Restaurants, C-stores, Grocers Focusing on Fresh and Healthy

Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food that is ‘better-for-you’ continues to drive retail customer adoption in every channel of foodservice today according to Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson.

Two paths to success and developed in the quest of ‘better-for-you’ fresh prepared food many chains are turning to internal data and developing their own menu items to satisfy the health conscious customer. While other are entering co-branded product menu world working with regional hyper-local manufactures to create customer relevant flavored meals and meal components or seasonal specialty items.

A new study by AlixPartners found, 91% of the respondents said that the availability of healthy menu options is at least somewhat important to them. That number is higher than the 86% recorded last year.

Eric Dzwonczyk, AlixPartners’ managing director and co-head of restaurants, hospitality and leisure practice, pointed out that an increasing number of c-stores are taking this message to heart.

Dzwonczyk  continued  “Seven or eight years ago, [the consumer call for more healthful options] was thought to be a fad, but instead it became a trend,…To consumers, the meaning of the word ‘healthful’ can run the gamut from how food is raised, à la the Chipotle model, to offering more grab-and-go salads, wraps and fresh-cut fruit like the sandwich chain Pret a Manger, to posting calories and other nutritional content on menu boards and on apps.”

Datassential found that Forty percent of consumers surveyed said that healthier food options would make them choose a convenience store over another option for prepared foods.

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 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

Papa Murphy’s Moving Forward Slowly

Why do consumers continue to vote Papa Murphy’s their favorite pizza chain when they don’t even have ovens in their stores?  According to Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson that answer is simple they operate at the intersection of fresh, fast, flavorful and they are authentic. That will give Papa Murphy’s new CEO Weldon Spangler a great platform to work from.

 It is important to note that Papa Murphy’s excels with discovery specifically with its Limited Time Offers (LTO’s).  It’s with the consumer in mind and expanding that halo of better for you discovery that Papa Murphy’s launched a national food delivery service partnership with Grubhub.

Papa Murphy’s Holdings, Inc. last week announced a new national delivery service through Grubhub, the nation’s leading takeout marketplace stating that “Nine company-owned stores in the Colorado and Denver area launched with the delivery service in late May, and an additional 17 franchisee-owned stores will be added over the next two weeks.”

Jean Birch, Chairman of  Papa Murphy's stated “Our product is uniquely positioned for success with delivery because pizza tastes best when it’s served right out of the oven,” says “Our pizza is made fresh in stores and ready to bake at home—making it a quick and easy solution for a home-baked dinner. We’re thrilled to partner with Grubhub to make dinner even more convenient for our customers.”

By partnering with Grubhub makes it easy for Papa Murphy’s customers order delivery—by reordering their favorite meals, ordering up to four days in advance and welcoming a new variety of payment methods, including Apple Pay, Android Pay, PayPal, eGift cards, credit cards and cash. Once a Grubhub order is placed, customers can track their order and stay in the know about their delivery through push notifications and text messages.

Consumers are dynamic not static all brands must evolve and Papa Murphy’s will continue to evolve and continue to win the hearts and minds of consumers. It's time that Papa Murphy's add more Grocerant Niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh Food menu offereings to drive top line sales and bottom line profits. 

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.