The Corner Store, Neighborhood Market, or Dinner on Demand

Back in the day there was a local market on every corner, they were not convenience stores they were small mom and pop grocery stores that were convenient, reliable, and close.  Then came grocery stores and a regional food markets in almost every defined neighborhood, they sold more products, sold them for less, and drove the mom and pop stores out of business. 

Within the restaurant sector during the same time span the same thing happened. Local mom and pop restaurant were replaced by regional brands, then national franchises felling fresh food faster and for less garnering business from both the grocery sector and legacy independent restaurant sector.    

Enter the grocerant sector filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food and consumers time starved began migration to new avenues of distribution for dinner looking for time saving, solution for dinner.

It’s at the intersection of the consumer and food retail that we find San Francisco-based startup Robomart Inc. that is going to utilize autonomous electric vehicles to delivery food, meals, and meal components in your local neighborhood, your driveway, or at your front door.

Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® stated “what goes around comes around, consumer have always wanted local fresh fast food.  Watch for Robomart too deliver groceries, snacks, beverages, and grocerant niche meals and meal components that solve the questions of What’s for dinner.”

While wholesale food prices in the U.S. were down close to 3.0% in 2018; U.S. restaurant prices were up 2.6% 2018 driving a wedge between the consumers pocketbook and the dinner table.  Robomart has the unique ability to bridge that gap by delivering to the home, the mix & match food offerings including grocery staples and ready-2-eat or heat-n-eat meals saving consumers both time and money while solving the endless question What’s for dinner.

Ahold Delhaize US grocery store chain is scheduled to launch this spring in greater Boston, autonomous electric vehicles from San Francisco-based startup Robomart Inc. Billed as a “self-driving grocery store,” the vehicles will carry an assortment of produce, meal kits and convenience items directly to customers, where they can choose what they want. So, how is it going to work?

Well, when the vehicle arrives, customers go outside, unlock the vehicle’s doors and then pick the fruit, vegetables and other products they want to buy off the shelves inside. After taking their items, they just close the doors and send the vehicle on its way. The vehicles’ RFID and computer vision ”grab-and-go” technology automatically records the products customers selected and charges them. Receipts are e-mailed in seconds.

The ‘driverless’ vehicles are piloted remotely from a Robomart facility. Stop & Shop said the tele-operated vehicles will be restocked with fresh items throughout their journey to ensure the best selection for customers. Perishables are kept fresh via purpose-built refrigeration and temperature control in the vehicle.

This is nothing new for consumers as even Ali Ahmed, founder and CEO of Robomart stated “For decades, consumers had the convenience of their local green grocer and milkman coming door to door, and we believe that by leveraging driverless technology we can recreate that level of convenience and accessibility,”

The era of walking through a grocery store for 30 minutes looking for four items is about to slowly fadeaway according to Johnson. Restaurants, convenience store will all begin adopting these new avenues of fresh food distribution to delivery and drive branded food sales.  More important consumers will not object to this technology and will adopt it much like they adopted mobile phones; with curiosity, then slowly, and the doors will simply fly wide open. The food world is evolving are you? 

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? 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.

Food Manufactures Evolving into Grocerant Fresh too Drive Sales

Regular readers of this blog know Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® has for years encouraged legacy food manufactures to evolve in grocerant Niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food branded manufactures. Well that day has come when a nationally known brand has stepped-up and now stands out according to Johnson.

Helping consumers achieve their goals is proving good business at WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers.  Focused on the consumers desire for ‘better for you’ fresh food WW Fresh Quick Prep Meals are now at more than 200 Hy-Vee locations across the Midwest. The chef-inspired meals are nutritionist-approved and ready to eat in 10 minutes or less.

Stacey Mowbray, president of North America at New York-based WW  stated “People are looking for nutritious meals that they can put together quickly at home, work or even on the go,” … “Our WW Fresh meals feature quality ingredients inspired by WW Freestyle, our most livable and effective program ever, making it easier than ever to enjoy delicious meals without spending time prepping and cooking.”

WW Fresh meals serve two people and range in price from $14 to $20. With all ingredients pre-prepped and proteins pre-cooked, meals are ready in three simple steps: combine, heat and eat. The following six meals are rolling out at Hy-Vee grocery stores now:

·         Beef Baja Bowl with Fire-Roasted Corn and Black Beans: Mexican flavors define this beef and veggie-loaded dish with green and red peppers, beans, onions, and corn topped with pico de gallo and crispy tortilla strips. (Six SmartPoints value per serving)

·         Grilled Chicken Tacos with Roasted Chipotle Sauce and Pineapple Slaw: With a roasted-chipotle sauce as well as a lime salsa, these chicken tacos have just the right amount of kick. Enjoy them with the sweet slaw on the side or loaded into the tacos for crunch. (Five SmartPoints value per serving)

·         Two-Cheese Butternut Squash Rotini with Bread Crumbs: A healthier version of mac-n-cheese with butternut squash, cheddar, parmesan and a crispy panko bread crumb topping. (12 SmartPoints value per serving)

·         Dragon Bowl with Thai Peanut Sauce: A hearty vegan meal packed with nutritious ingredients — quinoa, butternut squash and baby broccoli — and dressed up with a bold and flavorful spicy-sweet peanut sauce and a spritz of lime. (Eight SmartPoints value per serving)

·         Creamy Cavatappi with Parmesan, Chicken and Mushrooms: Rich like classic pasta Alfredo, this dish adds chicken breast, earthy mushrooms and asparagus to the mix. (Seven SmartPoints value per serving)

·         Lemon, Chicken & Kale Salad with Parmesan and Almonds: This dinner salad starts with greens and layers in chicken, cherry tomatoes and carrots. Honey-lemon dressing, parmesan and almonds are the finishing touches. (Seven SmartPoints value per serving)

WW required a new partnership with Blue Apron to drive success.  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, beer, 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 ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? 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

Denny’s CEO’ and the Hypocrisy of Do No Harm

The retail landscape denial at Denny’s by the CEO John Miller simply mirrors restaurant industry trade magazines last gasp at retaining a following while denying that restaurant sector brand protectionism has become boring, yesterday’s news, and a food positioning disadvantage for consumers according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Consumers are dynamic not static.The fact is consumers are moving from the restaurant sector where company after company touts their brand power all the while year over year customer counts continue to dwindle.

Regular readers of this blog know consumers are migrating from the restaurant sector to C-store foodservice that is expected to grow another 6% in 2019. They are also going to new points of fresh food distribution the ilk of IKEA, Nordstrom, Ralph Lauren, and Club Store Costco as fresh food and coffee as preferred destinations. O’ yes recently legacy grocery sector service deli’s with redefined missions have elevated meals and meal components from bucks to fresh prepared food garnering customers.  

So, let’s look at what Denny’s CEO said and you will then get our view.  Miller said:

1.  Grocery stores like Whole Foods and Kroger have restaurants 'beating each other's brains out'

2.   Restaurants are competing to keep prices as low as possible and offering more deals, even as labor costs rise.

3.  "We're beating each other's brains out," Denny's CEO John Miller said of the restaurant industry's attempts to undercut rivals' prices.

4.Low grocery prices are contributing to restaurants' drive to keep prices cheap.

The fact is Denny’s and most U.S. legacy chain restaurants including the ilk of TGI Friday’s, Olive Garden, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Carrols, Burger King and Pizza Hut look a lot like they did in 1989 than with the exception of a new furniture, paint, some technology that was add late in the cycle much still frustrates consumers according to Johnson.

Restaurant sectors CEO’s moto of do no harm has created a retail platform of yesterday, lacking the attributes of an evolving consumer.  Restaurant sector CEO’s are not “beating each other’s brains out” as Miller said.  They simply are acting like Neanderthals doing what they did in 1980, 1990, and 2000 and expecting that business model to work.  Customers have move on.  Today’s restaurant sector needs to evolve with a customer focus not a focus on Wall-Street metrics of the past according to Johnson.

All the while over-priced C-stores have put the roller grill on the back burner, lowered prices, introduced fresh food fast, at competitive price garnering consumers attention driving incremental customer migration from both the grocery sector and restaurant sector. 

The consumer price, service, value equilibrium has evolved the problem with many in the restaurant sector they are raising prices on yesterday’s products, refusing to innovate, rather than evolve their brands with customer relevance they continue to practice brand protectionism.

Our Grocerant Guru® has spoken at leading restaurant industry events including MUFSO, NRA and the National Restaurant Show has a ‘NRA Grocerant’ section.  Restaurant sector leader are well aware of the undercurrents of the evolving retail food market place.  However, it is easier for a Restaurant sector CEO to blame someone else or a competitor than to drive change within an outdate labyrinth of a legacy chain restaurant apparently.

The grocerant niche products and service provide the restaurant sector with a platform of options to deal with an impending increase in the minimum wage, for product stagnation, day-part customer malaise, and edifying the brand with customer relevance.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or www.twitter.com/grocerant/

Whole Foods Is No Longer Whole Paycheck

You all know the 1963 song by Bob Dylan ‘The Times They are a chaingin’ well with the help of the team from Amazon with the best customer centric algorithms Whole Foods Market’s prices continue to decline and consumers are talking notice according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Recently Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey informed employees that the chain will no longer open stores under the 365 banner; noting diminishing distinctions between its flagship banner and its smaller, price-focused sibling under new parent Amazon.

Mackey said that The 12 Whole Foods 365 stores will continue to operate, according to a report in Yahoo Finance, which obtained a memo from Mackey detailing the changes. The newest 365 stores opened in Marietta and Decatur, Ga., last month but they evidently will be the last to debut.

According to Mackey “we have been consistently lowering prices in our core Whole Foods Market stores over the past year, the price distinction between the two brands has become less relevant,” …As the company continues to focus on lowering prices over time, we believe that the price gap will further diminish.”

With the development of Amazon Go’s success smaller fresher faster food at a customer valued price the need to continue building 365 Johnson said has become clear.  Now that Whole Foods stores have introduced Amazon’s Prime loyalty program pricing at Whole Foods is very competitive.  If success does leave clues and it does watch for Whole Foods and Amazon continue to grow share of stomach in 2019.

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

Hardee’s Expanded Marketing Hits Home

Success does leave clues and when it comes to chain restaurant marketing the team driving Hardee’s has picked up all the right clues according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  

When Hardee’s announced a partnership with Tipsy Elves, an original line of limited-edition ski suits, timed to the launch of the new 100 percent Angus Thickburger Melts the interactive participatory undercurrents of success were clear according to Johnson.

The  ski suits are now available for sale at tipsyelves.com/hardees, the new “Melt Wear” from Hardee’s features the hottest trend this winter—a retro ski suit design—channeling the classic one-piece snow jumper everyone remembers sporting on the slopes. The iconic Hardee’s logo adorns the new winter accessory, making anyone who wears it the talk of the mountain and should be a lot of fun.

Jenna Folk, director of brand marketing, Hardee’s  stated “Hardee’s continues to build on its burger offering with two delicious and melty 100 percent Angus Thickburger Melts, available just in time for the winter months,” … “We are further warming you up from head to toe, with our partnership with trendsetting apparel company, Tipsy Elves, to introduce ‘Melt Wear’ to snow lovers this season.”

While the partnership was inspired by Hardee’s Angus Thickburger MeltsMelts, what is driving food sales success today is retail partnerships even in the chain restaurant sector according to Johnson. 

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, beer, 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 ready to expand your brands reach?

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? 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.

The ReNewed EnMarket Convenience Stores Focus is on Friendly, Fresh Food

With two major acquisitions, a new prototype store and the adoption of several technology-based service programs EnMarket is positioned to grow tome line sales and bottom line profits while continue to grow according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® .

Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food that continues to draw customers away from grocery stores and restaurants will play a key role moving EnMarket forward.  Where is the focus it’s with a wide selection of healthy snacks and fresh fruit, a full kitchen and a 28-degree beer cave with a wide selection of local craft beers are all notable improvements to the former kiosk site. The non-traditional store will include an outdoor dining patio, a green space and a bike service area. EnMarket is contracting with a local artist to design and paint a community-themed mural on one of the exterior walls.

At the same time, the retailer is moving quickly with a full-sized prototype of approximately 6,000 square feet. The first will open in February 2019 in Pooler, Ga., where customers and commuters can experience EnMarket proprietary food concept, the Eatery, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Menu selections include hand-breaded fried chicken, fried fish and freshly made biscuits, along with grab-and-go salads, sandwiches, fruit cups and parfaits—all made fresh in the store’s kitchen.

EnMarket partnered with Skip Checkout for its mobile self-checkout service. Skip is a mobile checkout technology that allows for customers to walk into a store and use their cell phone to scan their items, pay for them and walk out without waiting in line. Customers can use the EnMarket app or the Skip app. EnMarket plans to implement Skip in early 2019.

Skip’s technology includes security features that will limit opportunities for shrink. From a customer service standpoint, this additional payment option will relieve some register congestion and allow EnMarket employees to focus more time on customer satisfaction. EnMarket plans is to launch Skip at all of their stores. Last but not least, EnMarket is working on a new mobile app that will allow these new technologies to integrate with one another.

Is your brand evolving with the consumer? Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or twitter.com/grocerant

Hot Dog Chain Wienerschnitzel is Ready to Grow with NEW Franchisees

Success does leave clues, talk about relevance; in an era when seemingly everyone wants to get into the restaurant business, Wienerschnitzel is offering a turn-key branded restaurant an 84-percent discount on one-time franchisee fees that’s a good deal according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

In an interview with Nation’s Restaurant News Wienerschnitzel said the 2019 incentive program, a first of its kind for the chain, would apply to the first 20 investors. The deal would reduce normal franchise fees from $32,000 to $5,000.  That is a great price for a company that has been around since 1961 and proved it has staying power.

Here is the best part of the new offering Wienerschnitzel is also cutting royalty fees from 5 percent to 1 percent for the first three years. I bet those who take the offer will spend extra on local marketing and labor to elevate awareness and speed of service.

Ok, so yes there is a catch to qualify for that perk, there’s a caveat. Wienerschnitzel said investors need to start construction of restaurants within 18 months of signing their agreement and meet other obligations. The incentive program applies to investors who are new to the brand, as well as existing franchisees.

Ted Milburn, director of franchise development for Wienerschnitzel stated “the company opened nine restaurants in 2018, and currently has 20 more on the development calendar for 2019., the company is seeing interest “spike” in the hot dog chain, in part, due to its low food costs.

The 325-unit company is 100 percent franchised. It expects to double stores in development with the incentive program. The privately held company said monthly same-store sales, on average, were up 3.7 percent from January 2018 to November 2018, compared to the prior year for the same period.

So, if you are interested here is the link to the franchise department and tell them you saw this on the Grocerant Guru’s blog.   “We’re using this franchisee incentive program — limited to the first 20 investors who inquire and qualify — to jump-start the New Year,” Milburn said in a statement. “When these 20 licenses are sold, this incentive program will end.”  So, get to it if you are interested.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or www.twitter.com/grocerant/