Consumers Believe that Local Fresh Food is Better

 

Now according to the team at Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson continues to monitor the rise of consumers preference for grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared local food, and side items bundled. According to a study by A.T. Kearny, entitled Competing in an Age of Multi-Localism. The firm characterizes multi-localism "by preferences for local communities, industries, products and customs."

Regular readers of this blog know that, Courtney Rickert McCaffrey, manager of thought leadership for A.T. Kearney's Global Business Policy Council, stated, "We are seeing growing demand for local and personalized products gaining momentum," … "Consumers really want a local brand with a story to identify with, particularly millennials and the younger consumer."

It is not just about, local products, overall consumers trust large brands less and less than they did in the past, according to McCaffrey. While Johnson insists that is true but Foodservice Solutions® findings indicate that there is an increasing desire for fresh food discovery in both flavor and new points of distribution.

Interestingly another driver of localization is the growing attention to environmental concerns and the impact of purchases on sustainability. Local products are not shipped over long distances, so it takes fewer resources to bring them to market — plus local foods and beverages are often seen as fresher in the eyes of consumers.

"In our survey, 89 percent of companies globally are already pursing or considering pursuing localization," McCaffrey said.  That said how are you positioning your fresh prepared food?

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/

In 2023 The HDTV Syndrome Will Continue to influence Restaurant Sector Customer Traffic

 

Once again in 2022, the restaurant sector continued to bleed customers.  Just in-case you don’t understand the consequence of capitulating year over year same store customer counts for 9 years, well; it’s not a good thing according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® who stated, “it has not been a one-off pandemic event.  It has been an ongoing problem for the restaurant sector.”

The simple fact is consumers food consumption patterns have evolved and many restaurants menu’s look more like yesterday.  Does your restaurant look more like of the 1990’s, 2005 or 2018?  That my friends that is a long way from what a fresh food restaurant will look like five years from now according to Johnson.  Something has to change.

There can be no doubt that in 2022, the restaurant industry leadership was once again comprised of the ‘unwilling to evolve’ as they continue to follow the old CEO adage / first rule of a new CEO ‘do no harm’. What they did is defer, deflect, and delay following the consumer.  That simply has not worked and will not work moving forward. There is a clear and present danger for many legacy restaurant brands.  That danger is an increasing lack of customer relevance according to Johnson.

Is Building a Larger Share of Stomach Important

Are you Customer Counts on the UP

Back in the day the team at Foodservice Solutions® was first to identify, quantify, and qualify The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome, and few chain restaurants were willing to evolve.  Most simply hunkered down and practiced brand protectionism.   However, those in the foodservice that did evolve are garnering incremental customers today.

However the restaurant industry has been to slow moving forward, simply look at the latest numbers. In November same store sale were -3.4% year-over-year. When comparing November against the growth rate reported for both September and October, sales took a 1.8 percentage point drop. This November’s sales growth is the lowest posted by the industry since July’s +0.3% according to BlackBox Intelligence.

What matters even more is the fact that customer traffic was down too.  So same-store traffic growth was -4.3% in November, down by 1.1 percentage points relative to the previous month and the worst outcome for the industry since July according to BlackBox Intelligence.

If success leaves clues and it does, restaurant brands that embrace change, evolve with consumers, will do well moving forward.  If not, many will continue to capitulate customer traffic, lose sales, and close stores.  Are you driving top line sales, bottom line profits, and building customer counts?

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/

Everytable’s Proactive Consumer Focused Success

 

The team at Foodservice Solutions® plain and simple likes grocerant niche meal and meal component company Everytable. That said doing good is good for business and this is one company that is consumer focused, doing good, and we predict will continue to garner incremental customer migration in 2023.

In case you did not know, Everytable’s latest store openings will mark 40 locations opened just this year, reaching its goal of tripling their footprint in 2022, with plans to open an additional 75 stores in 2023. The ten new Los Angeles storefronts set to open by the end of 2022 are located in Whittier, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Westwood, Mid-Wilshire, Pico Robertson, Culver City-Washington, East Hollywood (on Vermont), Van Nuys, and Culver City (on Sepulveda). The retail shops are perfect for grabbing a quick, nutritious lunch or stocking up on budget-friendly, ready-to-eat meals.

Now for the good, as 2022 comes to a close, Everytable also expanded its Pay It Forward (PIF) program, allowing customers to purchase a meal for someone in need at any Everytable store or online at Everytable.com. Since the PIF program began in 2018 to address food insecurity across LA county, Everytable has provided more than 20,000 free meals by partnering with mission-aligned organizations and government agencies to help distribute the meals in the communities they serve. Everytable has named Polo’s Pantry in LA County and City Harvest in New York as their ‘official PIF partners’. This holiday season Everytable hopes to make a positive impact by distributing a total of over 8,000 free, nutritious meals before the end of the year.

Sam Polk, CEO of Everytable, stated, “Achieving our goal requires that our meals be both affordable and accessible, and a huge part of that is growing our locations to reach communities where nutritious food options are limited,”... “This growth along with the Pay it Forward program and other community partnerships makes it possible to honor our mission to make a positive impact on food insecurity across Southern California, New York, and beyond.”

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 us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Is The Chain Restaurant Business Model Shaken or Broken

 

It’s that time of year that Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson asks “do consumers want more home-cooked Meals in 2023 than they eat in 2022?  What is a home cooked meal?  That said, what does that mean for chain restaurant sales? 

Well one online grocery store Peapod, found that Millennials were particularly interested in whipping up meals at home in a study Peapod, found more than three-quarters (77 percent) of said that they'd rather eat a homemade meal than go out for dinner. What's more, they're planning to make good on this in the new year: 43 percent intend to cook more …. the number rising to 59 percent for Millennials.

What else did they find?

1.       Reasons for cooking at home include cost savings (77 percent),

2.       Eating healthier (51 percent) 

3.       Family time (41 percent overall, 48 percent for Millennials).

4.       The weekdays are the top times to cook at home, Wednesday being the top day to cook from scratch (75 percent) or using meal kits (51 percent).

5.       The biggest food resolutions are to eat healthier (53 percent), eat less processed food (51 percent) and order less takeout (40 percent).

6.       Keeping it simple will be important for Americans, with 47 percent of all adults surveyed wishing to take advantage of at least one of the following: click-and-collect (27 percent), home delivery (26 percent) and/or meal kit delivery (20 percent).

7.       Men are more interested than women in using a meal kit (23 percent versus 18 percent), as are Millennials compared with Baby Boomers (60 percent vs 31 percent).

8.       Millennials show far more interest than Boomers in creating weekly meal plans (51 percent versus 16 percent), cooking with kids (39 percent versus 9 percent) and using home delivery (29 percent versus 10 percent). It's likely that having children leads to all three of these being more important to Millennials than to the Boomer generation.

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit www.GrocerantGuru.com , www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or call 1-253-759-7869

Yesterday’s Restaurant Customers Are Buying Meals at Grocery Stores

 

Alice May Block  famously 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.” However in the minds-eye of today’s consumers like bold flavors that have high protein, gluten free, keto, paleo, vegan, organic, local, fresh, all-natural, free from artificial ingredients, preservative free and non-GMO according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

During 2022, grocery store grab-and-go, Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat grocerant niche fresh prepared food continues to be the platform that takes the stress out of cooking dinner according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. 

Once again Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCards indicate that close to 88 percent of Americans feel stressed celebrating the holidays, with 30% dreading cooking a holiday meal so guess where they are search for mix and match meal component options?  Well according to Johnson, consumers are turning to the service deli at their local grocery store.

Remember that Eric Richard, education coordinator for the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) stated that “Side dishes play an important role in connecting with today’s shoppers, who are looking for prepared foods,” “It’s really important for supermarkets to know what their consumers want in terms of different flavors and tastes from their prepared foods.”

Let me ask retailers how are you elevating side dishes that complement not only holiday dinners but dinner every night? Mix and Match meal components bundling are key takeout fresh food sales.  If you are a grocery retailer with a desire to garner restaurant customers it’s time to up your fresh food game.

Is it time to turned to outside eyes for an inside view? Invite, Foodservice Solutions®  team 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

Restaurant Year Over Year Customer Counts Reflect Failure

 

There is little other way to say it, the restaurant sectors ongoing customer count decline year over year is nothing less that abject failure.  Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® ask’s “Just how well are recycled restaurant CEO’s doing?  When you are running a restaurant and it looks more like 1990, 1999, or 2009 than what today’s consumers want how could you expect to garner new customer let alone keep your old customers?”  

Industry analyst, trade magazines, and local news media spend more time blaming the customer count declines on anything but the facts.  The simple fact is consumers have move on, move beyond, and migrated too new avenues of fresh food distribution according to Johnson.

Are You Capitulating Year over Year Customers

Do you want to Grow 

Share of Stomach

 

In November same store sale were -3.4% year-over-year. When comparing November against the growth rate reported for both September and October, sales took a 1.8 percentage point drop. This November’s sales growth is the lowest posted by the industry since July’s +0.3% according to BlackBox Intelligence.

What matters even more is the fact that customer traffic was down too.  So same-store traffic growth was -4.3% in November, down by 1.1 percentage points relative to the previous month and the worst outcome for the industry since July according to BlackBox Intelligence.

The simple fact is in 2022 the average restaurant is open 21 hours less per week than it was in 2019.  Those talking about staffing levels are simply off the mark and looking for a distraction to edify recycled CEO’s.

What matters to consumers in 2022 is Price, Flavor, Portability, and Service in-unit or on-line. The cause for dissatisfaction may not be readily evident as regular readers of this blog know consumers walk before they talk! What are you doing to evolve?  Are, your year over year customer counts positive?  No, then you are not doing enough.

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert, and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869

Cracker Barrel Let Us Cook Your Home Holiday Family Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner we Deliver!

 

Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat holiday meal bundles include all day options for you family and guest this holiday season.  Are you having company?  Don’t cook, order meals and meal components from Cracker Barrel.

If you have demanding guest that like attention, you might not want to spend most of their visit in your kitchen, they might think you are hiding, according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® who stated, “why cook, when companies the ilk of Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores can cook each meal and provide quality snacks as well.”

Now Cracker Barrel has rolled out several affordable Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared meal options, limited-time holiday meals and a range of new seasonal flavors. They very well could be your meal quality control, time saving option according to Johnson.

Cracker Barrel SVP and Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Tate, stated, “Due to inflation and rising food costs at the grocery store, many guests are facing additional stress preparing for gatherings with family and friends, unlike any other holiday season in years past,” ... “This season, we want to remind guests that Cracker Barrel is prepared to help alleviate those additional burdens, so they can spend more stress-free time together. Cracker Barrel’s selection of seasonal Heat n‘ Serve Meals, prepared sides, pies and homestyle catering options offer value beyond quality and convenience through budget-friendly price points to feed everyone at your gathering.”

Here are some of the new offerings include Homestyle Chicken n‘ French Toast, Cracker Barrel’s spin on chicken and waffles, featuring the company’s signature Sunday Homestyle Chicken and special-recipe French toast prepared with sourdough bread, hand-dipped in egg batter and fried on the griddle. Served with a choice of Hashbrown Casserole or Fried Apples, plus whipped butter and Cracker Barrel’s famous mini bottles of syrup, the hot ready-to-serve meal for 10 or more starts at $8.49 per person. Consumers can also pick up a Homestyle Chicken n‘ French Toast Family Meal Basket to go to serve smaller groups of five.

If your company is staying a while, say between Dec. 21 and Dec. 28, customers can pick up a complete holiday meal ready to heat and serve in three hours or under. Starting at $124.99, the Prime Rib Heat n‘ Serve Family Dinner serves four to six and includes prime rib plus au jus and horseradish, mashed potatoes and roasted gravy, a choice of two Country Sides, and sweet yeast rolls. Also available are Holiday Ham Heat n‘ Serve Feast, serving eight to 10 and consisting of sugar-cured ham, cornbread dressing, roasted gravy, cranberry relish, macaroni n‘ cheese, a choice of two Country Sides, sweet yeast rolls, apple streusel pie, and pecan pie, available starting at $159.99, and Holiday Ham Heat n' Serve Family Dinner, serving four to six and offering sugar-cured ham, cornbread dressing, roasted gravy, cranberry relish, macaroni n‘ cheese, choice of one Country Side and sweet yeast rolls, starting at $109.99. Those who pre-order now and schedule pickup on Dec. 22 or 23 will receive a free $10 bonus card with a Heat n‘ Serve Feast or a $5 bonus card with a Heat n‘ Serve Family Dinner.

Snacks anyone, Cracker Barrel’s new Barrel Bites can serve as a side, appetizer or snack, and are available for catering groups of 10 or more. Consumers can choose from a selection of Country Fried Pickles, White Cheddar Cheese Bites, Loaded Hashbrown Casserole Tots and Biscuit Beignets. Other items are Homestyle Sides, available to feed four to six or eight to 10, and prepared hot and ready to share or chilled to reheat and serve later, with options such as new Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Bacon Mac n‘ Cheese, Country Green Beans, and Holiday Pies, suitable as dessert or a gift, in such varieties as Cinnamon Roll Pie, Apple Streusel, Chocolate Pecan and Pecan.

Prices and item availability may vary by location. Cracker Barrel now offers Google Pay and Apple Pay to make paying easier.

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 us for insights or just plain fun. 

Do you want a larger share of Wallet?

Ok then

Focus on a Larger Share of Stomach