Gusto not Gas at Casey’s

 

Evolving with grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food is an art that Casey’s General Store has been doing for the past 14 years, and doing it very, very, well according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

With all of the gusto of a young restaurant start-up and a grocerant niche want-to-be, Casey's General store has evolved too Casey’s and went fuel-free with its newest store. The retailer opened its first location without any gas pumps in Des Moines on April 22, replacing fuel with food!

So, the new 3,380-square-foot store, located at 3121 Forest Ave. near the campus of Drake University, will operate from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, according local press reports. In lieu of fuel sales, the store will focus on food, beverages and typical convenience items filling out the grocerant niche mix and match bundling opportunity.

This first non-fuel convenience store in Casey's portfolio, the store will serve as something of a testing ground and could lead to more stores without fuel pumps. Katie Petru, director, communications & community, at Casey's, stated, “As a non-fuel model, the new store will best fit the needs of the community in which it operates.”

Petru continued, "We think that everything we have here is what the community and guests in this very walkable environment will need,"  "This is the only store like this in our portfolio, so we will learn some things from it," Petru said. "And I think regardless, we're always looking at where we're situating ourselves and what will make sense there. I think a more urban environment or college campus environment could naturally lend itself to consider whether fuel needs to be there or not."

Messaging matters, so to celebrate the new store's opening, Casey's is offering special deals such as single-topping pizza slices for $1, medium fountain drinks for $1, doughnuts for 50 cents and free coffee.

"It's just all about welcoming the community into our doors and getting them to try out Casey's if they haven't before," Petru explained. Local residents who attended the grand opening reportedly commended Casey's for filling a need in the area, which has few grocery options in the Drake University neighborhood.

The company previously operated a Casey's Pizza Express store in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, which also did not sell fuel, but the location offered pizza for takeout and delivery only and did not have standard convenience store offerings. Mix and Match bundling is a hallmark driving success within the grocerant niche according to Johnson.

Brand messaging matter to all both young and old, so to commemorate the store opening, Casey's donated $10,000 to the local Roosevelt High School and provided a $50,000 Cash for Classrooms grant to East High School. Now in its second year, the Cash for Classrooms program will support projects, physical improvements and resource requests at accredited K-12 public and non-profit, private schools in Casey's communities across the Midwest. How much Gusto do you have?  Ready to evolve from a restaurant to a grocerant?

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

Plant-based Food & Beverage Drive Customer Trial Adoption

 

Plant based food and beverages have moved from fad to mainstream during the past three years with Gen Z and Millennials leading the way asking for more and more products in more and more categories according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

In a new report by Acosta they found, “Forty percent of today's shoppers buy plant-based meat and/or dairy products, citing health as a key motivating factor, according to "Plant-Based Eating: Trend or Fad?" Acosta's new research report. The report explores consumers' increased interest in purchasing plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.

Kathy Risch, senior vice president, business intelligence at Acosta, noted, "Consumers' focus on healthy living increased significantly since the onset of COVID-19," said. "Larger conversations about the importance of health and wellness have alerted many consumers to the potential long-term benefits of meat and dairy alternatives, and plant-based product sales are rising as a result. 

Bloomberg reported $7 billion dollars in plant-based sales in 2021, a 27-percent increase from 2019. We expect to see steady growth in this category through the next decade, as consumer awareness continues to expand."

It is important to note that Acosta's research provides insight surrounding consumers' increased interest in plant-based products. According to Acosta's research, 40 percent of consumers surveyed in March 2022 purchased plant-based meat and/or dairy products within the last six months, with more than half of those surveyed (60 percent) purchasing plant-based products several times a month.

In addition, 77 percent of consumers surveyed buy plant-based foods at traditional grocery stores, while 20 percent of consumers surveyed buy plant-based foods online. Consumers typically buy plant-based meat and dairy alternatives to replace beef, pork and traditional milk, Acosta concluded.

There is more, Acosta also revealed that 64 percent of plant-based buyers purchase within this category at least several times a month, while 57 percent of plant-based buyers say they intend to consume plant-based alternatives throughout their lives. Nearly 20 percent of plant-based buyers say they follow a fully plant-based lifestyle. Today customer relevance can be driven by plant-based menu items.

Just like the old days, while half of plant-based buyers claim it is important for restaurants to offer plant-based options, only about 20 percent usually buy these alternatives when eating out. About one-third of all U.S. shoppers claim to perceive plant-based foods as a fad, despite growing interest and demand.

Acosta's "Plant-Based Eating: Trend or Fad?" report was gathered via online surveys using the company's proprietary Shopper Community from March 8 to 11. For more visit Acosta.

There is an increased demand for healthy, plant-based and international flavor options will also require a larger footprint and dedicated resources. Fresh food commissaries and ghost kitchens will become the norm.

If there is a need for a brick-n-mortar unit, new store designs with sit-and-eat options will emerge to support the customer experience. Bright, clean and updated store exteriors with outdoor seating options, takeout window, and enhanced curb appeal will also attract customers and encourage them to spend more time on-site.

Don’t over reach. 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

Virtual Restaurants Looking A Customer Ahead

 

Growing a brand requires vision, focus, strategy and solid tactics daily according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Entrepreneurs and would be restaurateurs that want to test a brand, a product or a concept are doing so utilizing virtual restaurants, virtual kitchens, as a platform for testing.

Back in the day, our Grocerant Guru® perfected, developed, and tested over time a fresh food focused formula: Build, Measure, Learn, Repeat, that continues to drive success steps today. Simply put, grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food sales success is a four-step process according to Johnson; those four steps are Build, Measure, Learn, and Repeat.

Now have you heard of Burger Dandy?  If not you soon will as Burger Dany was one of three virtual kitchen concepts A. Marshall Hospitality launched during the pandemic and ended up being one of the most successful when it first began selling retro shakes and burgers in January 2021.

So, A. Marshall Hospitality converted pandemic-era virtual restaurant Burger Dandy into a real-life sit-down restaurant.  That’s right after testing the brand, the concept, food and messaging they have gone from virtual to a brick-n-mortar outlet.  You can too!

You may be thinking that all virtual restaurants have grown from a buzzworthy trend into a pandemic-era commonality, not many graduate from virtual concept to brick-n-mortar store. However, A. Marshall Hospitality opened three virtual restaurant’s during the pandemic including retro-themed burger shop, Burger Dandy.

This January, the restaurant group converted Burger Dandy into a casual-dining restaurant you can visit in real life, not just on a delivery app based on customer demand, and they now do 70% dine-in and 30% takeout orders.

Lyle, Richardson, COO of A. Marshall Hospitality, stated, “I see a lot of ghost kitchens, especially ones that celebrities have jumped on,” ... “You know, I see all the celebrities jumping on it. But I don’t see a lot of success stories about turning a ghost kitchen into a brick-n-mortar restaurant. So, we gave it a shot. We took 700 square feet of our existing restaurant, Americana Taphouse, and we designed something special.”

I want you to think about this, Burger Dandy was one of three ghost kitchen concepts A. Marshall Hospitality launched during the pandemic and ended up being one of the most successful when it first began selling retro shakes and burgers in January 2021. At some point, the popularity of the off-premises-only concept began outselling A. Marshall Hospitality’s brick and mortar restaurants.

Richardson continued, “As we progressed, we noticed that more and more of our guests were hanging out in front of the takeout space and getting to know the staff there, so we started to have someone available to speak to when you pick up your food to get that would provide that human contact,”. “[…] At some point, we noticed that Burger Dandy sales per square foot were exceeding the potential sales per square foot we had at our existing locations.”

Team impute matters, when we started figuring out how to convert Burger Dandy into a place where people could come to sit down and have a meal, in many ways, Richardson said, it was easier to figure out than making the virtual concept to begin with. The team went for an “Elvis goes out for burgers in Vegas” vibe with a tropical motif and the color scheme of a 1957 Chevy Bel Air car (seafoam green with red accents).

In order to sell fresh food fast, Richardson and his team kept the menu simple: retro burgers and shakes with a Southern flair, including menu items like a slaw dog instead of a regular hot dog, Kool Aid pickles, and Coca-Cola-marinated onions. The menu also has boozy milkshakes and a fried chicken-topped salad.

“Our marketing team was excited to get our hands on [the space] and take Burger Dandy to that next level,” Richardson stated, “I think that's also part of the success of the concept, because it did have a physical identity to start with and didn’t just have an anonymous online presence.” What are you testing, where and why?

Foodservice Solutions® team is here to help you drive top line sales and bottom-line profits. Are you looking a customer ahead? Does your messaging 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 the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Grocerant Niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat Meals Sell

 

Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Convenience Stores, are but among the sectors within retail foodservice that are trying to garner a larger share of stomach garnering customers migrating from traditional avenues of retail food sales to new mix & match meal component bundling offers, according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Fast casual restaurant chain, Smashburger intends break into the grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food space with a dedicated catering program to fill that void with a new fast casual menu and platform.

Back in the day, burgers are not known to be very travel-friendly—a catering hurdle Smashburger surmounted through a combination of technology, packaging innovation and improved production management. The pandemic accelerated the process. Packaging matter as our grocerant guru has note time and tome again.

Ty Goerke, Smashburger’s head chef and senior manager of operations and brand performance, stated, “At the start of the pandemic, we packaged individual entrees and sides to donate to hospital workers and partnered with some of the big box retailers, like Target, to feed their essential workers,”.

Empowering consumer choice, designed expressly for the program are a Build-Your-Own Smashburger Bar for 10, which includes individually wrapped burgers in beef, crispy chicken, grilled chicken and black bean varieties. American or Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mayo, ketchup and Smash Sauce are packed separately.

So, Goerke had discovered that burgers are better travelers when the lettuce, tomato, sauce and other toppings are packaged separately so the bun doesn’t get soggy. That separation not only promotes the quality of the food in transit, it’s an extra safety and sanitation measure—a bigger concern now after two pandemic years.

Yet there are more options, in place of burgers, customers can order a Crispy Chicken Tender Bar for 10 with a choice of dipping sauces. Additionally, each of the “bars” is available in increments of 10 to feed larger crowds.

This new catering menu also includes individual boxed meals similar to what the chain sent out during COVID. Customers can order a Breakfast Smashburger, Classic Smashburger, chicken tenders, Cobb salad or Vegetarian Smashburger as an entrée, with chips, tots, salad or bacon on the side. Orders come with cookies for dessert.

Smashburger took time perfecting packaging and production of the new items. The “superwrap” Smashburger uses for regular to-go orders does a good job of wicking off some moisture and holds the temperature of the bun and burger, he added.

Goerke continued, “the team then places the wrapped burgers in a heavier cardboard box—the only new SKU added for the catering program. “The cardboard retains heat for 30 minutes, which was our target,”

Right now every one of Smashburger’s 250 restaurants is set up to do catering now, with the managers at each location supervising the program. Everything is done exactly as it would be if dining in.

Goerke stated, “For every catering order, we still smash and cook every burger to order and cut the produce right before using,”. “The managers set the schedule so everything is prepared right before it goes out the door, with the burgers the last item to be cooked.”

They would like it if catering orders typically come in 24 hours ahead, most do, so if extra labor is needed—particularly during the rush from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.—it isn’t last minute. And no extra make lines have been added; catering is done from the same store footprint and kitchen.

Technology matters in all thing’s food and Smashburger partnered with EZ Cater’s platform for the technology component of the program. “EZ Cater does a lot of the organization, finalizing orders and integrating with our POS system,” said Scott Johnson, head of marketing North America Division at Jollibee Food Corp., Smashburger’s parent company. “Ty and his team worked really hard on timing the production, how to deliver the product, the packaging and other details.”

Although the catering program is geared to businesses with workers returning to offices, consumers are ordering the burger bars, too, said Johnson. Smashburger expects to see social catering pick up even more as group get-togethers and entertaining ramp up.

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

In a Battle for Share of Stomach

Mix & Match Meal Component Bundling Works

Roller Grills Fuel Franchisees Till but leave Customers Wondering

 

Operational efficiencies that save labor while reducing food cost are in demand during times of inflation.  Many fresh food retailers are taking one step back to edify their franchise system adding new roller grill items while asking their fresh food customers just to turn away from the grill and keep buying fresh.

According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® it is a difficult balancing act; franchisee needing quick profits, and customer migrating to fresher faster food and that does not include the Roller Grill.

Stepping up and taking a big step back, 7-Eleven Inc. inviting customers to enjoy breakfast all day with the launch of its Maple-flavored Sausage, Egg & Cheese taquito a new roller grill item. The new menu item is now available all-day every day for breakfast-loving customers at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes convenience stores.

The roller grills at 7-Eleven will be loaded with the breakfast must-haves, 7-Eleven's new Maple-flavored Sausage, Egg & Cheese taquito is a great way to start the day.

Whether consumers have awakened on the wrong side of the bed and in need of a pick-me-up or they are simply in search of a quick, tasty alternative to a sit-down breakfast, 7-Eleven's breakfast taquito serves as the perfect grab-and-go solution for busy customers, according to the retailer. It is made with fluffy whole eggs, savory pork sausage and cheddar cheese sauce, and coated with a sweet maple-flavored batter.

To round out a hearty breakfast, customers can pair the Maple-flavored Sausage, Egg & Cheese taquito with any size of iced coffee for just $1 each.

Robin Murphy, senior director of fresh foods at 7-Eleven, stated, "Here at 7-Eleven, we're always looking for creative ways to expand our menu and cater to our customers' food cravings in ways that maximize convenience," … "Now, with our maple-flavored sausage taquito, customers have a craveworthy on-the-go breakfast at their fingertips, morning, noon or night!"

7-Elevens, 7Rewards loyalty program members, each purchase of the breakfast taquito earns them 100 bonus points. 7Rewards is the popular loyalty program found in the 7-Eleven mobile app, where customers can earn and redeem points on most purchases. Loyalty members can also enjoy three of their favorite grill items and a Big Gulp drink for just $3.

Just like restaurants do, for those who prefer on-demand delivery can order the new Maple-flavored Sausage, Egg & Cheese taquito through 7-Eleven's 7NOW delivery app. Additionally, with the 7NOW Gold Pass subscription delivery service, customers can have their delivery fee waived on more than 3,000 of their favorite 7-Eleven products, including the new taquito, for $5.95 a month. Subscribers with a basket totaling at least $10 will receive additional benefits, such as the option to select a free product, like a free Slurpee drink.

There is a bright spot, as Alcohol delivery, including beer, wine, and liquor, is available in select markets to customers age 21 and older. Roller Grill or not, that is a good thing. The 7NOW delivery app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, or by visiting 7Rewards.com.

Slowly employees are returning to the office, and resuming their morning commutes. This was particularly beneficial to product segments such as coffee, energy drinks and prepackaged food, which all performed exceptionally well in the morning daypart. It is important note franchisees need to make money.  One step back and two steps forward is not a bad thing.

For international corporate presentations, regional chain 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 GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869

CryptoCoin Takeaway at Which Wich

 

Has the crypto currency craze reached its peak?  It just might have as Which Wich Superior Sandwiches is selling 100 Crypto Box meals per store that includes a CryptoCoin.  According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®” there are a lot of people taking about having crypto currency, if you are one of the lucky ones you will have a CryptoCoin that you can actually show them.  That just might be worth stopping by your local Which Wich.”

Focused on the growing grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat mix & match meal bunding platform, Which Wich has a brand-new Crypto Box meal available only on April 29 at Which Wich locations in the U.S., while supplies last.  

So, the new Crypto Box meal includes any regular 7-inch sandwich, a cookie, a bag of chips and a large drink, plus as an additional gift, a limited-edition, Which Wich-branded CryptoCoin that is worth $10 on April 29 but fluctuates daily for up to two years based on Bitcoin-to-U.S. dollar conversion rates. Each CryptoCoin comes with an instruction card for redeeming the CryptoCoin’s value for Which Wich food and drink or a mailed check. The meal box is priced at just $15, and locations will offer a limited supply of 100 Crypto Box meals.

Now this is important, crypto exchange platform Gemini recently found that only 14 percent of Americans own some form of cryptocurrency, creating an opportunity to expose new audiences to crypto market dynamics through this one-day promotion. 

Jeff Sinelli, Founder, CEO and Chief Vibe Officer of Which Wich, stated, “We’re excited to offer our customers a chance to dip their toes into the growth potential of the cryptocurrency market, but with the guarantee of a delicious Which Wich meal, too,” … “It’s a great way for our guests to enjoy their favorite Wich and our custom Mountain Dew VIBE, with the added value of experiencing the excitement of cryptocurrency.” 

Anyone that purchases one of the Which Wich Crypto Meal box can authenticate and track the value of their free Which Wich CryptoCoin at whichwich.com/cryptobox. The coin is redeemable for food and drink at Which Wich restaurants or a check paid by mail by the Which Wich corporate office, in an amount based on their CrytpoCoin’s change in value on any given day compared to the initial $10 value on April 29, 2022, for up to two years from issuance. 

Don’t over reach. 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

The Halo of ‘Better-4-You’ Continues to Drive Food Sales

 

Time starved, lacking a skill-set to cook all of the different flavors of food Americans have been exposed to over the past 10 years consumers are finding alternative avenues of fresh food distribution for food items that have the halo of better-4-you and are full flavored according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

In a new report by The NPD Group found, “Today, the focus is on customized diets, nutrient intake and functional foods, according to NPD's recent "America’s Health Pulse: Closing the Gap Between Wants and Needs" report.  

They found, “Four macro needs drive all consumption: fueling, wellness, connecting and gratifying. Fueling is the top driver, influencing one-third of all eating occasions. The need for wellness grew throughout the pandemic and is second to fueling as a consumption driver. Wellness now directly impacts 21 percent of all eating occasions, which amounts to billions of occasions annually. With most meals sourced from home — a behavior established long before the pandemic — NPD expects wellness as a consumption driver to remain elevated into the foreseeable future.” Let’s see what else they found.

“Although consumers seek wellness overall, they are also homing in on specific areas. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a new focus on the food as medicine movement. Concern over the highly contagious and potentially deadly COVID-19 virus led many to consider their food choices to help build immunity, concluded NPD. The importance of strong immunity remains a top wellness focus from a holistic standpoint rather than specifically fighting the virus.

Foods and ingredients that build immunity, like elderberry, jackfruit, and bone broth, are popular with consumers. Additionally, the aging baby boomer population is looking to food as medicine in order to find remedies to either cure or manage health conditions.   

Consumers customize their health and wellness eating goals with a variety of tools. These tools include social media and following social media influencers, personalized eating and fitness plans from healthcare providers or trainers, apps and technology-enabled exercise equipment, and forecasting health using genetic markers, NPD stated in the report.

Darren Seifer, food and beverage industry analyst at The NPD Group and author of the report stated, "The pattern of consumer attention to health and wellness shows increasing awareness and adaptation across the board," ... "This means consumers no longer think of health and wellness as an add-on, but as an integrated part of how they live their lives; that, in turn, opens opportunity for brands to become a permanent solution."

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