Wow Bao Expands Grocerant Menu Options Too Walmart

 

Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food continues to drive customer migration from among traditional food service retail channels including the restaurant sector, convenience store sector, and grocery store sector.  

According to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® consumers are driving branded customer adoption of new products and brands in all food retail channels.  There is not only and elevated awareness or meal replacement options but the quality of the meals and meal components is the underlying motivation to sample.  

Intouch Insight recently reported that the level of overall satisfaction with prepared food from convenience stores rose 7 percent year over year, according to the company's 2023 Convenience Store Trends Report, titled "Food, Fuel and the Future." However, the report also saw an 11 percent drop in those who reported being extremely satisfied with food quality at convenience stores.

Cameron Watt, president and CEO of Intouch Insight, stated, "For many years, convenience stores have made significant investments in their prepared and made-to-order food options, aiming to earn more interaction and loyalty with convenience-minded customers," ... "This shift to the middle in reported satisfaction from extremely satisfied to satisfied indicates to us that expectations are evolving, competition is increasing, and complacency is not an option."

What retail food channels is your brand in? Wow Bao, the largest ‘dumpling house’ in the U.S. announced the expansion of its nationwide presence with the addition of Walmart Inc. to its grocery partners. The partnership with the world’s largest retailer more than doubles the CPG vertical of Wow Bao’s business, from 1,000 grocery stores to over 4,000 in the continental United States.   

Geoff Alexander, president and CEO of Wow Bao, stated, “Wow Bao has realized incredible growth throughout all our channels and this partnership is a testament to how we’ve leveraged our popularity among consumers,” …. “With the addition of Walmart to our CPG channels, we are able to meet the demands of our customer base and provide them with the craveable product they expect from Wow Bao straight from their local Walmart freezer section.”  

So, Walmart stores will launch with five bao flavors including Teriyaki Chicken Bao, Mongolian-Style Spicy Beef Bao, Chinese-Style BBQ Pork Bao, Thai-Style Curry Chicken Bao, and Coconut Custard Bao. Thai-Style Curry Chicken Bao and Coconut Custard Bao are Walmart CPG exclusives. The in-store partnership is an extension of the e-commerce relationship the companies have maintained for nearly a year.  

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

Branding the Metaverse Wow Bao is All-In

 

Are you ready for the Metaverse? Is your brand migrating with consumers? Just where are you extending your brand invitation?  Those are just some of the questions you should be asking yourself right now according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

While regular readers of this blog know that Wow Bao, is a proactive, growing, fast-casual Asian concept; they may not know that they laid out a ‘phased Web3 strategy’, which will includes an NFT-based extension of their Bao Bucks rewards program and the launch of metaverse vending machines. It’s simple Wow Bao is looking a customer ahead.  Are you?

So, to kick off these new initiatives, they are launching a contest wowbao.com/metaverse to give away free digital collectibles and Wow Bao branded merchandise. Now the initial phase of Wow Bao’s Web3 strategy will begin with the launch of a new NFT-based access pass, an evolution and extension of their Bao Bucks rewards program, the first and only Virtual Dining Rewards Program to be offered.

The passes will be available for purchase and will grant access to their Club. Wow Bao will be selling three tiers of passes which will each unlock increasing levels of unique digital and physical rewards, including monthly giveaways and discounts exclusive to Club members. Unlike traditional non-fungible-tokens (NFTs), passes do not require a crypto wallet or cryptocurrency and can be purchased and accessed with a credit card and an email address. Additionally, Wow Bao teased that they will be bringing their hot food vending machines, currently live in GA, FL, and Las Vegas, to the metaverse in 2023.

Technology matters and Wow Bao’s entrance into Web3 cements its commitment to continually exploring leading edge technology and finding unique and engaging ways to reach new consumers. It follows its early use of self-ordering kiosks in 2010, a fully-automated front-of-house animated cubby experience in 2017, and unprecedented growth the last couple of years to over 700 locations through their virtual dark kitchen program. 

Over 100 new dark kitchen locations were launched in October alone. In addition, Wow Bao has an ongoing partnership with Riot Racers, a virtual play-to-earn car racing game, including upcoming tournament sponsorships and an exclusive drop of Wow Bao branded race cars. Fans who want to purchase a Wow Bao car to race in the game should follow both Wow Bao and Riot Racers on Twitter to learn more.

Want to Build a Larger Share of Stomach

Start Looking A Customer Ahead

Geoff Alexander, president & CEO of Wow Bao, stated, “Wow Bao has always been an early adopter of digital restaurant experiences and this is a natural extension of that leadership stance,” …. “With Wow Bao’s virtual restaurant growth, it is important to connect with guests wherever and whenever possible, whether that be in Dallas, TX, Philadelphia, PA or in the metaverse. We’re excited to bring Wow Bao to the metaverse and build relationships with a new group of fans.”

Wow Bao’s metaverse strategy was developed in conjunction with Brightloom, a customer intelligence and advisory services company.

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.

Elevating Fresh Food Sales Fast with Wow Bao

 

How are you growing your brand?  Consumers are on the move brands must go and grow with consumers.  Digital natives including Gen Z and Millennials are in constant search of new food choice experiences and love technology. 

It is at the intersection of technology and full-flavored Wow Bao that consumers are discovering the value of high technology vending machines according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Early July Wow Bao announced a food industry-leading partnership with Automated Retail Technologies and it’s Just Baked Hot Food kiosks. This is the first Asian bao available through high-tech vending machines across North America, Johnson believes this will be the first of many new branded food options utilizing High-Technology Vending machines.

OK so get this, Wow Bao is inside of Just Baked vending machines will begin its roll out in non-traditional locations the ilk of hospitals, hotels, bars, schools, airports and casinos. Florida and Georgia are the first markets to launch, and the team has an aggressive growth plan to increase the footprint across the US and Canada through 2022 and 2023. 

Geoff Alexander, Wow Bao’s President and CEO, stated, “After seven years of research and development, we are excited to conveniently offer Wow Bao’s signature items via Just Baked’s Hot Food Vending machines in otherwise food desert locations,” …  “Wow Bao has always believed that evolution & innovation are important to grow the brand, and we are incredibly excited for this partnership.” 

The partnership launched the first week of July with 50 kiosks in 24 different cities offering Wow Bao favorites such as Teriyaki Bao, Mongolian Beef Bao, Chicken Dumplings, and Coconut Custard Bao. 

Kevin Haggerty, VP of Customer Success at Automated Retail Technologies, stated, “As soon as we tested Wow Bao through our kiosk, we knew we had a home run,” ... “Serving Wow Bao Asian street food through our revolutionary Just Baked Hot Food kiosk allows us to bring this delicious product to places that previously couldn’t get this high-quality hot food before.”

Vending can drive new electricity into your brand.  According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.” 

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, smaller footprint, developing brands, fresh flowers, grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable according to Johnson. 

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

Virtual Growth as Wow Bao Expands

 Virtual kitchens, virtual restaurants, combined with a strategic partnership just might mean dynamic growth and new electricity for Wow Bao and its brand according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

So, get this Wow Bao will add more than 100 delivery-only locations this year via a partnership with Franklin Junction, a so-called “host kitchen” provider that connects brick-and-mortar restaurants with virtual brands. What this means is you can expand faster for less up-front capital.

Wow Bao will add new units 50 to Franklin Junction’s partner restaurants this month in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, elevating new electricity for the brand right away.  With 50 more slated for later this year. This represents the largest expansion for Wow Bao since its founding in 2003, according to CEO and President Geoff Alexander in a statement.

The virtual brand strategy is not new for the chain. Last year, it launched its own Dark Kitchens initiative, bringing its menu to 100 brick-and-mortar restaurants nationwide as of October. As part of Franklin Junction’s stable of virtual brands, the chain will more than double its current footprint.

Aziz Hashim, founder of Franklin Junction stated “Wow Bao is a perfect addition to our host kitchen portfolio,” …. “Their off-premise model has been built to allow restaurant hosts to quickly launch a virtual concept and add to their sales and profits using prepared Wow Bao menu items that have minimal equipment requirements and low impact on host kitchen operations.”

So, Franklin: to bring host restaurants additional revenue streams via virtual concepts while also introducing those concepts to new markets. How are you driving new electricity into your brand?

Today, new partnerships can drive sales in foodservice today as your brand is searching for the new electricity to help drive the brand forward. So, just what is your brands new electricity? According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, developing brands, unique urban clothing, grocerant positioning, Fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.

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.

Wow Bao will be a Fully Automated Dining

Regular readers of this blog know that Wow Bao, a fast-casual concept specializing in savory steamed buns, pan-seared dumplings, and rice & noodle bowls.  What you don’t know is that the next-generation store, opening December 1, is set to become Chicago’s first and only fully automated dining experience according to Steve Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Wow Bao was the first brand to license the innovative eatsa technology platform, Wow Bao’s restaurant will feature an automated storefront that enables digital ordering via mobile app or in-store kiosk, delivering both a seamless customer experience and optimum food delivery speed.

When the orders are placed, diners will pick up their food via one of 12 custom LED-lit cubbies. Displaying the guest’s name along with social media-friendly animation, each cubby will give a series of prompts, including when the food is cooking or when to double tap and open for a completed order. A Wow Bao “concierge” will be on hand to answer any questions and explain the process within the store.

Wow Bao plans to expand utilizing this new technology, expecting to double its number of locations in 2018.Wow Bao’s brand new mobile app will launch simultaneously with the opening of the new location, allowing diners to order on the go with ease.

Wow Bao President Geoff Alexander. “We couldn’t be more excited to be the first restaurant partner for eatsa and look forward to delivering the same high-quality food our customers expect in a way they have never seen before.” 

Wow Bao’s signature lunch and dinner menus will be available to enjoy for dine-in, carryout, and delivery service. In addition, the new location will offer brand new bao and rice bowl options, a coffee program complete with Do-Rite donuts for breakfast, and a late-night window for after-hour cravings during warmer weather. 

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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.