Restaurants Online Sales Need to include Snacks

Restaurant chains have been trying to attract both Millennial and Generation Z consumers as they are the current base customer and future growth driver according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Restaurants need to understand that both millennial and Gen Z consumers are more likely to search for meals, menus, snacks online, via mobile devise; then use mobile pay. One problem is driving the incremental add on snacking item to the order to increase ticket size and profitability. 

New research from Euromonitor International have that found consumers are making fewer unplanned, impulse snack purchases in the last five years because of the shift to e-commerce. While

Online grocery sales are forecast to reach $100 billion by as early as 2022, and 70% of shoppers will at least occasionally shop for groceries online by that time, according to the Food Marketing Institute and Nielsen.

The fact is consumers still like snacks. According to market research firm IRI, sales in snacking rose to $89 billion in 2016, posting an annual growth rate of 3%. Nielsen found the growth has not been confined to just one area, with all individual snacking categories posting sales increases — led by bars, jerky, cookies and crackers — from 2013 to 2016. In fact, for younger generations, snacking has begun to replace the three-square-meals-a-day model. Grocerant niche mix & match bundling is a key solution to garnering incremental snaking daypart sales.

According to a report from Packaged Facts, members of Gen Z are more likely than millennials to snack between meals and prepare simple meals when they slow down enough to do so.

Millennials think of small meals = snacks they are looking for more sustenance and a way to nourish the body, as evidenced by the rising demand for organic, plant-based and natural foods without additives.

It’s at that intersection that grocerant niche mix & match meal bundling that you can find your solution to building top line sales and bottom line profits according to Johnson. Understanding the challenge and beginning to invest more heavily in multi-meal dayparts on your digital platform is a success clues few should forget.  

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 GrocerantGuru.com 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.

Oath Pizza Care Packages Criss Crossing the US

Do you have a friend in need, a family member ‘sheltering in place’ that needs a helping hand, or a co-worker that simply needs cheering up?  According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® Oath Pizza has a perfect solution, a Crafted Pizza Care Package.

Oath Pizza is a socially-conscious and purpose-driven pizza brand.  They are now offering five different Craft Pizza Care Packages that include their best-selling craft pizzas prepared fresh, frozen and ready to cook, and popular desserts.

Developed to be shipped and delivered anywhere in the U.S., Oath Pizza’s new care packages offer ready-to-go meals and interactive make-at-home pizza activities for families of all sizes. Similar to their dine-in and takeaway menus, their new care packages also offer extensive options for dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan dietary preferences. For every care package sold, 10% of profits in April will be donated to Feeding America to support food banks helping communities impacted by COVID-19.

Details on the new packages, include:

Kiddo Care Package (starting at $65): This kid-friendly pack serves three and includes (3) Cutie Pie Cheese Pizzas, (2) Honduran Chocolate Brownies (GF) and (1) Chewy Marshmallow Bar (GF).

Pizza Kit Care Package (starting at $80): This package serves 5-7 people and includes all the ingredients to build your own cheese and pepperoni pizzas, from pizza crusts to tomato sauce, artisanal pepperoni and more.

Classic Care Package (starting at $85): This pack serves 4-6 people and includes four of Oath Pizza’s best selling pizzas, (2) Chewy Marshmallow Bars (GF) and (2) Honduran Chocolate Brownies (GF).

Bestseller Care Package (starting at $100): Serving 6-8 people, this pack includes six of Oath Pizza’s most popular pizzas, (3) Honduran Chocolate Brownies (GF) and (3) Chewy Marshmallow Bars (GF).

Custom Care Package (starting at $110): This custom package serves 6-8 people with six pizzas of your choice, in addition to (3) Chewy Marshmallow Bars (GF) and (3) Honduran Chocolate Brownies (GF).

Shipping nationwide within 3-6 business days, each care package also has the option to include a personalized card. Additional details on Oath Pizza’s new Craft Pizza Care Packages can be found online.

Don’t limit your brands success. Are you looking for new avenues of distribution? Do you want to limit your brands reach or drive top line sales and bottom line profits? Success does leave clues.

Foodservice Solutions® team is here to help you drive top line sales and bottom-line profits. Are you looking a customer ahead? Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.

FriendShip Food Stores Cooking-Up Growth

Evolving a convenience store with relevance demands a keen focus on the needs and wants of your consumers and no one does it better than FriendShip Food Stores according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. 

Regular readers of this blog are aware that FriendShip Food Stores' journey into the grocerant niche filled will Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food has been success step after success step. Foodies now known them as FriendShip Kitchen. The newly positioned FriendShip Kitchen looks the part of a c-store customers can trust to provide a fresh and tasty bite to eat but consumers consider it a ‘restaurant’ or describe it as having ‘restaurant quality food’.

Retail food sales success starts with consistent fresh quality food at FriendShip it the Famous Chicken, which is double hand-breaded and prepared in small batches, is one of the main draws of the chain's proprietary foodservice offerings as regular readers of this blog know.

However, its pizza program is the most enticing visual inside the FriendShip Kitchen store according to CSnews. The different varieties of freshly baked pizza are on display behind glass in the style of a New York pizzeria, giving customers a look at what they can expect when they purchase by the slice or as whole pies.

The displayed pizzas are held under strict timelines until ordered, when they are then reheated and served piping hot. Remodeled FriendShip Kitchen stores with limited space use a pizza spinner instead, where the pizza is prepared and held hot.

The display kitchen enables ‘food transparency’ and the team at explained that the FriendShip Kitchen remodeled/rebranding has allowed the company to:

·         Effectively communicate to customers exactly what the retailer offers; 

·         Maintain consistency in preparation and finished products; and

·         Ensure staff are able to follow a single set of procedures. 

Have you empowered ‘food transparency’ in your retail operation? Success does leave clues. Now you have one more clue from our Grocerant Guru®.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe Locals Supporting Locals

Success does leave clues and at Taziki’s Mediterranean Café that means support those who support you. When Taziti’s customers were forced to ‘shelter in place, Taziti’s knew that they could not.  Restaurant companies that understand the needs of their consumers and meet the those needs are the ones that will succeed according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe recenlty launched Taziki's Market, which will include an array of grocery items for guests to order online at tazikis.com and through the Taziki's app. The team at Taziti’s knew during times of stress that they need to be dynamic not static.

So when they developed Taziki's Market they included five categories: produce, meats, dairy/breads/dry goods, deli sides/dressings and beverages. Various amounts of these items will be available to order for delivery or pick-up beginning in Nashville, Richmond, Atlanta, Denver, and Memphis.

Dan Simpson, CEO of Taziki's Mediterranean Café  stated “Taziki's plans to expand the program across their various other locations throughout the coming months. Taziki's is focused on providing needed essentials for everyone adapting to COVID-19. When Taziki's customers choose menu items for curbside or delivery, they now have the option to also add other important grocery items,"  "Our customers expect freshness when they think of Taziki's, that is why we're rolling out new ways for them to conveniently get everything in one place."

The new Taziki's Market items include:

Small Fruit Bag: apples, oranges, a bag of grapes, and other seasonal berries that may include blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, for $15.

Small Veggie Bag: Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, roma tomatoes, onion, and a pint of housemade Greek or Balsamic Dressing, for $15.

Large Veggie Bag: Romaine lettuce, carrots, roma tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, and seasonal vegetables that may include zucchini, squash, asparagus, for $30.

À La Carte Items: Taziki's fresh proteins (in select stores) including chicken, beef, shrimp, and salmon, along with Taziki's signature basmati rice, authentic pita bread, and penne and rotini pastas.

Beverages: Gallons of tea and lemonade

Of course, the restaurant's savory favorites will be available in their newest market option called the Cold Pantry Bag ($30). This bag includes their signature scratch-made dips like Whipped Feta, Taziki's Hummus, salsa, along with customer-favorite Taziki's Pasta Salad with Baked Pita Bread. All of these offerings come in convenient pints and are perfect for week-long snacking during quarantine for families and singles, alike.

Success does leave clues. Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® 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 us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Restaurant Food Marketing Executives are in High Demand

These must be the good old days where it wasn’t who you knew, but what you knew, that counted when you were looking for a job. If you have a graduate degree in Food Marketing you are in a select group. From what we are hearing, you are in high demand if the number of referrals, recommendations, and references that we have been asked for recently count. 

If you have restaurant industry food marketing experience there is increased demand for your service according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Food retail channel lines do not blur in the minds-eye of the consumer according to the Grocerant Guru®.

At the intersection of the growth in grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food and consumers insatiable demand for ever more fresh food we find companies the ilk of Casey’s General Stores with grocerant niche prepared food sales currently at $1.1 Billion Dollars (more than many chain restaurants). 

Recently Casey’s announced restaurant industry veteran Michelle Wickham will join the company as Vice President, Food Service. Wickham’s new job is not intended to be a caretaker role.  There is no doubt that Casey’s plans to evolve the grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food space food sales even higher.

Battle for Share of Stomach

Tom Brennan, Chief Merchandising Officer at Casey’s stated “Michelle’s extensive experience in the restaurant industry will be crucial for the continuing elevation of our guests’ experience with convenient food,” …. “We look forward to her leadership and the passion and energy she will bring in helping Casey’s ensure our stores are consistently delivering delicious food and beverages, on-the-go, and at the highest quality.”

With more than 30 years of restaurant industry experience, including fast casual and casual dining. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Culinary, Category, R&D Management, and Catering for national burger chain Red Robin. However, she worked in a number of operational, sales, and product development roles with Qdoba Mexican Eats, the Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Seattle’s Best, and Yum! Brands.

It’s not just convenience store sector that is looking for Food Marketing Professionals it is Grocery stores chains that sell billions in grocerant niche fresh food, Dollar stores that are fast evolving grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food offerings.  Let’s not forget restaurants that want evolve their grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food sales are in need of professional trained food marketers.

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 us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Hy-Vee Don’t Cook Tonight We Have Fresh Meals To-Go

The lines between grocery stores, restaurants and convenience stores continue to blur in the minds-eye of food marketers and brand managers. Food retail channel lines do not blur in the minds-eye of the consumer according to the Grocerant Guru®.

Consumers ask but one question ‘What’s for Dinner’.  The question for all food marketers is; how does our brand meet, or exceed consumers expectations when they ask ‘What’s for Dinner’.  Hy-Vee has stepped up to address consumers needs, elevating fresh fast food, with a consumer relevant touchpoint, technology.

Deli fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat grocerant niche food and more are now available online or on Hy-Vee's Aisles Online App for free pickup in as little as 30 minutes. According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® grocerant niche fresh Ready-2-Eat meals and meal components are top of mind when consumers are asking What’s for dinner.

IRI Nielsen reports grocery store ‘prepared food’ is by far garnering the most attention by category increases across all income groups, inside the store. So, when Hy-Vee introduced its online ordering for prepared food for curbside pickup at more than 200 locations. Answering the questions ‘What’s for Dinner’ just become much easier according to Johnson.

In short through Hy-Vee’s Mealtime to Go offerings, customers can order hot, prepared foods as well as take-and-bake meals for free pickup in as little as 30 minutes or for a scheduled pickup time. That’s just as good or better than most restaurants. Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCards continue to reflect that consumer rate grocery store deli food as ‘restaurant quality’.

Here is how it works:

Customers can order online at hy-vee.com/mealtime or via Hy-Vee’s Aisles Online app. Options will vary based on offerings available at each Hy-Vee store. Meals will include selections from Asian, Hickory House, sandwiches, breakfast, sushi and take-and-bake items. Several meals will come with one side option included. Customers may also choose to add on additional food items to their orders.

A confirmation email provides customers with a designated phone number to call once they arrive at the store, and employees will deliver the food to the customer’s car. How is your company evolving?

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com 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.

Integrating Foodservice Technology in the Age of Grocerants

Success does leave clues, consumers have moved from impulse to buy while out shopping to intent to buy from fresh prepared meals and meal components while at home according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

While it may sound a subtle shift in direction the shift from impulse too intent is a key attribute all food marketers need to heed. Recent insight reveled that dinner has the highest amount of prepared food buys with 79% of respondents making purchases for that meal, while lunch comes in at 77% and breakfast at 62%. If your restaurant is interested in selling dinners, meals, and meal components you now need a classically trained food marketer equipped with the technology that is hand held and branded according to Johnson.

At the intersection of re-opening restaurants, serving safe food, handling food in the safest manner, and the price, value, service equilibrium consumers are aware that restaurant meal prices are up 3% this year over last year and they will use technology to search for meals, meal components, bold flavors, and price according to Johnson.

According to a recent webinar hosted by CSNews online and Paytronix, “The ability to order food via app or website varies ,… but trends currently shaping the industry indicate that it's important for operators to, at least, consider offering mobile ordering and delivery. WHO IS THE MOBILE ORDER CUSTOMER?

Here is what they reported; “Regardless of the difficulties, mobile ordering and delivery represent the next wave of growth in the c-store industry. Apps that tie these services in with mobile payment and loyalty programs will lead to greater success, as they let consumers earn reward points and enjoy special offers while retailers collect valuable data.

Generation Z is the demographic group driving this growth. Currently aged nine to 22, this cohort is the most diverse generation in history and will make up 40 percent of all U.S. consumers this year. More than five in 10 members of Gen Z (55 percent) use their smartphone five or more hours each day; 62 percent of Gen Z find themselves attracted to brands viewed as "fun" or "cool"; and 65 percent say they want real value for their money.

However, it is more difficult to catch the eye of these consumers. Members of Gen Z have an average attention span of eight seconds, compared to 12 seconds for millennials. Visuals may be a key part of doing so, as this generation of digital natives doesn't know a world without technology and is more image/video driven than text driven.

Gen Z sees the world as a smaller place; they are aware of the many different cultures out there and want to experience them. The most accessible way to do so is through the food they purchase, and technology helps connect them to types of food they might not otherwise encounter on their own.

This generation also cares about social justice and wants to know that brands are doing right by both their customers and employees. Transparency is important.

Fifty-two percent of Generation Z and millennials say they would buy from c-stores more if delivery were an option. The more available that delivery is, the more that younger shoppers will take advantage of it.

So, what are the best options for delivery?

Third-party delivery, such as a 7-Eleven Inc.'s partnership with DoorDash, has some notable advantages, such as:

·         Exposure: Third-party delivery partners can offer smaller retail brands equal exposure to some of the most well-known brands in the world, and make people aware that larger brands are now available for delivery.

·         Convenience: C-stores don't have to handle their own delivery logistics.

·         Expenses: C-store chains don't have to maintain their own delivery fleet.

However, 44 percent of customers who have a negative experience with delivery blame the brand; just 25 percent blame the third-party delivery company.

I know that’s a lot of information but I suggest that you reread it and think about who your customer is today, and who will / can be your tomorrow.  No matter what delivery format you chose, consider the entire order-and-delivery ecosystem, which starts at the point of order and goes all the way to the customer handoff, when the food needs to arrive on time, looking appetizing, and at the right temperature.

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 us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter