Traditional Grocery Stores Must Evolve or Fade Away

If success does leave clues and it does, traditional grocery stores need to be authentic and customer relevant according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. With 50% fewer traditional grocery stores today than in 2005 the writing is on the wall evolve with consumers or simply fade away.

In a new study from Phononic titled “The Store of the Future” found: Eighty-nine percent of Americans (89%) reported they want to shop in a grocery store that understands how to make buying an easier/more efficient experience. Eighty-five percent said grocery stores should make it easier to find merchandise. Clearly traditional grocery stores still don’t understand consumers need set.

In addition, 50% of consumers said supermarkets haven’t figured out how to use technology like other retailers. More than half (56%) said if grocers don’t enter the modern age, people will look for other ways to get their food.

The study went on to find Grocers’ first priority should be to use technology to preserve food quality. Ninety two percent of shoppers said it is important for consistent temperature control of all cold products they sell. More than three-quarters (79%) of consumers said they should consider smart technology in a refrigerated unit to find recipes, or the right pairings for cheese and other foods.

The tide has turned and consumer have been migrating from traditional grocery stores and sit down restaurants too new non-traditional outlets selling grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food according to Johnson.

Now that Millennials have overtaken baby boomers as the largest generation, the number one beneficiary of that migration is the Convenience store sector according to Johnson.  C-stores are leaning fast how to leverage the customer inflow from The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome.  Regular readers know that The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome is a key driver of customer migration.  Consumer want Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food mix and match meal options.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or twitter.com/grocerant