Can Electric Vehicles be Better Designed for the Grocerant niche Drive-Thru Consumer?

 

Today, it seems as If everywhere I go someone is talking about an electric vehicle (EV’s). EV’s are the talk of environmentally conscious consumers and looked at positively by consumers with gas guzzling automobile owners according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

In fact, in recent Consumers Reports study found that 4% of adults with a driver’s license planned to acquire an EV the next time they buy a vehicle. An additional 27% said that they would consider one. About 40% express some interest – but not their next purchase. Yes, there were 29% that said they don’t want an EV at all.

Gen Z and Millennials as regular readers of this blog know are on a quest for food discovery. With a growing number of food types, provenances, preparation methods, and food purveyors, discovery has never been greater or more accessible. Cultural values that embrace diversity and new experiences have further heightened the desire for food exploration and EV’s are a part of that.

The team at Foodservice Solutions® asked in a survey of focused on Gen Z and Millennials how they thought EV’s could improve the ‘drive-thru’ experience.  Why because as far back as 2011, The NPD Group, found customers made 12.4 billion trips through fast food drive-thru’s in 201. QSR and Insula Research estimate that about 50 to 70 percent of fast-food sales arrive courtesy of drive-thru windows back in the day. Here’s a look at some of what our recent Grocerant ScoreCard Survey found:

1.       Better application ‘Voice’ integration with car. Using Google Home or Alexa directly in the car to order while in the drive thru.

2.       Hot and Cold Cup holders

3.       New features to set a plate on. Imagine an airplane like folding tray but inside a car that drops down or swings out from the side. 

4.       Air ventilation for gig workers who have food smells in their car.

5.       Heating compartment to keep food warm on the way home / imagine a Domino’s pizza bag warmer that insulates but a spot in the car for that.

Although mainstream adoption of EV’s is still several years away, food operators need to begin thinking about how to transition their businesses to be ready for the future of the Drive-Thru consumer.

Today, electric vehicles (EVs) only represent about 2 percent of the overall car market, adoption is projected to increase in the future. What will your customer want in their EV?  Think how your menu can evolve from selling one meal at a time to selling a mix and match bundle of meals thru the drive-thru?

Did you know that in February 2021, both General Motors and Ford Motor Co. announced plans to move toward electric vehicles, although Ford was talking primarily about its vehicles in Europe? General Motors said by 2040, it plans to have 100 percent of its portfolio fully electric, and Bloomberg is forecasting that by 2040, 60 percent of vehicles will be electric

The team at Foodservice Solutions® believes consumers that are going to be driving EV’s will drive new electricity into legacy food brands while edifying the grocerant niche fresh food sales. Yes, hybrids make the most long-term sense as a transition period, and traditional fueled transportation is likely to remain for the foreseeable future. That, however, doesn’t mean looking a customer ahead should be over looked.  

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a 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