2. Grocerants have
already become the second most appealing of all foodservice segments in North
America. According
to a recent survey by Datassential, value and customer service are viewed as
the key strengths of this emerging segment that make it so appealing. In fact,
18% of consumers in the U.S. are buying grocery prepared food more
frequently this year.
3. The grocerant trend
is taking off in Europe as well, with several key retailers investing in the
concept. Across
the modern trade landscape in Europe, we see numerous retailers looking to lure
millennials into their stores with grocerant offerings. Auchan Poland has
rolled out Bistro snacking corners, and Ahold Delhaize has introduced instore
foodservice bakeries. Their Deli Kitchen foodservice points are located within
the actual selling area and offer both takeaway meals and a seating area for
instore consumption.
4. In addition to
salads, dessert bakery items and breakfast bakery items are the top grocerant
prepared foods that consumers want to purchase. More than
anything, consumers are buying prepared food from groceries to replace a meal.
But these same consumers view fresh bakery items as a key part of the
meal. Carrying the right assortment of fresh bakery items – muffins and
croissants for breakfast; cake slices, squares, and brownies for dessert –
creates opportunities to capitalize on this growth.
5. In-store advertising
is critical to the success of grocerants, as most consumers learn about
grocerant offerings once they're inside the store. Signage above
serving stations and at the entrance to the store are the most preferred and
popular ways of communicating grocerant offerings. In addition to
offering the right products at the right prices, it's also important to
optimize store placement and promotion. Don't assume consumers will find your
grocerant offering – tell them you have fresh prepared meals and desserts that
provide the quality and convenience they seek.
6. Grocerants offering
amenities most commonly found at LSR's should realize the strongest growth. According to a
recent survey by Datassential, the grocerant amenities most appealing to
consumers include: 1) beverage fountain in seating area, 2) large condiment /
plastic silverware / napkin station, and 3) remote seating area. In-store
execution will continue to be a major driver in trip conversion. Offering
amenities that make it more appealing for shoppers to consume a meal in the
grocery store should greatly enhance the likelihood of grocerant success.
Success does leave clues www.FoodserviceSolutions.us is the global leader in grocerant niche
business development. We can help you
identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment
opportunities. Has your company had a
Grocerant ScoreCard completed, Grocerant Program Assessment, or new Grocerant
niche product Ideation? Want one? Call 253-759-7869 Email: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us
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