Holiday Foodservice Sales Success is Simple

Are your year-over-year customer counts up?  If so I bet you are bundling grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food or at least that’s what ‘big data’ is telling us. At the intersection of the consumer, fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food you find retail food sales success and the Grocerant Niche.   

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson identified a set of universal commonalities, developed the 5 P’s of food marketing which are: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price to help explain the success of the Grocerant niche. 

When grocerant Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food is thrown into the mix of consumer retail food options, retailers find that consumer frequency and customer loyalty both increase driving incremental top line sales and bottom line profits.

When you review the US retail foodservice unit growth or sales leaders of today you can see that it is driven by participatory and interactive Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food. Trader Joe’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Wawa, 7-Eleven are all growth leaders.  Trader Joe’s leads in sales per square foot at over $1,750 per Sq. Ft. Chipotle, Wawa and 7-Eleven are each growing units and garnering share of stomach from everyone else.  All are members of the grocerant niche. 

Consumer are dynamic not static.  It is consumers that are leading the way in the bundling of the meal components with a “better for you” focus.  It’s a mix and match game that is very empowering for the consumer, according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®.

Family meal assembly consists of multiple components from multiple retail outlets assembled into a customized family meal.  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 all contribute to making meal time a time of convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization.

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  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?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.usor visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information

BP's ampm C-store has Mojo

Foodservice Solutions® grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food pontification, implementation, and track record of success since 1991 has once again can be found at a retail chain of over 1000 units.  This time London based BP P.L.C. ampm division is rolling out “Project Mojo consisting of new in-store graphics, a new coffee program, and a new fresh food program.”

Chief Operating Officer Donna Sanker  "We are dialing up the offer, making it current and fresh, and aligned with the trends we see around our consumer base,"  The ampm division is a majority franchise operation, the ampm network currently spans five western states: Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. This new focus on fresh food will create a platform so ampm can become a formative competitor in the fresh food space and clear rival for 7-Elevens fresh food offerings.

The goal of Project Mojo is exactly what it sounds like: maintain and enhance the Mojo at ampm with an updated store image and offers that consumers are demanding, according to Carl Orsbourn, BP's director of convenience marketing for the ampm brand.

 If Orsbourn had to choose which initiative of Project Mojo he is most excited about, it would be the fresh food element because he firmly believes that foodservice — and all areas associated with it — is going to be an "important differentiator" for ampm.

Fresh food, in particular, has the ability to attract new consumers, as well as draw out different missions from current consumers, he said. If ampm gets fresh food right, it will build further trust in the brand and heighten consumer perceptions about "gas station food" quality, he continued.

Does your brand have Mojo? For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us  the 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. Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information

Long John Silver's Future is Now

Is your brand waiting to see just what the next big thing will be?  What are you going to do then jump on the bandwagon?  Are you year over year customer counts up?  Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® likes the fact that Long John Silver’s is the leading fast food, fast casual chain for one reason they lead.

When Long John Silver’s announced it is installing the most technologically-advanced drive-thru platforms in the restaurant industry, laying the groundwork for a fully automated, digital drive-thru in the future. There was no one at Foodservice Solutions® that was surprised.

The new Drive-Thru platform store will feature three 55-inch, HD video screens, HD audio, and a computer platform designed to improve the ordering process for customers. Long John Silver’s partnered with Allure, a division of Christie Digital Systems USA, for this next step in the brand’s revitalization and transformation program.

James O’Reilly, Long John Silver’s CEO stated “We have made tremendous progress in revitalizing Long John Silver’s. As we transform and update our restaurant base over the next two years, we want to make a bold statement to our drive-thru customers. More than half our sales occur at the drive-thru, and we want our customers to enjoy that experience with the best technology available.”

The Allure Drive-Thru platform provides digital order confirmation, full-color, high-resolution animation, video, and graphics for an engaging experience for customers. The new system also allows for quick updates of menus and promotional updates. Promoted specials can be linked to historical sales trends, special events, and local weather forecasts.

Craig Chapin, Allure’s president stated “Allure’s drive-thru digital signage provides accurate information and engaging food displays while delivering a positive drive-thru experience for Long John Silver’s.  The data-driven digital signage installed outside the leading seafood restaurant chain is proven to increase ROI, reduce operating costs, and enhance guest experience.”

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Hot Dog Portillo’s Deliver's Nationwide

Partnerships matter when it comes to meeting or beating customer demand according to Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson. In 2018 you will see more and more restaurant brands drive incremental sales through qualitative partnerships edifying the brand with customers.           

Portillo’s, launched a delivery service that is now available at 94 percent of its locations nationwide in a partnership with DoorDash, the on-demand restaurant delivery platform. Through the partnership, drivers on the DoorDash platform will fulfill delivery orders placed through both Portillo’s and DoorDash’s respective websites and mobile apps. Customers can visit portillos.com to find the delivery location nearest to them.

Portillo’s CEO Keith Kinsey stated “From our unique ordering system, to our double drive-thru lanes staffed with outside employees, Portillo’s has consistently innovated our systems to provide our guests with convenient ways to enjoy our iconic menu items. It was important that we partner with a company that could support Portillo’s high-volume restaurants, especially through our lunch and dinner service. DoorDash gives us flexibility and reliability to give our customers the convenience they want and the quality they have come to expect from Portillo’s. We are thrilled to roll out this service at locations nationwide.”

Portillo’s partnership with DoorDash continues its long history of using innovative technology to make it quick and easy for customers to order their food. It was just last year that Portillo’s partnered with Olo to launch online ordering via website and mobile app. The Portillo’s app is available for download online via iTunes or Android. All orders incur a $5 delivery fee. Where are you customers are you reaching them?

Success does leave clues www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  is the global leader in grocerant niche business development.  We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities.  Has your company had a Grocerant ScoreCard completed a Grocerant Program Assessment, or new Grocerant niche product Ideation?  Want one?  Call 253-759-7869 Email: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us

Whole Foods Market Sales Are Up

Regular readers of this blog know that Amazon bought Whole Foods and ever since that transaction consumer’s curiosity created a platform of interest that fueled trial or retrial according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

What Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCards reviled however since that transaction is consumers like what they found at Whole Foods.  In fact 76.3% of consumers surveyed said that they would return.  With 93.1% of those returning because they found the food flavorful, local, functional, or trendy. Is your brand trendy?

Well here is a list of some of what Whole Foods Market says will be on trend in 2018?

1.       Floral Flavors
Foragers and culinary stars have embraced edible petals for years, but floral inspiration is finally in full bloom. From adding whole flowers and petals into dishes to infusing botanical flavors into drinks and snacks, this top trend makes for a subtly sweet taste and fresh aromatics. Look for flowers used like herbs in things like lavender lattés and rose-flavored everything. Bright pink hibiscus teas are a hot (and iced) part of the trend, while elderflower is the new MVP (most valuable petal) of cocktails and bubbly drinks.

2.       Super Powders
Powders are serious power players. Because they’re so easy to incorporate, they’ve found their way into lattés, smoothies, nutrition bars, soups and baked goods. For an energy boost or an alternative to coffee, powders like matcha, maca root and cacao are showing up in mugs everywhere. Ground turmeric powder is still on the rise, the ever-popular spice used in Ayurvedic medicine. Smoothie fans are raising a glass to powders like spirulina, kale, herbs and roots for an oh-so-green vibrancy that needs no Instagram filter. Even protein powders have evolved beyond bodybuilders to pack in new nutrients like skin- and hair-enhancing collagen.

3. Functional Mushrooms
   Shoppers are buzzing about functional mushrooms, which are traditionally used to support wellness as an ingredient in dietary supplements. Now, varieties like reishi, chaga, cordyceps and lion’s mane star in products across categories. Bottled drinks, coffees, smoothies and teas are leading the way. The rich flavors also lend themselves to mushroom broths, while the earthy, creamy notes pair well with cocoa, chocolate or coffee flavors. Body care is hot on this mushroom trend too, so look for a new crop of soaps, hair care and more.
4. Feast from the Middle East
   Middle Eastern culinary influences have made their way west for years, and 2018 will bring these tasty traditions into the mainstream. Things like hummus, pita and falafel were tasty entry points, but now consumers are ready to explore the deep traditions, regional nuances and classic ingredients of Middle Eastern cultures, with Persian, Israeli, Moroccan, Syrian and Lebanese influences rising to the top. Spices like harissa, cardamom and za’atar are hitting more menus, as well as dishes like shakshuka, grilled halloumi and lamb. Other trending Middle Eastern ingredients include pomegranate, eggplant, cucumber, parsley, mint, tahini, tomato jam and dried fruits.
5. Transparency 2.0
   More is more when it comes to product labeling. Consumers want to know the real story behind their food, and how that item made its way from the source to the store. GMO transparency is top-of-mind, but shoppers seek out other details, too, such as Fair Trade certification, responsible production and animal welfare standards. At Whole Foods Market, this plays out in several ways, starting with these three happening in 2018: 1) In January 2018, all canned tuna in our stores will come from sustainable one-by-one catch methods; 2) In September 2018, labels will provide GMO transparency on all items in stores; and 3) Dishes from Whole Foods Market food bars and venues are now labeled with calorie information. The FDA’s deadline for nutrition labeling is among the first regulatory steps for greater transparency, but expect consumers and brands to continue leading the way into a new era of product intel.
6. High-Tech Goes Plant-Forward
   Plant-based diets and dishes continue to dominate the food world, and now the tech industry has a seat at the table, too. By using science to advance recipes and manipulate plant-based ingredients and proteins, these techniques are creating mind-bending alternatives like “bleeding” vegan burgers or sushi-grade “not-tuna” made from tomatoes. These new production techniques are also bringing some new varieties of nut milks and yogurts made from pili nuts, peas, bananas, macadamia nuts and pecans. Dairy-free indulgences like vegan frosting, brownies, ice cream, brioche and crème brûlée are getting so delicious, non-vegans won’t know the difference – or they might choose them anyway!
7. Puffed & Popped Snacks
   Crunchy snacks are perennial favorites, but new technology is revolutionizing all things puffed, popped, dried and crisped. New extrusion methods (ways of processing and combining ingredients), have paved the way for popped cassava chips, puffed pasta bow ties, seaweed fava chips and puffed rice clusters. Good-old-fashioned chips also get an upgrade as part of the trend, with better-for-you bites like jicama, parsnip or Brussels sprout crisps.
8. Tacos Come Out of Their Shell
   There’s no slowing down the craze for all things Latin American, but the taco trend has a life of its own. This street-food star is no longer limited to a tortilla, or to savory recipes: Tacos are showing up for breakfast, and trendy restaurants across the country have dessert variations. Most of all, tacos are shedding their shell for new kinds of wrappers and fillings too – think seaweed wrappers with poke filling. Classic tacos aren’t going anywhere, but greater attention to ingredients is upping their game. One end of the spectrum is hyper-authentic cooking with things like heirloom corn tortillas or classic barbacoa. And thanks to brands like Siete, there are grain-free options for paleo fans too. Taco ‘bout options!
9. Root-to-Stem
   Between nose-to-tail butchery and reducing food waste, a few forces are combining to inspire root-to-stem cooking, which makes use of the entire fruit or vegetable, including the stems or leaves that are less commonly eaten. Recipes like pickled watermelon rinds, beet-green pesto or broccoli-stem slaw have introduced consumers to new flavors and textures from old favorites.
10. Say Cheers to the Other Bubbly
    LaCroix may have paved the way, but now there’s an entire booming category of sparkling beverages vying for consumer attention. Just don’t call them “soda.” These drinks are a far cry from their sugary predecessors. Flavored sparkling waters like plant-derived options from Sap! (made with maple and birch) and sparkling cold brew from Stumptown will are shaking up a fizzy fix. Shoppers are also toasting mocktail must-haves like Topo Chico and Whole Foods Market^TM Lime Mint Elderflower Italian Sparkling Mineral Water. Cheers to the other kind of bubbly!

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

Pizza Price Promo’s Demonstrates Domino’s Dominance

Foodservice Solutions® FIVE P’s of Food Marketing have proven a platform to drive top line sales and bottom line profits for chain restaurants, chain convenience stores, grocery stores offering grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food since 1991 according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  

Domino's  has found incremental success with technology, a reformulated pizza, delivery cars that separate it from competitors.  Now Domino’s is positioned leverage technologies operational efficiency, flavor, and price too drive incremental sales through the end of the year. 

Will Domino’s by expanding its digital orders by offering 50% off online pizza orders for a limited time for the next 10 days  disrupt the sales momentum other pizza chains have found or will it just spark a price war within the pizza sector in 2018?

Jenny Fouracre, Domino's stated  "About half of the people at our headquarters work in developing and supporting the digital side of the business, which allows the stores to focus on creating amazing food and delivering the best customer experience, with less time spent on the phone taking orders,"  "With 50% off online pizza orders, hungry customers who haven't tried out digital ordering might just succumb to the tempting price and maybe discover online ordering is easier than they thought.”

The Domino’s deal includes any menu-priced pizza that’s ordered through the chain’s online channels, which include its website and app.  While operational efficiencies are important and technology is a great platform to achieve those efficiencies remember Domino’s fixed the food first.  Is your brand ready to grow?

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Panera Bread Hears You adding Complexity Free Ordering

In five weeks we usher in 2018 and one of the undercurrents of change that will be hear but not seen is the foodservice trend of voice activated ordering according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®

I have been using my Google home more and more every week and it seems as if every week there is just one more thing that I find that like and use.  Well now here is one more Google Assistant, which can be on your iPhone, Google Phone, Android devise or Google Home recently announced that Panera Bread was becoming one of the first national concepts to offer the ability to order via voice for delivery and Rapid Pick-Up with the Google Assistant on their mobile devices.

My Panera members in select cities including St. Louis and Silicon Valley at participating locations are eligible to place and pay for their orders using the virtual personal assistant platform. Panera expects the rollout to go national by the end of 2017 so get ready as voice ordering will be big in 2018 according to Johnson.

Here is how it works “Guests can tell Google Assistant, “OK Google, ask Panera for delivery,” or “OK Google, talk to Panera.” The Panera app will then pop up and show users the menu. It will also suggest past items based on history and take the guest through the menu. You can then pay from saved wallet information.”

Why is this so important Ron Shaich, Panera’s founder, chairman, and CEO, in a statement “About 30 percent of total company-wide sales are digital at this point, Since it launched Panera 2.0 in 2014, the chain has grown with Rapid Pick-Up, Fast Lane Kiosks, Catering, and Delivery.’

How must is that?  “With more than 1.3 Million digital orders placed a week at Panera, there is a clear demand for voice-activated ordering methods, and this integration with Google is a step towards an even better guest experience,” according to Shaich.

Blaine Hurst, Panera’s president stated “Voice-activated ordering powered by artificial intelligence is the future. We know the industry is in its infancy….. “While we know we still have a lot to learn, we’re proud to develop, test and refine this capability in partnership with Google. In the long run, the ease and convenience will be meaningful to our guests.  In fact, placing a voice-activated order in many cases is more than 80 percent faster than a traditional app order.”

Leaders lead and when Panera leads expect other to follow according to Johnson.  Other brands the ilk of Wingstop, Domino’s, Pizza Hut have added Voice-activated ordering. 2018 is only five weeks away how are you adding customer relevance to your brand?  Don’t know?  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or Email the Grocerant Guru® at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us