Wendy’s sales and profit quagmire is of it own making!

Wendy’s has become the copycat food marketing king for 2010 with its latest new product the “D.T. Double ala a Big Mac! In other recent test product they tried the bigger burger theme of Burger King. When a company the size of Wendy’s is making rookie mistakes like this everyone must ask; how much trouble is Wendy’s in?

This new product test will take place in both Austin, TX and Providence RI. There is only one question to ask senior management at Wendy’s. Why are you wasting money on copycat products?

What a waste of the quality halo created by Dave Thomas. Utilizing his name on this legacy product is more than a step back it damages the brands image with the consumer. Retail foodservice consumers are dynamic not static. This is a step backward. Where is any sign of contemporized consumer relevance?

Here at Foodservice Solutions® we think differentiation does not mean different it means familiar with a twist. The twist must be distinguishable? A square burger is different with a twist yet familiar. Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing include: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price. It’s clear to all that Wendy’s has forgotten a few things.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook at Steven Johnson, BING / GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant

Equilibrium is developing in the ready-to-eat and ready to heat grocerant niche.



In the ongoing battle between restaurants and grocery stores for grocerant ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat fresh prepared food share of stomach a recent Food Marketing Institute study found that 86% of consumers “say they are either “somewhat” or “very confident” in the safety of their food” bought at supermarkets. Those numbers are on par with consumer reflections on restaurant prepared food.

Interestingly the study went on to state: “More than half of shoppers (55 percent) are preparing more meals at home than they did one year ago. They continue to watch every penny they spend. Shoppers’ interest in supermarket ready-to-eat foods (55 percent) is at its highest point in four years, especially among those who are choosing to save money on eating out by cooking at home. They are especially interested in:

• Freshly prepared, heat-and-serve food to take home (47 percent).

• Made to order sandwiches (37 percent).

• Extensive salad bar (37 percent).

• Prepared hot food buffet/bar (34 percent).

• Restaurant/sit-down area in-store (23 percent).

We must take note of the fact that both the restaurant niche and grocery niche are under fire from non-traditional fresh food retailers that are entering the retail fresh prepared food niche including: Walgreens, Rite Aid, 7 Eleven, Sears and Amazon.com.

It’s clear that all food retailers must continually reevaluate their positioning within the food retail space in order to retain consumer relevance and market share. Here is a link too the FMI press release:

http://www.fmi.org/news_releases/index.cfm?fuseaction=mediatext&id=1172

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook at Steven Johnson, BING / GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant

In foodservice differentiation does not mean different it means familiar, but with a twist.



Fresh prepared ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food is empowering, sales, customers and success in every sector of retail including non-traditional food companies the ilk of: Walgreens, Rite Aid, Sears, Target, Amazon, 7 Eleven.

This blog continues to focus on the grocerant ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat fresh prepared food sectors of the foodservice industry. The ability to bundle Mix and Match meal components for a meal is empowering consumer choice. In addition the focus is on the role of food products within the mix and match component set.

Fresh prepared, ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food is driving sales and profits in the restaurant, grocery and convenience store sectors. Most interesting is the strength of motivation and empowerment that customer are developing for this sector.

Sheetz a leading Northeast convenience store company has had lots of success with it’s “Made To Order—MTO” sandwich program. So much so that now their customers are producing videos and posting them on YOU Tube. I have posted the link here or visit: Sheetz MTO video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orlFI7SbS8A.

The Grocerant niche is about convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization. Success does leave clues and many retail food operators are now adopting Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price. Join me here on my blog for insights, information on today’s foodservice

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook at Steven Johnson, BING / GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant

America’s fastest growing food niche Grocerants expanding the melting pot!



Alice May Brock said: Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian, wine and tarragon make it French, sour cream makes it Russian, lemon and cinnamon make it Greek, soy sauce makes it Chinese, garlic makes it good.

I say: grocerant meal components bundled and portable make a family meal, a happy meal!

Grocerants allow customers to select from Italian, French, Russian or Greek and utilize the components at home any way they like. The new American meal can be a composite of any prepared food components that the individual may want and they can mix and pair them any way as well. Our society is a composed for people from all over the world, with different cultures, traditions and flavor preferences. The new American meal is a melting pot of flavor and choice.

Prepared ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat foods are now available for all comers and can be found at Convenience stores, Grocery stores, Restaurants, Mobile trucks all just waiting for the taking.

Consumers have been exposed to a plethora of flavors and have not the time to master the skill of cooking each. This growing trend is empowering the consumer to establish new customs and traditions in eating better, more flavorful food. The Grocerant niche is about convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization. Success leaves clues: Foodservice Solutions® in Tacoma, WA has been gathering them just for you! For a Grocerant program opportunity assessment contact Steve Johnson of Foodservice Solutions® or leave a comment.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook at Steven Johnson, BING / GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant

Who’s eating what and where?



The confluence of a multi-tasking evolving retail food consumer and retail operator’s drive for top line growth continue to expand the grocerant niche of fresh prepared food.

AMC Entertainment Inc which has 380 cinemas worldwide is ramping up food and beverage service in its cinemas, with plans to expand its dine-in theater program to between 40 and 60 of its properties by next year. I’ll quote recent reports.

“The company's dine-in theater concept includes premium dining in the Cinema Suites for a $15 "experience" charge added to a typical $10 movie ticket, or casual dining at Fork & Screen for an added $10 per ticket. The experience charges are deducted from the final food-beverage bill, AMC said.

In addition to the in-theater dining, AMC's food and beverage program includes the bar-lounge MacGuffins — named for a plot device popularized by director Alfred Hitchcock — offering food and drinks for before and after movies.

The just-opened West Orange location has four auditoriums in the premium Cinema Suites option, featuring reserved seating with seat-side service in luxury recliners. The menu includes Bleu Cheese Chips, priced at $8.49; Blackened Salmon, $12.99; and Lobster Ravioli, $17.99. Guests must be 21 or older.

The five Fork & Screen auditoriums are more casual with table-top dining. The menu includes Crab Rangoon Dip, $7.99; Thai Coconut Chicken Tenders, $11.99; and Chocolate Loving Spoon Cake, $6.49. Guests must be 18 or older unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.”

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits. Invite Foodservice Solutions® to provide brand and product positioning assistance or a grocerant program assessment. Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Bob Evans understands the Top 6 reasons consumers are buying ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat food!



Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s for food marketing are a path for chain restaurant success. Success does leave clues and many retail food operators are now adopting Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price.

Bob Evans stores are now reversing course and focusing on the 5 P’s of retail foodservice marketing. Steve Davis Bob Evans CEO. Stated “Carryout is a growth opportunity for us. In five Ohio stores equipped with a “Taste of the Farm” grab-and-go area to push carryout, off-premise sales are outpacing the rest of the system, Davis said. Those units also recorded a rise in dine-in sales, they added. Carryout sales now represent 11 percent of sales at Bob Evans “

Companies that develop a platform that allows meal co-creation; in the car, at the office or at home are winning the heart’s and minds of today’s retail food consumer. The grocerant niche comprised of the ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat fresh prepared food is driving the success of the retail foodservice today.

Each sector has innovators; Restaurants started with Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, Domino’s Pizza, MCD, BK and a whole lot more! Grocery started with Wegmans Metropolitan Market, Whole Food and now fast charging Safeway and the “lifestyle stores. Convenience Stores have Sheetz, Wawa, with fast charging Casey’s General stores and 7 & Eleven.

1. Visceral presentation, Freshness based on how it looks and is presented.

2. Bundling, the ability to build your meal with components family member will eat.

3. Individualized portions, power to select quality and quantity of items viewed.

4. Convenience, unit /store location on the drive home from work.

5. Time Saving, ability to evaluate price vs. time to cook from scratch.

6. Portability, empowering choice eat in or take home / office.

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits. Invite Foodservice Solutions® to provide brand and product positioning assistance or a grocerant program assessment. Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant