What’s For Dinner? More Meat Driven By Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat.

James Hodges, President and CEO of American Meat Institute (AMI) when speaking on a new study released by AMI Power of Meat that “the number of home-cooked meals containing meat or poultry increased slightly from 3.6 to 3.8 dinners per week

The same study found that the consumption of Heat-N-Eat and Ready-2-Eat items also increased. Edifying previous research conducted by Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru the AMI study found that “one-third of shoppers undecided whether they will cook or eat out as little as two hours out from dinner time,”

Is your brand positioned to capture customers in the critical “What’s for Dinner Decision Hour”? Are you selling bundled meals or meal component options that can be customized or personalized in to a perfect family meal?

Today meal component assembly trumps cooking from scratch. Enabling consumer choice in bundling meal components with valued time saving Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food drives top line growth and bottom line profits in every sector of fresh food retail today. The ability for personalized, customized and authentic flavor meal components have become an integral part of the meal time experience today.

Foodservice Solution® research found that at 1PM 81 percent of consumers did not know what’s for dinner and at 4PM 63 percent still did not know what’s for dinner.  The Power of Meat study suggest that if you want to capture share you just may want to focus on meat.

Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  if you are interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization  or learn more at Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Food Innovation or Disruption Omni-Channel Food Changing the Playing Field

As long as multi-generational family's gather for meals together, the demand for more divergent flavors continues to permeate. Grocerant mix and match bundled meal component offerings allow for increased family integration, understanding and acceptance in less time without a required cook from scratch skill set.

In the 1940's cooking from scratch was the normal. The average home cooked meal took 150 minutes to prepare. Everyone sat down at the table and enjoyed it or not but they all ate the same thing. Today's "home cooked meal" takes on average less than 30 minutes to prepared. In most cases at least two different entrées are served.

The average time spent inside a McDonalds in the 2,000 was 11 minutes. Today 65+ percent of all McDonald's food is sold via the drive-thru. U.S. fast-food chains are increasingly remodeling restaurants in an effort to garner additional drive-thru customers inside and increase sales, simple because the drive-thru can't hold all the cars.

Walgreens is creating and bundling distinctive differentiated food consumable's as an entity with identity by day part in a mix and match meal component format in select urban setting targeted at both the office worker for lunch and meal components for them to take home for the family dinner. It is a successful program. With over 8,025 units operating in the United States, Walgreens has the potential to become the most disruptive force in food retailing in 50 years. Walgreens with its modular mid-sized foot-print is garnering customers from both restaurants and grocery stores.

Consumers Want Easy to Prepare Meals and Meal Components

The grocerant niche continues to grow with companies like Central Market, Whole Foods, Wegmans and 7 Eleven entering the fresh prepared better for you space. Meal time is now becoming a time of convenient meal participation, with differentiation and individualization for the entire family. Safeway with its lifestyle stores are heading in the right direction however the stores are so large consumers are forced to spend more time in them than they want.

More often than not the multi-generational family today is multi-ethnic. Creating a demand for more varied menu flavors and additional cooking skill set that is simply does not exist today. Grocery stores, Convenience Stores, Restaurants and Chain Drug Stores are all selling Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food. Is your focus family dinning? Are you selling meals or meal components for Take-Out, delivery or Take-Away? Outside Eyes can propel inside results.

www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche since 1991. Success does leave clues. 

Chipotle’s Farmed and Dangerous Disruptive or Sexual

If success does leave clues, the clue of the year is Outside Eye’s can Drive Inside Profits.  Creative marketing ideas and brand messaging often run into opposition. Many a good idea has been veto by over reacting C-level executives in legacy food retailers.  You know those executives who claim to be protecting the brand that are instead isolating the brand and practicing brand protectionism of the 1970’s, 1980’s, and 1990’s. Have you ever worked for one of them?  Are you one of them?

Regular readers of Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru’s blog know that brand protectionism has no place in successful retail food marketing today.  Chipotle’s “Farmed and Dangerous,” miniseries that can be seen on Hulu.com is billed as a “Chipotle original series,” is not brand protectionism series.  Rather it is an example of effective brand messaging.  A creative from of brand messaging that could well prove a disruptive new avenue of branded food marketing.

This was not Chipotle’s first volley at non-traditional brand messaging communication. Previously Chipotle released two short marketing messaging films, called Back to the Start and Scarecrow.  The goal of each was too clearly edify Chipotle’s consumer focused “better for you” brand positioning.  Collectively they tout themes that echo Chipotle’s core on-going focus; sustainable agriculture, and the humane treatment of animals used in food retail.

Targeting 18 to 44 year olds this from of messaging is not about short term product placement or sales but clearly targeting brand edification and long term food “values integration” and adoption. Sex sells and Farmed and Dangerous has a cast that is very easy on any eyes with sexual innuendo’s that will bring viewer back for more than one episode. Isn’t that the goal? What does your Brand Stand For? Who are you telling and where?  With restaurant customer migration continuing to gain momentum, might it be time to refocus your messaging and avenues of messaging distribution?

Chipotle Mexican Grill knows what it stands for and is confident it’s consumers, future consumers will too. Success does leave clues and by all legacy metric’s Chipotle Mexican Grill is preforming much better than its peers and industry over the past five years in: New Unit Growth, Same Store Sales, Customer Count Growth, and Brand Messaging. Outside Eye’s just might be able to help your brand as well.

Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  if you are interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization  or learn more at Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Expanding Food Retail Channels Blurring Food Space Delighting Consumers.

Cooking from scratch, not today, consumers are time starved and cooking skill deprived. Thus the rise of The Grocerant niche targeting the time-starved consumers, not with ingredients rather with Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food components that can be bundled into a meal.

Today, grocerant niche meals and meal components can be found in liquor stores (Pinkies), drug stores (Walgreens Duane Reade), fast food restaurants, fast casual restaurants, full service restaurants (Take-Out, Take-Away, Drive-Thru), furniture stores (Ikea), club stores (Costco), dollar stores, C-stores, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, and Tommy Bahama.

Think about how you shop for most meal preparation needs. You might buy a rotisserie chicken, pick up something at the salad bar and maybe an appetizer at the deli service case. Those are components vs. buying uncooked chicken, a head of lettuce and then having to clean, cut, season and then assemble and/or cook.

Traditionally meal components that are fresh prepared could be found in grocery stores in the deli / lifestyle section, C-stores in the prepared food area and prepackaged, Ready-2-Eat items and in restaurants under the To-go, takeout or Take-Away, or delivery section of the menu or on the website."

For the consumer it is about ease of meal preparation, quality and family meal customization vs. time, cooking and cooking skill set.  If you’re company does not think they are in the grocerant niche it might be time to consider it.  Consumers do not care where dinner comes from they do care that everyone in the family eats and is happy. Grocerant Niche fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat makes meal time a happy time.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Migration Marketing Assessment, Grocerant Program

Assessment, or brand, product placement, menu positioning assistance simply call Foodservice Solutions®253-759-7869.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant Niche Visit: FoodserviceSolutions.us 

The Next Big Thing in Food Retail a Battle for QSR Customers.

Restaurant customer migration is being documented month after month in Nation’s Restaurant News with regular reports by Black Box Intelligence focusing on both Same-Store Sales and Traffic.  Black Box reported that in November traffic at US restaurants declined 0.09 percent, in December they reported a decline of 4.5 percent, and in January a decline of 2.2 percent. Uneven as these numbers are restaurant customers are not all on diets or eating less according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru they are in fact “eating fresh prepared food somewhere else; at new Non-Traditional points of fresh food distribution aka at grocerants.

Restaurant consumers are dynamic not static.  Restaurants must change with consumer or risk losing consumer relevance. In a recently released study titled The Why? Behind The Buy found “65% of Millennials say losing this phone or computer would have a greater negative impact on their daily routine than losing their car.”   That is a dynamic shift in consumer mindset.   Are you willing to give up your car? Soon Millennials will out spend Generation X and the Boomer Generation.  Is your company prepared for the customer of today?

That same study found that young shoppers are adapting to new food trends including buying Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.  That is something all food retailers need to pay particular attention too. In fact that study found that in the past 30 days: “ Bought Home Prepared Foods  GenY / Mellennials 78%  Gen X only 68%, and Boomers 60%.”  The battle for share of stomach is taking place not just in the drive-thru it is occurring everywhere fresh food is sold.

Another study conducted by Technomic found “Fifty-seven percent of consumers say they have purchased prepared foods from c-stores, while approximately one-third of consumers who visit c-stores for fresh-food items purchase them at least once a week from these stores.”  Does your company need Outside Eye’s to help you drive Inside results?  Foodservice Solutions® can do just that.  Have you been following SBUX?

Retail food merchant extraordinaire Howard Schultz, president and CEO of Starbucks stated he sees a “seismic shift” to online shopping.  So concerned was Schultz he has reorganized Starbucks leadership team.  His concern was based on retail research indicators (and I think SBUX sales numbers) pointing to the fact that legacy brick and mortar retail stores locations are at an “inflection point” in losing traffic to e-commerce shopping. So, just what does that mean to your brand, your sales?

The battle for customer’s hearts, minds, and wallets is not between QSR’s any longer.  The battle is about a battle for share of stomach. Legacy QSR’s and restaurants must revalue brand touch points edifying contemporary relevance or continue risk losing customers. Channel blurring is not in the minds-eye of the consumer.  Channel blurring is only in the minds-eye of Neanderthal brand mangers that do not understand the concept of share of stomach.  Proactive brands are producing positive same store sales and positive customer counts.  Do you need Outside Eyes?

Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  if you are interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization or you can learn more at Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter

Baskin-Robbins Enters Grocery Aisle

The seemingly coldest winter anyone can imagine has a bright spot.  Baskin-Robbins world famous ice cream is coming to the frozen food court in your local grocery stores.  Yes, the frozen food court where California Pizza Kitchen sells Pizza, Boston Market sells complete meals and TGI Fridays is selling appetizers now Baskin-Robbins ice cream will provide desert. 

Baskin-Robbins is driving awareness to it successful retail stores best known for offering 31 flavors by introducing its first full line of cold treats for grocery stores. Can’t wait here is what you will find:

“Three-packs of jamoca almond fudge and mint chocolate chip ice cream bars and 14-ounce cups of ice cream in flavors such as gold medal ribbon and pralines ‘n cream are rolling out in supermarkets in California and should reach Boston’s Shaw's stores in the next few weeks.”

Baskin-Robbins was founded California in 1953 and has a strong presence on the West Coast, and currently operates 455 stores. With over 2,465 Baskin-Robbins stores in the United States and more than 4,600 in other countries entering the frozen food court will drive brand awareness and extend consumers contemporized relevance.

“Ice cream is a category used by all age groups and all demographic groups,” said John Fassak, vice president of business development of Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc., the parent company of Baskin-Robbins. “Our goal is to have these products available across the country and build more of an affinity for the brand.”

Consumers are not static they are dynamic brands must be as well.  A new entity was form by Dunkin Brands called Boardwalk Frozen Treats  it was “established as a separate entity to market, distribute, and sell Baskin-Robbins products for grocery stores through an exclusive license agreement. The company is led by Tom Delaplane, a former Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream executive.” Success does leave clues and Dunkin is on the right aisle.

Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  if you are interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization  or learn more at Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Restaurants Build, Measure, Learn, Repeat Equals Success

Restaurant industry success is a four step process according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ Steven Johnson.  Those four steps are Build, Measure, Learn, and Repeat.

Restaurant success is determined by consumer’s choice.  Year after year one company continues to show up at the top of the list of consumers, that company is Papa Murphy’s. Papa Murphy’s focus on evolving consumer preferences for “better for you” fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat aka Grocerant niche food is but one aspect of their success.

Blending just the right mix of Ready-2-Eat Salads with Heat-N-Eat made fresh from scratch pizza and deserts items Papa Murphy’s has found menu equilibrium. Papa Murphy’s ability to build, measure, learn, and repeat industry leading fresh prepared metric of food  price + service + quality time and time again places them in a unique position of leading the industry.  

Once again this Quarter “Data from Technomic's Consumer Brand Metrics (CBM) program, which surveys consumers about their most recent restaurant visits, confirms that top-rated restaurant concepts continue to be chains that deliver strong value on high-quality food and beverage.” The winner according to customers was Papa Murphy’s. Here is what CBM said:

“Papa Murphy's Pizza earned the highest marks of all chains measured on consumers' overall satisfaction; three-fourths (76 percent) of consumers say that their last visit was "excellent." Consumers' ratings of the chain on other attributes signal that they perceive Papa Murphy's to value both their time and money, indicating that the chain offers very good portion sizes for the price paid and a highly satisfactory speed of visit. The chain also received the highest ratings from consumers on its ability to provide value through high-quality menu items.”

When your consumer move, restaurant need to move with them.  Papa Murphy’s has done that and done it well.  They do it year after year following four simple steps: Build, Measure, Learn, and Repeat.  Consumers are dynamic not static your brand must be dynamic as well.

Interested in learning how the 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization contact us via Email us at: info@FoodserviceSolutions.us  or visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant, or twitter.com/grocerant