Foodservice Disruption, Evolution, Solution a path Forward

 

Stuck at home, consumers once again cling to their comfort zone and the flat screen TV. Once again “ The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome continues to disrupt retail foodservice driving the adoption of grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.

Once again, this year, Foodservice Solutions® recent Grocerant ScoreCards continue to indicate that at the intersection of the consumer, technology, and retail food sales we find the grocerant niche creating and expanding points of food distribution up some 19.8% with 84.3% of existing points of distribution recording double digit year over year increases, according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  

It’s at that intersection that Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® identified one universal commonality driving consumers buying pattern changes with the latest Grocerant ScoreCard finding that 83.2% of meals assembles, prepared, and service at home include at least one Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh food meal component. Johnson calls it and extension of the “The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome he identified, quantified, and qualified back in the day.

Battle for Share of Stomach

The grocerant niche is the result of the blurring line between restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, and drug stores all selling fresh prepared, portable, convenient meal solutions.  Targeted at the time-starved consumer with Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food components that are perceived “better for you”, and portioned for one or two. Consumers like the Convenient Meal Participation, Differentiation, Individualization / Family Customization that these retailers offer.

Restaurateurs need to be particularly mindful of developments within grocerant niche for they are driving the change within the price, value, service equilibrium in retail foodservice.

It is at the intersection of the consumer, technology and The FIVE P’s of Food Marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability, and Price that retail food sales competition is expanding.

So, get this back in the day GrubHub the nation’s number one online and mobile food ordering service data reveled that pre-game orders spiked more than 35 % for the first four weeks of the 2012 professional football season when compared to the same timeframe during the 2011 season and sales continue to climb.     “When it comes to watching football, the best seat in the house really is at home,” stated Susanne Dawursk, GrubHub’s brand marketing director. Well, that is what we say again this year. Here is the point the grocerant niche is a trend that is not going away.  It has been here a long time and is building a core base that has elevated fresh food delivery, takeout to a preferred platform of choice.

Fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food in non-traditional outlets poses an ever-increasing threat to restaurant growth. Want to know how to best address the 67-inch HDTV Syndrome? 

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit www.GrocerantGuru.com , www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or call 1-253-759-7869