At Zippin Fresh and Prepared Food too Drive Growth

Complexity free foodservice saves consumers time and time pressed adults value complexity free choices when it comes to deciding just ‘What’s for Dinner’ according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

While cashier-less retail has proven popular at saving time consumers still want grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.  Technology is great but it is still food, meals, menus that drive the path to purchase according to Johnson. 

So, while Zippin uses vision cognition technology, machine learning and smart shelf sensors to provide a frictionless payment solution it is the newly positioned fresh food options that will drive topline sales and bottom-line profits.

Zippin, originally opened in August 2018; but recently reopened with longer hours, an updated design and an enhanced selection of products, including more fresh and prepared food items which our grocerant guru could have told them is what consumers want without having to retool.

Now, consumers can simply use an app on their phone to enter the store, grab what they want and leave. So, “When the receipt comes, we tell them exactly how much time they spent in the store,” said Krishna Motukuri, Zippin CEO and co-founder, noting that getting lunch can take a matter of seconds. 

Complexity free foodservice does not mean free from political tinkering as San Francisco passed a law in May banning entirely cashless brick-and-mortar stores to ensure residents without a smartphone or a bank account can still access the same services as other residents.

So, in response to the new law, Zippin now also accepts cash. Employees are available outside the store to assist — and to explain the technology to customers who are new to the concept. Why, outside? Well, because the actual shopping area is only 250 square feet, there might not be any employees inside the retail space. Think small footprint no cashier and profitability?  Who will be your next competitor?

Today, Zippin does not sell age-restricted products like alcohol and tobacco. But Motukuri believes this is simply a technological roadblock stating “Technology will get better,” .. “For instance, age-restricted products today, by law, require a human to check the customer’s ID. That could be something that could be automated. … in the next five or 10 years, most of them (could be) automated.”

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.