Why Rush and What’s is Value in Ready-2-Eat Fresh Prepared Food?

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru Steven Johnson is regularly asked what is driving the rapid growth of the Grocerant Niche. His answer is “First and foremost is the universal acceptance by all age groups and income brackets they prefer not to cook or do dishes.  However defined value varies both by income and age.”

Here is an example, from Eric Baer of ICC/Decisions Service and one of their recent studies:  “Younger consumers shop less for meals that are time-saving in preparation, but are heavily interested in preordering prepared food items online and save their time in that aspect,” Clearly younger consumer like to use technology it saves them time as well as being a tool for discovery, particularly when it comes to food.

However Nanette Brown, ICC’s vice president of operations stated; “the opposite holds true for older consumers, “who are less concerned with the time-saving aspect of ordering ahead and who would rather save their time when it comes to their meal preparation and convenience.”

The same study found that “shoppers between the ages of 18 and 34 put price over convenience, while males ranked timesaving meals higher than females. Those in the $40,000-or-less income bracket do not use the option to preorder prepared foods ahead of time as much as other shoppers. This could be due to lack of access to the technology to do so,” said Baer.

The universal acceptance that the ICC/Decisions Service survey found was that the top two most popular attributes are fresh, high-quality ingredients combined with timesaving convenience. Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food aka Grocerant Niche food continues to drive top line sales and bottom line profits in every sector of retail foodservice.  

One thing that families find most important according to Mary Fredal “ is eating at home , it gives us time to talk with each other...

A time to turn off the electronic tools, share time together preparing food in the kitchen, sharing in serving the food, eating together at the table and talking about those things that are important to everyone, including our spiritual life, and our daily lives.

It is a time of communion - uniting ourselves with each other. Sharing our thoughts, discussing our problems, allowing family members to get to know one another and to join together in love, helping each other with encouragement, advice, counsel, wisdom, praise, loving correction, etc.

It is an opportunity to ensure that everyone eats wholesome food cooked in a way that is creative and enjoyable and healthy, organic, natural, free from preservatives, chemicals, GMOs, bacteria, artificial products.”  Bonding as a family unit still occurs with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.  When the cook is happy the family is happy.

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. www.FoodserviceSolutions.us   

2014 5 P’s of Successful Fresh Prepared Food Marketing

Success does leave clues and many retail food operators are now adopting Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of Food Marketing: Have you?

 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 contact us via Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us  or visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

IKEA’s All You Can Eat Easter Brunch is Family Friendly

IKEA grounded in affordable contemporary relevance, known for furniture, fixtures, and everything for the home.  This year will be hosting an affordable Family Friendly Easter Brunch.  In Sweden where IKEA was founded, the Easter holiday marks the end of long, cold winters with festive decorations of spring, and costumes and games for children.

Most of Foodservice Solutions® regular blog readers know that IKEA in-store restaurants sell over $ 2 Billion Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food each year.  That $ 2 Billion is mostly from my favorite entrée the 15 meatballs w/ mashed potatoes, cream sauce & lingonberries. $4.99.  Ikea sells Ready-2-Eat food at affordable-competitive pricing.

On Friday, April 11^th, IKEA restaurants around the world will host “Påskbord, the Easter Smörgåsbord buffet featuring three courses of traditional Swedish Easter favorites, along with classic Swedish desserts and beverages.”

The IKEA Easter Brunch menu includes items like “herring, poached salmon, assorted Swedish cheeses, breads, and salads; and finally, a third course featuring Swedish meatballs, Swedish ham, Prinskorv (link sausages), and something called Jansson’s Temptation.”…

You can visit: Ikea.com to find a store near you.  The price IKEA FAMILY members, the all-you-can-eat buffet is $9.99 per person and $2.49 for children 12 and under. For non-IKEA FAMILY members, tickets are $12.99 per person and $4.99 for children 12 and under.

Non-traditional fresh food retailers are often over looked by industry professionals and not taken as a serious competitive threat. This year I have recommended that all of my current and prospective clients visit and eat at Ikea on Friday the 11^th, 2014. I suggest that you try it as well.   Success does leave clues and in any book $ 2 Billion in fresh food sales is success.

Your company can sell $ 2 Billion in Ready-2-Eat fresh prepared food too.  Outside Eye’s can drive inside profits.  Contact:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  Grocerant Guru™ for more on how to build Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food sales.

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.com/grocerant

Emerging Restaurant Competitive Threat You Can Thank the Internet for this One

If you have not worried enough about competition there is more on the horizon and it is Meal-Sharing.  We think it could become the next big threat to full service restaurants. You know about AirBnB, the hotel-chain alternative that finds travelers accommodations in people’s homes at a cut rate, was valued several days ago by the investment community at $10 billion. Why should restaurateurs care?

Currently emerging in AirBnB’s shadow, is a similar dining-out phenomenon, where travelers and locals can have a restaurant-caliber meal in someone’s home for a bargain price.  That my friend is called meal-sharing now that AirBnB has been valued at $ 10 Billion, meal-sharing is not going away.   The retail food space is evolving fast; is your company prepared? Outside eyes can drive top line sales and bottom line profits.

There is good news for consumers the renewed pricing battle within the QSR space will drive prices down combine that with a warmer spring and summer temperatures and the restaurant sector we reap the rewards as Americans dine out more frequently.  But Where?

With a fast evolving retail food sector, restaurants will need to focus within the Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food offering meal components that can be customized, personalized in bundled Mix and Match family meal solutions.  Extend your brand for success do not confine you brand within four walls.

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. Outside Eyes can be a platform for inside results.   Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant Niche Visit: FoodserviceSolutions.us

Whataburger and Del Taco Join 2014 QSR Breakfast Brouhaha

With 575 restaurants Del Taco is weighing in and ready for battle in the 2014 QSR Breakfast Brouhaha that is just beginning.  Starting April 3, 2014 until April 27^th Del Taco joins McDonalds in the breakfast battle with Taco Bell.  Del Taco taking a page out of McDonald’s playbook if offering customers a favorite menu item for free specifically a free order of five-piece hashbrown sticks.

In a one two punch Del Taco not to be outdone is introducing new breakfast tacos leveraging price, flavors and freshness to it’ advantage over Taco Bell.  Del Taco has been serving breakfast for more than 30 years, each of these new breakfast tacos, each made with fresh-grilled eggs and hand-grated cheddar cheese. Beginning April 3, and starting at just 75 cents, the breakfast tacos lineup includes:

1.        Breakfast Taco: fresh-grilled eggs and hand-grated cheddar cheese in a warm flour tortilla – 75 cents each

2. Bacon Breakfast Taco: fresh-grilled eggs, hand-grated cheddar cheese and bacon in a warm flour tortilla – $1.00 each
3. Sausage Breakfast Taco: fresh-grilled eggs, hand-grated cheddar cheese and sausage in a warm flour tortilla – $1.00 each
4. Steak Breakfast Taco: fresh-grilled eggs, hand-grated cheddar cheese and carne asada steak in a warm flour tortilla – $1.75 each

Each new item can be customized by consumers simply by altering the spice level with their choice of Del Taco’s Taco Sauces. John Cappasola, chief brand officer, Del Taco  “Our Buck & Under breakfast menu items and breakfast tacos are unparalleled in the industry in terms of their value, variety and made-to-order approach,”

The Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food niche continues to evolve with new menu options, new points of quality fresh food distributions and “better for you” pricing.

www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche since 1991

Whataburger Japapeno cheddar biscuit 

Whole Food, Publix, Safeway, Price Chopper Catering Ready-2-Eat Food

Dinner parties were once a chance for one to show off their cooking skills.  In a time starved world, cooking from scratch has been replaced by Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food not from caterers but from Grocery Stores.  This spring parties, picnic’s, graduations, and even weddings are being catered by grocery stores.

Even restaurant focused fresh food consulting firm principal Melissa Wilson  of Technomic thinks  “there’s no longer any stigma associated with purchasing prepared foods,” Consumers don’t even feel the need to hide that they didn’t make the food by transferring the product to their own platters, she said.

Whole Foods has expanded its fresh prepared offering in-store to such a degree that Ready-2-Eat daily meals are driving success within its catering offerings. Whole Foods is not alone selling catering with differentiation.  

The United Family’s Market is making its mark as well. While catering breakfast may seem unimaginative for many at United Family Market they sell “muffins baked from scratch, breakfast casseroles and Market Street Migas — described on the menu as “Texas-style scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, cheese and fresh fried tortilla strips” with chile sauce.”

At United Family Market  catering is a successful business in fact they stated “We’ve done up to 1,200 people plated, served” .

Publix Super Markets has even branded its catering service.  They call it Aprons Event Planning Catering.  Apron’s  takes care of all aspects of party planning. The service, run through Publix’s cooking school, is available at the Plantation and Jacksonville, Fla., and Lakeland, Fla. Locations.

Publix Spokesperson Nicole Krauss called the service “one-stop shopping.”  Publix menu is completive as well offering items “pepper-crusted pork loin with pineapple chutney is a silver option, and grilled rib-eye steak with bleu cheese butter is on the gold menu.”

According to DataSsentials, 77% of shoppers haven’t ever used a supermarket catering service the up-side for grocery stores selling grocerant Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food is strong.

Both Price Chopper and Safeway are offering bundled meal catered offerings this year. If success does leave clues grocery store catering is a perfect complement to grocerant Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food sales.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes the Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat Fresh Prepared Food niche aka the Grocerant niche.  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy

Home Restaurants Come of Age: America’s Eating-In While Eating-Out

America Eating-In While Eating-Out

Cooking a family meal from scratch that everyone will eat continues to be an obstacle for many households today according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™.  While 80% of meals are prepared at home that does not mean they are cooked from scratch.

Lacking the skill-set required to cook from scratch combined with ever increasing divergent family meal dynamic including scheduling time, flavor preference, and  calorie/carbohydrates limits, the effort to meet everyone requirements is simply put “too much work according” to Foodservice Solutions® Steven Johnson.

It is clear to see how the increased rate of consumer adaption of the Grocerant Niche filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food is changing the dynamics with the retail food space.  While the cooking from scratch is a lot of work consumers like eating at home.  However the meals and meal components are not all prepared at home or from scratch. In fact King Retail Solutions found that in the past 12 months “62 percent of consumers bought fresh prepared meals from a non-restaurant”.

NPD 80% of meals prepared at home

Even Harry Balzer, NPD chief industry analyst recently stated recently that “About 80% of meals were prepared at home in November 2013, about the same as 2012, NPD data show. The percentage of meals prepared at home has risen steadily from 77.4% in 2008 at the beginning of the recession. "The move back home for our meals looks to be over," says Harry Balzer, "I'm sure restaurants are happy to hear this."

Hudson Riehle the National Restaurant Associations SVP of Research & Knowledge Group stated a new study found that “75 percent of consumer say going to a restaurant with family/ friends is a better use of time than cooking and cleaning up. Combine that with his comments on flavor when Riehle stated “ 7 in 10 consumers say their favorite restaurant foods provide flavors which can’t be easily be duplicated at home.”

Lingering Concerns 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome

However Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ warns that “restaurants should not expect to see the same customers returning to the restaurant space as those that flooded the doors pre 2008.”  Restaurants need to understand the family dynamic has changed, driven in large part by the lingering recession and technology.  Specifically, as Foodservice Solutions found the “65 Inch HDTV Syndrome”.

The undercurrent of an evolving food retail consumer is emerging. Consumer wants restaurant quality food, flavor, meal components that can be mix and matched, then bundled into a cohesive family meal and served / eaten at home. They are driven by growing numbers of multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and recession weary families.

Restaurants Can find the Undercurrents of Success

The opportunity for restaurants selling meal components has a huge up-side. NPD’s Balzer cautioned when he noted that “Many people experienced a drop in income during the recession, and people lower their food costs by using restaurants less, because restaurant meals cost three times more than meals made at home”.  Given that understanding the restaurant sector will have to leverage Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of Food Marketing if they expect to compete successfully with Grocery store deli’s, Chain Drug stores the ilk of Walgreens, Convenience stores the ilk of Sheetz, Wawa and Rutter’s.

Riehle also noted that in a recent survey 92% of consumers like going to restaurants.  It’s up to individual restaurants, chain restaurants if they want to sell consumer Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared meal components. Consumers like restaurants as much as they like 65 inch HDTV’s and NCAA basketball tournaments, baseball, soccer, and football.  I think consumer deserve to Eat-In while Eating-Out.

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.com/grocerant