KFC or as a global communities remembers Kentucky Fried Chicken is back and GAME ON!

Once the leader in prepared ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat food niche, KFC has announced it is getting back in to the consumer focused meal game! Having shifted and slid around the foodservice industry trying to build there way outside the US to greatness. They have finally turned back to the US, studied the consumer and plated a meal that is positioned to win back customers and loyalist to its legacy brand.


Three years ago we here at Foodservice Solutions we called for a reset of foodservice metric’s. We have been looking for a public company with the tenacity to buck the trend of only focusing on a “higher” check average and return to customer count and volume based on consumer generated values. The term “better for you” has been an over ridding value in the food platform for five years it time for success. With the quagmire of our economy price has been a recurring focus. KFC has both directly in focus with consumer. If success leaves clues, I think this will be a solid fist step and many other companies will follow.

Here is KFC’s new meal and focus for this “holiday promotion for its Kentucky Grilled Chicken combo meals. The meals, which contain a grilled chicken drumstick and thigh, green beans, and mashed potatoes and gravy, are now on sale at participating restaurants for $3.95. Louisville-based KFC Corp. said in a news release that the meal is rated at 395 calories.

The grocerant niche is booming, once lead by KFC, I welcome them back! Contact me for more at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below. For more read this article: http://www.anything4restaurants.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/restaurant-consumer-discontinuity-the-consumer-moved-first/

The foodservice consumer is on the move and the advantaged is now in prepared ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food.

The NPD Group recently reported that restaurant sales for 2009 will be flat or down “NPD noted that it does not expect traffic trends to turn positive until after June 2010.” NPD Analyst Bonnie Riggs said. "Food prices at supermarkets are less than a year ago, while restaurant prices are higher than a year ago."In addition Technomic Inc., said there is "a ways to go before we see a [traffic] rebound," while forecasting that 2009 and 2010 would mark the industry's first ever consecutive years of sales declines.


Foodservice consumer discontinuity is the focus on much attention from consultants to chain executives. . As an industry our concern is and should be share of stomach, first by company, second by niche-marketshare and third the restaurant industry overall. The economy is not our largest problem it is competition for share of stomach; specifically by the ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat prepared meal section of the grocery stores and C-stores or as I call it the Grocerant section. Under reported but signifently noted first here at Foodservice Solutions in 2005; was the first year that recorded a consumer increase in percent household spending for food in grocery stores and away from restaurants in 25 years. We here at Foodservice Solutions have been discussing this fact since 2005 and studying the grocerant niche since 1997.

Restaurants, Grocery stores and the Convenience store sectors are all competing for share of stomach and the consumers are attracted to the options presented by within the Grocerant niche. Is your company in need of a grocerant niche assessment, national or global grocerant store tour?

Contact me for more at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below. www.FoodserviceSolutions.us Email: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us 253-759-7869

Questions on Grocerants?

Here are some of the questions that I received recently related to my blog. Why are consumers going to a grocery store for hot food over restaurant TO-go Food or cooking? Do consumers prefer to spend time cooking from scratch or do they want more time for family/friends/activities? Do grocery stores really prepared the food from scratch? What is the best way for me to enter the grocerant niche? Just where is the opportunity within the niche as an employee? Food and people are focused in each question. One Email stated: I don’t cook, Why should I? I can get great food fast in an appropriate portion without waste.


What are the most compelling reasons to buy ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat foods?

• Quantify, based how it looks and is presented the visceral appeal?

• Price of the food ease of paying for it at the market, evaluate price vs. cost ingredients ; restaurant or time to cook the same at home?

• Freshness, does freshness equal value and can it also mean it’s a sustainable product?

• What sector holds the advantage in the grocerant sector? Could it be number of units simple points of distribution?

I do believe that there is an underlining change in how consumers see value. In Grocery Stores, Convenience Stores, and Restaurants. That value is being determined by a new set of metrics. Included it those is HEALTH-QUALITY, PRICE, SPEED OF SERVICE (TIME) AND APPERAANCE OF THE FOOD. Overriding all of the issues is where the consumer can consume the food. Consumer are on the run, they don’t have time for a full service sit down restaurant. Today grocery stores and supermarkets are winning however with the global food testing underway at 7 Eleven they too may become a very important player in this niche..

Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us ,Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

 Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development leverage out Outside Eyes for inside Profits. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy

Today & Tomorrow brought consumer relevance into the spotlight.

The Grocerant sector continues to show growing interest for share of stomach by all players. In August a promotion by Maggiano’s Little Italy a restaurant chain owned by Brinker International begin signaled a ear continued relevance for foodservice leadership within the restaurant sector. The promotion called “Today & Tomorrow” was a new twist on the buy one get one offers restaurants have offered for years. This time however at Maggiano’s you order two meals one cooked for you to eat; the other will be cooked and packaged for you to take home and eat tomorrow.


Grocerants ready-to-heat and ready-eat-products are so consumer friendly and well accepted today I was reassured that some within the restaurant sector get. This Thanksgiving as company came and left I was reminded of this promotion on three separate occasions. Creating buzz for both the product and company from within this promotion still has customers talking. Success does leave clues and this one leads directly the consumer, that’s a hit in my book!

Supermarkets, Grocery stores, Convenience stores all have a big stake here. It is all about share of stomach. If Maggiano’s gets dinners two out of seven nights in a week, well that’s big? When the other players jump in, the race for the consumer share of stomach begins a new and will reach a new level! For a state of the art grocerant program review leave a comment or contact Steven Johnson of Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions. 

Time for the MAN-MENU when prepared ready-to-eat food is the game.

According to Peter Leimbach of Nielsen company “men are shopping more than their fathers or grandfathers ever did” In 1985 only 14.3 % of men did the shopping for food, in 1997 it had grown to 26.1 % and in 2009 it has reached 31.2%.

 Grocerants selling ready-to-eat and ready-to heat food no w must take into account that “almost one-third of men are now the principal shoppers in the household. With more men in store aisles, marketers need to better understand how to reach this growing segment of shoppers” according to Leimbach..

Today, almost one-third of men are now the principal shoppers in the household. With more men in store aisles, marketers need to better understand how to reach this growing segment of shoppers.

Nielsen data shows that while females dominate shopping trips in all channels except convenience/gas stores, their share of trips has declined in all outlets from 2004 to 2008/2009. On the other hand, men’s share of retail shopping trips has done just the opposite—increased in all outlets. The channels with the greatest relative importance to men include convenience/gas outlets, warehouse clubs and grocery stores."

Contact me for more at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below.

Wawa must be the Northeast leader grocerant in ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food prepared food.

Why else would supermarket chain Giant who is now building a convenience store with six double sided gas pumps describe the convenience stores as “It’s the exact same setup as Wawa”. In the event that Giant is successful duplicating the layout, the outstanding consumer interactivity and participatory feel of a Wawa they will be well on there way to continued growth and success. Giant’s proposed Hilltown Plaza convenience store location could well become a template for others in the Northeast if it is successful.


Wawa has been identified as the third largest food retailer in the Delaware Valley. This reflects strongly on the type of food and beverages that they offer and the relationship that they have built within the community. Many brands offer products and services that are commodities but they're successful in developing some differentiation for their products and services that consumers are sold on, which Wawa has been able to do, then continued success is at hand.

Giant is a trusted brand in the Northeast. The best brands are flexible and capable of reshaping and reinventing themselves and their messages over time. Coca-Cola is a good example of a brand that has never abandoned its core product but has evolved its message over time to keep up with changes in the marketplace and society at large. It looks to me as if Giant is on track to keep pace with the ever adapting consumer. Contact me for more at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below.

Happy Thanksgiving

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development leverage out Outside Eyes for inside Profits. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.

Americans are Ready-2-Eat driving Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food sales. The National Restaurant Association has forecast that 4 million Americans would order a full takeout Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant in 2013, while 14 million would order parts of their Thanksgiving meal to be eaten at home. The Grocerant Niche is Booming.  Take a look at where you can get dinner TO-GO:

Bill Miller Bar-B-Q offers an assortment of Holiday Meals to go.  Broad Breasted Turkey Hen, Broad Breasted Turkey Tom, Honey Glazed Spiral Cut Ham and more.  All orders must be placed by 8:00 p.m. on Monday, November 24th and picked up by 7:00 p.m. on November 26th, as stores will be closing early.  Closed on Thanksgiving Day.  View menu.

Bob Evans will be open Thanksgiving from 8 am until 8 pm, but the chain is also offering its popular heat and serve Farmhouse Feast. The Feast serves up to eight, comes complete with your choice of turkey or ham, bread and celery dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, buttered sweet corn, green beans with ham, cranberry relish, rolls, pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie.  $79.99 (prices may vary by location). Additional servings of turkey or ham, bread, savory sides and desserts may be added a la carte.

Boston Market – Menu includes everything from whole roasted turkey or spiral-sliced ham to all the sides you crave, like savory stuffing and creamy mashed potatoes.  Dinner options to feed 4 to 12 people. You can order online, by phone or at your local Boston Market restaurant. Everything is already cooked, and it only takes about two hours to heat the entire meal.

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurants Thanksgiving Feast To Go includes sliced white meat turkey or hickory-smoked ham, homestyle gravy, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, spicy Italian sausage stuffing, green beans and cranberry sauce.  Half pan serves ten for $159.99.  Full pan serves 20 for $299.99.  Prices may vary by location.

Chompie’s offers delicious complete Thanksgiving meal packages to go that serve 12-15 generously, as well as complete Thanksgiving dinners for 6 or more on Thanksgiving day. In addition to coming as part of the meal packages, Chompie’s also offers its extra large (18-20 lbs. raw weight) whole oven-roasted turkeys to go alone. A la carte Thanksgiving side dishes also available.  See full menu.

Cowboy Chicken is offering a Wood Fire Rotisserie Turkey Holiday Package, which feeds between eight to ten guests and features a 10-12 pound Wood Fire Rotisserie Turkey, Twice Baked Potaters, a Wild West Side, Country Style Stuffing, 12 dinner rolls, and Peach or Southern Blackberry Cobbler, all for $84.95.  Guests may order their Wood Fire Rotisserie Turkey Holiday Package at any Cowboy Chicken location between now and December 31st, 2014.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is offering Thanksgiving Dinner To-Go from November 22nd through November 30th.  Serve up to six for $59.99.  Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Cornbread Dressing, Gravy, a sampling of Sugar-Cured Ham, choice of Three Country Sides, Cranberry Relish, choice of made from scratch Biscuits, Corn Muffins, or a Loaf of Sourdough Bread.  Click for more details.

Famous Dave’s is offering a Hickory Smoked Glazed Ham and Ham Feast and Cherrywood Smoked Turkey and Turkey Feast for pick up.  Feasts include Garlic Red-Skin Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Dave’s Cheesy Mac & Cheese, and Green Beans.  Order by November 23rd for Thanksgiving and pick it up November 26th.

Luby’s offers an extensive selection of holiday meals, side items and A la Carte selections.  Choices include Roasted Prime Rib, Whole Roasted Turkey Breast, Spiral Cut Ham, Whole Roasted Turkey, Whole Smoked Turkey, Whole Deep Fried Turkey and much more.  Click for menu.

Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que offers individual Thanksgiving Dinners to go which include slow-smoked turkey, ham or both, served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Southern Stuffing, Apples Sauteed in Jack Daniels, Giblet Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Biscuits with Apple Butter and Sweet Potato Pie.  Adults $24.99, Kids $11.99.  Lucille’s Thanksgiving Day catering menu includes a choice of Smoked Sliced Turkey and/or Marinated Ham with all the fixings.  Guests can also order Hickory Smoked Whole Turkeys.  All holiday orders must be placed by November 25.

Maggiano’s Thanksgiving Day Carryout Package includes choice of salads, sides, desserts and pastas.  Entrees include Traditional Roast Turkey Breast, Country-Style Baked Nueske Ham and Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia.  Carryout orders must be placed by Monday, November 25th.

Marie Callender’s offers Holiday Feasts, Sides, Party Platters, Boxed Lunches and Desserts for carryout.  For selections and pricing, download Marie Callender’s Holiday Guide.

Max & Erma’s will be open Thanksgiving Day for dine-in, but guests can also order the chain’s Thanksgiving meal for carryout.  Guests can also order from the regular Max & Erma’s menu.

Mimi’s Cafe is offering Holiday Feasts To-Go, serving eight to ten, for $89.99.  Selections include 

Herb-Butter Basted Turkey with Gravy, Candied Pecan Sweet Potatoes, Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Buttered Cornbread Stuffing, Apple Cranberry Orange Relish, Green Bean Casserole, Whole Pumpkin Pie, six freshly-baked brown-sugar-topped Pumpkin Muffins.  Mimi’s will also offer “Just the Sides” and “Brunch at Home” to-go options.  Click for more information.

Ruffino’s will offer its annual Thanksgiving To-Go services from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. The award-winning restaurant will also be open for dine-in guests during these hours, serving up traditional home-cooked meals alongside Ruffino’s signature “Creole meets Italian” favorites.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House offers your favorite side items to-go. Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Beans with Roasted Garlic and Creamed Spinach are all available in family-sized portions for $29.95 (serves ten to twelve).

Sticky Fingers Smokehouse is offering smoked turkey (10-12 lb), 5 quarts of Southern sides and pumpkin pie for $69.  Serves 4-6 people.  Pre-order by November 23

Texas Land & Cattle has its Thanksgiving Catering Menu available for Thanksgiving.  Orders must be placed by Nov. 24 for Thanksgiving Day pick up. Restaurants will be open Tuesday, Nov. 27 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Woody’s Bar-B-Q – Preorder your smoked turkey by November 15th.  8 – 10 lb. turkey $29.99.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® or for a Grocerant Scorecard visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  Email: Steve@FoodserviceSoltuions.us