Grab-and-Go food fueling success within the retail foodservice.



Read-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food has been driving success within US retail foodservice sales increase leading companies for the past three years. With the economy continuing in a quagmire and consumers uneasy about spending its clear the grocerant niche will continue to garner top line growth.

With a global economic slowdown looming, there is one global chain that is building steam within the grocerant niche building sales while garnering customer loyalty. That company is Pret A Manager and those of you who read French know Pret A Manager means “ready to eat”.

While partly owned by McDonalds Pret is nothing like any legacy American chain. Positioned squarely in the center of the fast growing grocerant niche Prets goal is to “serve customers within 60 seconds” simultaneously compliment your tan or earrings. Serving quality “better for you” food with outstanding customer service Pret A Manager is positioning itself for long term global success.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

Casey’s General Store positioning itself too capture ready-2-eat food market share.



America’s heartland may very well lead in reshaping the face and scope of retail foodservice in the United Sates. Casey’s General Store, the first convenience store to offer pizza back in 1984 began testing pizza deliver this year.

Casey’s 1650+ stores are located in Americas heartland with exceptional leadership Casey’s has been growing both the top and bottom line while adding new units with success. Bill Walljasper Casey’s CFO understands the financial metrics of success and that consumer are dynamic not static. Casey’s is leveraging location centric metrics with industry trends into top line growth and bottom line profits all the while capturing market share.

With 1650+ units Casey’s has solid financial backing. Legacy retail food operators must understand that Casey’s successful push with ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food is an industry complement to Amazons urban push into food. Those who follow this blog on a regularly understand that the rate of change in retail foodservice has accelerated. The undercurrent from this change will sweep some legacy players out to sea. Casey’s is leveling the playing filed and has much to offer today’s consumer than pizza.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant  For assistance Email: grocerant@q.com

Convenience Store sector leading all retail foodservice growth.

Long understood as the ultimate destination for convenience, the introduction and rapid adoption of quality fresh food has leveled the competitive landscape in the minds eye of the consumer. The grocerant niche filled with ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food continues to drive growth in all retail foodservice sectors.

Surprising too many but not to us here at Foodservice Solutions® the C-store sector is projected to grow again this year an additional 4.1 percent. When you combine the previous two years growth rate the C-store sector at the top of the retail foodservice growth charts for the past three years. Success does leave clues and it’s obvious the C-stores have picked them up.

The C-store sector has been overlooked by most food retailers as a true competitor.  The consumers have driven top line sales at the sectors leaders, Sheetz, Wawa, QuickChek, Rutters on the back of fresh food sales.  If success leaves clues this sector is one to watch.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy 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, twitter.com/grocerant or Facebook Steven Johnson

Are large foot-print food retailers becoming a non-essential for the consumer?



Restaurants, Grocery stores, Convenience stores are all continually looking for ways to cut cost while building the brand. It is not easy. However, it is painfully clear that no matter which retail food sector you’re in a smaller foot-print competitor will pop-up. Albeit a food truck, drive-thru coffee only or drive-thru C-store, they are coming and coming fast. Are you ready? Is your strategic positioning focused on 2015, 2025 or 1995?

Canadian food and beverage retailer Tim Horton’s understands that growth needs a strategic positioning. Tim Horton’s CEO Don Schroeder has implemented a new multi-format international development program with a 120 multi-format restaurant Master License Agreement with MLA Group based in Dubai.

Utilizing the “spoke and hub” format, allows for initial market introduction while minimizing capital requirements for Tim Hortons. Walmart, Safeway and others are or will shortly begin this same strategic positioning with legacy Supercenters surrounded by a hybrid “C-store” filled with grocerant style Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food that is perceived “better for you”

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant

A is for Aldi’s new found success focusing on convenience foods for today’s consumer.



Convenience foods aka grocerant fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food is becoming increasingly important at Aldi. While other competitors and industry veterans believe that Aldi is simply about price. The foundation of Aldi’s success is in understanding and focusing on the consumer.

While price may play an important role; grocerant fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food will be the reason consumers will reducing spending at Shaw’s, Market Basket, Stop & Shop and Save-A-Lot and increase frequency at Aldi. It is key that Aldi not utilize traditional category management but blend menu management with any new fresh food program.

Aldi’s aggressive dual goal too garner business from both legacy grocery stores while garnering additional consumers from chain restaurants and conveniences stores places it in the center of the grocerant niche. The questions is can they break the legacy grocery image? Will they employ food stylist or category managers? Will fresh prepared mean to Aldi a central commissary and 5 day shelf life and long waits in line like Safeway and Kroger? I think they will implement state of the industry grocerant distribution and in store preparation techniques the ink of the restaurant industry.

If they utilize Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability, Price and include mix and match bundled options they will make meal time a time of convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization and are they are sure to succeed. Then will they design, develop and implement a world class grocerant fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food program.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant

Share of stomach shift is shifting power within food retailing.



The Grocerant niche is a food focused platform for consumer meal customization, with the convenience of fast-food, the quality of full-service restaurant dinning without the hassle laboring around an entire grocery store. It’s the solution that is evolving across many retail food platforms empowering the consumer, simplifying the meal process while saving time starved consumer both time and money. Chain Restaurants, Convenience Stores, Grocery Stores and Chain Drug Stores are all offering meal component options.

Consumers are responding positively, one of the most successful elements found within the Grocerant Niche that is bundling of the meal components with a “better for you” focus. It’s a mix and mach game that is very empowering for the consumer. Consumer’s select by meal occasion what “better for you” attribute they want. It can be fresh hamburger, low salt, cooked to order, or green packaging.

Don’t discount the value of consumer choice or limit the world of “better for you”.  Mix and match of small portion, fresh products, green packaging is making meal time a time of convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization. The meal component can come from a restaurant, drug store, grocery store or convenience store.

Today you can find retail foodservice outlets that don’t offer seated dining rather they utilize call ahead and take-away or delivery only business template blending the benefits of different segments. In fact, according to a 2011 survey done by the National Restaurant Association, nearly half (47 percent) of adults said they would be likely to use a home delivery option if it was offered by a full-service restaurant.

In the same survey, more than one-third of adults (37 percent) agreed that purchasing meals from restaurants, take-out and delivery places make them more productive in their day-to-day lives. The Grocerant niche is consumer driven and garnering share of stomach from legacy retailers.

Simply look at the retail foodservice growth and sales leaders of today. Trader Joe’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, 7 Eleven are all growth leaders. Trader Joe’s leads in sales per square foot at over $1,750 per Sq Ft. Chipotle, Five Guys and 7 Eleven are all growing units and garnering share of stomach from everyone else. All are members of the Grocerant niche.

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 visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email:Steve@FoodservicveSolutions.us

From Private Label to Brand Power House the success of President’s Choice.



If discounting is the penalty you pay for being unremarkable, private label brand President’s Choice with its own team of brand managers has turned the a private label brand from a discounting brand to brand that is simply remarkable. Presidents Choice leverages consumer focused price, quality, and value equilibrium into a brand building tool.

While most private label aka store brand food products are associated with inferior or inconsistent quality products. One North American company is simply singing the song of success. Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada’s largest food retailer has turned a once a once teetering line of private label food products into a line of quality first branded food products unequaled in the minds eye of the consumer. That brand is President’s Choice.

President’s Choice should be considered a halo brand, because it is available across the company’s multiple retail “banners, which include Loblaws, Loblaw Great Food, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, Provigo, Atlantic Superstore, Zehrs Markets and Fortinos. Most of the named storefronts, in fact, promote themselves, through secondary signage, as "The Home of President’s Choice." The brand has also been used as a general promotional device for products other than PC, with advertising that refers to "the people who bring you President’s Choice," rather than a corporate name or particular store banner.”

President’s Choice with its own television commercials promoting the brands quality attributes during sporting events, local and national new programs has come a long way. The halo of success in food runs from chips, crackers, and cereal and into ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat meal components all built on consistent quality that consumers embrace.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant