Do you want to Cook Dinner Tonight?

The answer for most of you is no. So, your answer was no then there is a very good chance you are looking for a fresh prepared multi-flavor, multi-ethnic grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat meal or meal components. Heat-N-Eat and Ready-2- Eat fresh prepared food with portability is driving retail food success across all retail platforms according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Times are changing and so is where are you shopping for you food today.  It is not the same place your mother was shopping, nor is it the meal prepared the same way as it was back in the day.  One thing is the same that is as long as multi-generational family's gather for meals together, the demand for more divergent flavored meal and meal components will continue to permeate in new avenues of distribution according to Johnson.

Grocerant niche mix and match bundled meal component offerings allow for increased family integration, understanding, and acceptance in less time without a requiring a cooking from scratch skill set. In the 1940's cooking from scratch was the normal. The average home cooked meal took 150 minutes to prepare. Everyone sat down at the table and enjoyed it or not but they all ate the same thing.

Battle for Share of Stomach

For a "home cooked meal" today it takes on average just under 30 minutes to prepared. In most cases at least two different entrées are served for a family of three or more. The average time spent inside a McDonalds in the 2,000 was 11 minutes.

Today, 69+ percent of all McDonald's food is sold via the drive-thru. U.S. fast-food chains are increasingly remodeling restaurants in an effort to garner additional drive-thru customers inside and increase sales, simple because the drive-thru can't hold all the cars.

Walgreens is creating and bundling distinctive differentiated food consumable's as an entity with identity by day part in a mix and match meal component format in select urban setting targeted at both the office worker for lunch and meal components for them to take home for the family dinner.

Today, the grocerant niche continues to grow with companies the ilk of New Season Market, Everytable,  Central Market, Eatzi’s, Just Salads, Whole Foods, Sheetz, Wegmans, and 7-Eleven entering the fresh prepared better for you space.

Meal time is now becoming a time of convenient meal participation, with differentiation and individualization for the entire family. Safeway with its lifestyle stores are heading in the right direction however the stores are so large consumers are forced to spend more time in them than they want.

More often than not the multi-generational family today is multi-ethnic as well. Creating a demand for more varied flavors and additional cooking skill set that is simply not there. Grocery stores, Convenience Stores, Restaurants and Chain Drug Stores are all selling Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food. Is your focus family dinning? Are you selling meals or meal components for Take-Out, delivery or Take-Away?

Lacking the skill set to prepared fresh prepared multi-ethnic meal components at home coupled with the time it takes to prepared a home cooked meal it is clear the buying habits of consumers will continue to evolve. Bundling mix and match meal components into a meal is one key driver within the grocerant niche. Given that most American family are comprised of multi-cultural background. The fight for within the retail food space for share of stomach will only intensify.

Supermarkets and grocery stores are expected to sell complete lines of Reay-2-E and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food much of it will be multi-ethnic food. That places higher expectations on grocers than restaurants or a company like Walgreens. Walgreens might just be in the perfect spot to expand fresh prepared food offerings capturing customers from both restaurants and supermarkets.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® a Tacoma, WA based retail foodservice consultancy has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche need we say more? Are you looking a customer ahead?  Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us. www.FoodserviceSolutions.us

CLEAN is a ‘Halo’ of Better-for-You for Foodservice Operators

Are the windows on your restaurant clean? Is your front door inviting free of grime, free of fingerprints, with a clean open sign? Those are just some of the basics that consumers are demanding as retail foodservice companies begin to reopen according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

There is a battle for Share of Stomach underway and clean is the new minimum standard according to Johnson.  Back in the day every restaurant in America knew that QSC stood for.  Here I will remind those of your who were not around back in the day Quality Service and Cleanliness. QSC were top of mind for anyone wanting to build a chain restaurant and a standard not forgotten by industry insiders or chain leaders today.

According to a new study by Magid,  “Almost half of consumers—47%—trust restaurants and bars to take the necessary steps to ensure their health and safety in the future.  But near-term confidence is lower, the survey found, with only 31% of consumers planning to dine in within the next three months.”

Let’s see what else they found:

1.       57% of respondents said they expect to visit a restaurant by the fall. The study revealed that certain sanitation and safety protocols may influence a decision to dine in sooner.

2.        64% would consider an earlier visit if a restaurant installed automatic doors.

3.       56% would like restaurants to provide personal sanitation kits at each table.

4.       55% would feel more at ease if visible hand-washing stations for employees were installed.

5.       39% will avoid ordering beverages that are not served in the original can or bottle.

6.       41% will avoid exchanging cash when dining at restaurants, bars or cafes.

Those are telling numbers.  So, I ask once again is your restaurant clean? Are your windows clean?

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.

Just Salad Partnership with Kenneth Cole Drives Relevance

Just Salad, is one of the companies that was founded with the ‘halo’ of ‘better-for-you’ front and center within the menu and brand.  Given that one of the grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared foods hallmarks of success is Mix & Match food bundling of better for you meals and meal components its clear Just Salad’s new partnership with Kenneth Cole will drive new electricity and relevance into both brands according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

With the announcement that a collaboration with American fashion designer and social activist Kenneth Cole to design, create and provide face masks to all Just Salad employees to keep them protected while working during the ongoing pandemic. It was clear that Just Salad with stepping-up to standout.

So, the partnership came to be after executives at Kenneth Cole noticed the tremendous work Just Salad was doing and continues to do to support families and frontline workers in New York City during the COVID-19 crisis including refocusing on consumers with Just Groceries as regular readers if this blog know.

So, the masks, will come in Just Salad’s signature shade of Navy blue are being produced in Los Angeles and will have “ESSENTIAL” printed across the front with Kenneth Cole x Just Salad printed on the bottom right corner. These reusable masks also perfectly align with Just Salad’s ongoing commitment to reusability, waste reduction, and belief that planetary and human health are complementary imperatives. 

Nick Kenner, Founder and CEO at Just Salad stated “We always seek to partner with like-minded brands to make a positive impact in our community,” … “We felt the work Kenneth Cole Productions has done to highlight frontline workers via The New Courageous Class initiatives perfectly aligns with our ongoing mission during this unprecedented time. The safety of our staff and guests has always been, and remains top priority, and we thank Kenneth and his team for enabling us to provide these masks.”

Kenneth Cole, Founder and CEO of Kenneth Cole Productions stated “When we saw the work Just Salad was doing in support of the first responders during these unprecedented times, we reached out in the hope to feature these employees in our New Courageous Class campaign,” … “We are proud to design this important accessory that these individuals will wear proudly and hope that this is the first of many programs we can do together to shine a light on the everyday heroes in our community.”

Driving new electricity into a legacy brand with a partnership is a good move and will accelerate the marketing messaging for all companies involved according to Johnson. Just now is your company positioning to grow your brand, the top, and bottom line? 

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply chain and includes such things as fresh foods, online ordering, delivery, masks, plant based foods,  sampling, toy’s, beer, developing brands,  grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All food and beverage retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food and beverages that are portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.  Does your retail path forward look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why? This new partnership does all of that.

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

RaceTrac New Technology for the New Normal

Millennials and Generation Z are digital natives and technology is the platform that a brand message or invitation is best received and accepted. Today, you don’t have to be a ‘digital native’ to know that contactless retail is important in effort to combat COVID-19. Baby Boomers, Gen X all are migrating to new platforms according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Melanie Isbill, chief marketing officer at RaceTrac stated "RaceTrac is committed to the continuous support of our communities and guests through this unprecedented and uncertain time," …"Online ordering is the newest addition to the products and services we are offering to help continue to get our guests whatever gets them going while providing a safe, clean and reliable experience."

Through the new service, guests are able to:

·         Order directly from the RaceTrac website for pickup at a store location in the closest proximity.

·         Select "Whatever Gets You Going" from a menu of available food, drink, alcohol and tobacco items, then edit quantities for the checkout cart.

·       Pick up their orders from selected stores within 30 minutes using the "Grab and Go Box," which allows guests to provide their name on the order, pay at the pass-through window and receive the order. 

Orders can be placed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except while the store is closed for cleaning. Some of the other continued actions taken to support team members, guests and the communities it serves include:

·         Free coffee or fountain drinks through April 30 for all essential workers with valid ID/uniform, limit one per day. Essential workers are considered healthcare workers, grocery store workers, truckers, bankers and more.

·         "Grab and Go Box" pass-through window operational at all hours as an alternative shopping option for guests who do not wish to come inside, but would still like to purchase items.

·         Sneeze guards to be installed at the registers of all locations.

·         A pay increase of $3 an hour for store team members.

·         Weekly $150 in extra pay for general managers at the store level through April.

·         A temporary COVID-19 leave policy allowing team members who test positive or who are required to quarantine due to this illness with an inability to work remotely to receive up to two weeks of pay.

Integrating brand messaging that is both customer relevant and ‘better-for-you’ is a valuable took in every companies marketing tool kit.  When developing a brand invitation make sure that invitation is in the right mail box with a proactive message.  

Success does leave clues. One clue that time and time again continues to resurface is “the consumer is dynamic not static”.  Regular readers of this blog know that is the common refrain of Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Our Grocerant Guru® can help your company 253-759-7869.  

Battle for Share of Stomach

Alltown Fresh Elevates Fresh Food Fast Meal Prep

The number one reoccurring irritant for consumers when shopping for groceries over the past 30 years is the length of time it takes to shop tied with the time it take to prepare a meal when cooking from scratch according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Now, Alltown Fresh has developed a new contactless way for customers to shop for fresh groceries and meals during the COVID-19 pandemic while reducing time in the store called ‘Fresh Crates program’. Here is how it works; customers place orders 24 hours in advance and pick up crates of fresh protein, produce or pantry items curbside the next day.

Here is the hook, Alltown Fresh has what they call ‘Meal Prep & Provisions”.  They have pre-assembled meal prep kits to help get dinner on the table in minutes. Shoppers can place an order before noon to have their meal prep kit ready for pickup by 5 p.m. Prep kits serve a minimum of four people and include options such as taco night; teriyaki rice bowls; tomato soup and grilled cheese; chicken, broccoli, and pasta bake; and fresh falafel wraps.

Technology upgrades have elevated customers relevance at Alltown Fresh as they began offering curbside pickup of all menu items and delivery through Grubhub to deliver fresh food choices and menu items straight to customers' doors. 

Local fresh food fast is a great message for any fresh food retailer and Alltown Fresh has strong relationships with local farms and purveyors to ensure a reliable supply of fresh food to four stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut. How are you helping consumer prepare dinner tonight?

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.

Foodservice Three Success Clues for June thru December 2020

Three words will be top of mind for all food retailers in as they navigate into and through 2020.  Those words are re-new, review, and reset according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® as the ‘battle for share of stomach’ intensifies.  

The line between all food retailers will continue to blur in the minds-eye of food retailers, but not in the minds-eye of the consumer.  What is top of mind for consumers is convenience, meals, and meal components at that can be mixed & matched into a customized family meal or personalized meal for one at a time according to Johnson.

1.       Re-new

Consumers fresh food fast.  What that means at retail is a 5 G digital transformation that includes a frictionless, contactless end-2-end solution (from ordering to consumption both for eating-in the store and for eating-out of the store).  

2.       Review

Retailers must review what branded interactions were driving sales prior to the C-19 shut down. In every sector of foodservice, it was a variety of prepared foods both family size portion and individual portions including regional side orders. are two of the top attributes that drive brand equity. All food sector retailers must optimize their menus, better cater to all for defined dayparts and focus on fast, fresh food.

3.       Reset

Consumers have reset in their minds-eye a new vision of what food retail should be and that vision blurs the line of brick-and-mortar locations and online retail. Within ever retail food sector consumers are now looking for a seamless branded experience whether they are ordering online, on a phone, or at a table, for eating-in or eating-out.  

Once again it is very important as a retailer to Reset as the line between all food retailers will continue to blur only in the minds-eye of food retailers, but not in the minds-eye of the consumer.  Resetting a focus on grocerant niche mix & matched fresh prepared meals and meal components will drive top of mind awareness in the minds-eye of consumers according to Johnson. Success does leave clues and re-new, review, and reset are three clues all food retailers need to keep close moving forward in 2020.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? 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

Battle for Share of Stomach

Sheetz Delivery Partnership On-Target

Fresh food fast is the undercurrent driving adoption of food delivery, meal delivery, and meal component delivery according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. With over 162 million people, 64 percent of adults, spending on dining at least once a week, according to a recent ICSC survey is it any wonder during this COVED-19 pandemic delivery would not be important.

With an average weekly spend of $71, dining expenditure exceeds $602 billion a year. Almost 50 percent of adults say that dining out is an essential part of their lifestyle. Sheetz sells meals, meal components, and mix & match food & beverage items that can be bundled into the perfect meal.

Joe Sheetz and his team are great retail foodservice operators according to Johnson who stated ‘Sheetz ability to integrated both consumer relevance with new brand electricity while driving top line sales and bottom-line profits is their platform of success.”

So, when Sheetz announced a new partnership with Grubhub to provide delivery through Grubhub’s online and mobile food-ordering platform the team at Foodservice Solutions® knew that grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared would be elevated once again.

Adding consumer relevance for the safety of its customers and drivers, Grubhub offers customers a contact-free delivery at checkout. Drivers can call and/or text the customers when they arrive and drop off their orders on the doorstep, in the lobby or in another area designated by the customer. This option is available at Grubhub.com and on the mobile app.

“Grubhub delivery allows Sheetz to continue to give customers what they want, when they want it but from the safety and comfort of their homes,” said Travis Sheetz, President and COO of Sheetz Inc. “We will continue to innovate to serve our customers in these uncertain times as we all join together to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” How are you driving new electricity into you brand and at what cost?

Driving new electricity into a legacy brand with a partnership is a good move and will accelerate the marketing messaging for all companies involved according to Johnson. Just now is your company positioning to grow your brand, the top, and bottom line?  

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply chain and includes such things as fresh foods, online ordering, delivery, plant based foods,  sampling, toy’s, beer, developing brands,  grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All food and beverage retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food and beverages that are portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.  Does your retail path forward look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why? This new partnership does all of that.

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