Project Juice Blends Business Models for Success

Success does leave clues and Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® helped restaurateurs, retailers, and entrepreneurs evolve retail foodservice business to garner new customers or to halt customer migration.  While many US based chain restaurants continue to capitulate year over year customer counts those who headed Johnson advice back in the day are finding success today.

Project Juice, a food and beverage company with retail locations in California, announce a new way for customers across the country to experience the company’s award-winning smoothie bar creations in the comfort of their own home. In the minds-eye Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® there is one dominate element that will power success within retail foodservice over the coming years.  Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships specifically strategic partnerships.   

The new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh food, sustainable packaging, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing.

Expanding its business model by introducing Sub-Zero Superfoods, a line of organic superfood smoothies and bowls that ship free nationwide and arrive to customers’ doorsteps “ready-to-blend” (just add liquid). The new products will be available as a commitment-free subscription service via a new website: www.subzerosuperfood.com.

The Ready-2-Blend superfood smoothies and bowls from Project Juice complement the existing business model while elevating the brands reach.  As with all of Project Juice’s food and beverage offerings, the Ready-2-Blend smoothies and bowls are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and contain organic and locally sourced produce, when available. Consumers are dynamic and brands must be as well.  Here are some of the offerings:

Fruit Smoothies

Acai Chia: Designed to boost immunity and give the skin that beautiful glow, Acai Chia combines blueberries, banana, strawberries, raspberries, wild harvested pure acai, chia seeds and goji berries for a smoothie that is perfectly sweet and tart, and a boon for digestion. Project Juice suggests adding coconut water as the liquid base for a light way to complement the frozen cup contents.

Strawberry Banana Probiotics: Gut health is one of the most important facets of overall wellness, and this smoothie combines the namesake fruits with pineapple, goji berries, chia seeds, coconut oil and vegan probiotics (bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) for a smoothie that will not only help boost the digestive system, but can help boost cognitive function for sharper focus.

Green Smoothies

Avocado Orange: This smoothie is creamy with the zing of citrus, perfect for a morning pick-me-up. Combining avocado, spinach, kale, spirulina, orange and lime juices this is an immune booster keeps you fueled just right.

Mint Cacao: This formulation is ideal for the kiddo who has a hard time eating veggies, transforming spinach and chlorella into a delightful treat worthy of dessert, with the addition of banana, cacao nibs, dates, coconut oil, and peppermint extract. They’ll never know they aren’t eating superfoods!

Protein Smoothies

Blueberry Protein: Brown rice protein is enhanced with plump blueberries picked in-season, banana, spinach, almond butter, hemp seeds, dates and cinnamon for a blend that is not only great for building strength, but also for cognitive function, making it an incredible breakfast smoothie to power the day.

Coffee Collagen: Two of our favorite functions come together in this recipe - creating energy and increasing collagen production in the skin. Cold-brew coffee, which is less acidic than its alternative, is blended with banana, gluten-free oats, collagen peptides, dates, cacao nibs, MCT oil and cinnamon. These peptides are easily digested and are great for skin health, muscle repair and to getting a good night’s sleep.

Superfood Bowls

Acai Banana Bowl: Certified gluten free oats add umph to this amazing bowl, which blends organic banana, blueberries, wild harvested pure acai, and dates with a blend of superfood granola. Perfect as a post-workout snack, or a morning meal, this bowl can help improve immune function, and helps the digestive system work at its optimum levels. The granola adds the perfect crunch with a hint of maple syrup, pecans, sunflower seeds, flax meal, sesame seeds, chia seeds goji berries and cacao nibs.

Kale Mango Bowl: Picked perfectly in season and frozen to retain nutrients, mango lends its tropical sweet and tart balance to this bowl, which can be incorporated into daily routines for a detoxifying meal. Wild harvested coconut meat adds healthy fats, and banana, kale and superfood, gluten free granola round it out for a bowl that is any meal’s match.

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 have the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Grocerant Guru’s Meal Kits Success Clues

Competition within the Meal Kit sector is not a disruptive, nor are incremental points of fresh food meal kits distribution curtailing growth among current meal kit companies in the battle for share of stomach according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma WA, based Foodservice Solutions®.  

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCards have revealed four consumer points of irritation with meal kit offering today.  In addition the ScoreCards revealed five attributes the team at Foodservice Solutions® is convinced will propel success within the Meal Kit sector for those that evolve with consumers desires.

One of the first ways to evolve with consumers is to stop doing with irritates consumers so that’s what we will focus on in this blog today.  The top four points of customer irritation with meal kits are:

1.       Subscription

2.       Price

3.       Pre-Ordering To Far in Advance

4.       No Deserts

The one item that was not a surprise to us was that every age group was disappointed that meal kits did don’t come with desert.  Overall deserts was the most commented item listed  on the ScoreCards yet never  rated number one or two.  So what were the top five request attributes?

1.       Regular ‘food’ (not special occasion meals)

2.       Deserts

3.       Local availability at stores: Grocery, C-store, Drug stores

4.       Family Size meals

5.       Kids Meals

Some food axioms are true others defy data one such fact is Millennials have surpassed baby boomers as the largest living generation in the United States and their grocery store habits are destined to have a marked effect on future food demand. 

Data and big data tell’s us Millennials are looking to buy healthier and fresher food than their predecessors but far Millennials tell us that they want desert with their meal kits. Regular readers of this blog know what consumers say and what they do are too very different things when it comes to food retail.

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

7-Eleven’s Brand Building Partnerships Work

Success does leave clues and Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® knows that 7-Eleven’s ability to leverage branded partnerships is a clue no one should over look.  

If there is there is one dominate element that will power success within retail foodservice over the coming years it is what  Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships.   The new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as regional fresh foods, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), local wine, and local beer, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing.

Food companies the ilk of Supermarkets, Conveniences Stores, Dollar Stores, and Department Stores selling food that want to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships more now than ever before according to Johnson. Simply put 7-Eleven is doing just that.

Here is one example 7-Eleven announced a new partnership with Hershey for Hershey’s Gold caramelized crème cappuccino. The new 7-Eleven Hershey's Gold cappuccino mimics the rich buttery salty sweet taste of its namesake candy, according to 7-Eleven, adding that it began working months before the new candy bar launched to develop the exclusive flavored cappuccino.

Stop right here, I know you are saying that’s 7-Eleven with 65,000 units worldwide and we are not.  We understand that and our Grocerant ScoreCards point that out all the time.  My point is don’t be 7-Eleven the new electricity for you means being more authentic, more local, fresher, faster, with a local flare.

Your company can plug into the new electricity and the consumers need for complete grocerant meal solutions.  What should your brand be bundling for consumers?  Outside eyes can drive top line sales and bottom line profits.

Tap into the Foodservice Solutions® team for greater understanding of New Electricity or for 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

Grocerant Mix & Match Meal Components Include Beer & Wine

The line between food retail channels continues to narrow in the minds-eye of the consumer.  Consumers are the fuel driving the adoption of grocerant niche mix & match meal component bundling.  Today you can find grocerant niche fresh meal components in channels the ilk of restaurants, conveniences stores, grocery stores, drug stores, and department stores. 

According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® Q4 2017 Grocerant ScoreCard report retailers offering fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat meals or meal components with both Beer & Wine options drive incremental customer adoption.

Consumers care less about restaurant seeking Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared meals are interested one thing making very few stops to complete bundling the perfect family meal.  Grocery stores, convenience stores offering Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat meals and meal components currently have a consumer solution advantage according to Johnson.

Restaurant Chains including companies the ilk of TGI Friday’s, Red Robin, Buffalo Wild Wings, BJ’s Restaurants, Carl’s Jr. and Pizza Hut are doing a good job expanding beer and wine options. However they have yet to embrace the one dominate element that will power success within the restaurant space over the coming years.  Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships.   

The new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing, local beers, wines, specialty foods. That will require restaurant brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships with smaller regional companies more now than ever before according to Johnson

Consider this Buffalo Wild Winds estimated its same-store sales were down 1.6% to 1.7% last year, all the while takeout sales continue to increase, representing more than 19% of the company’s sales in the third quarter ended, up from 17% a year ago. Pizza Hut might roll out beer and wine delivery nationally plugging into the new electricity the consumers need for complete grocerant meal solutions.  What should your brand be bundling for consumers?  Outside eyes can drive top line sales and bottom line profits.

Tap into the Foodservice Solutions® team for greater understanding of New Electricity or for 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

At Casey’s General Stores Partnerships Drive Success

What is the key driver for foodservice moving forward?  In the minds-eye Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® there is one dominate element that will power success within retail foodservice over the coming years.  Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships specifically strategic partnerships.   The new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh food, sustainable oils, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing

Food companies the ilk of Supermarkets, Conveniences Stores, Dollar Stores, and Department Stores selling food that want to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships more now than ever before according to Johnson.

The food retail partnerships are evolving fast rather than being with legacy CPG brands they will be with technology companies that have cutting edge customer facing strategy that is fast and complexity free for the consumer and with fresh food start-ups offering alternatives to pantry stocking options of yesterday according to our Grocerant Guru®.

Casey's General Stores had progressively embraced partnering developing fresh pizza with delivery and with global financial technology company Blackhawk Network Holdings to offer Amazon Cash to its customers who don't have a bank account or prefer not to use debit or credit cards.

Bill Walljasper, senior vice president and chief financial officer for Casey's stated "We are thrilled to offer our customers the added convenience of Amazon Cash at Casey's General Stores, which we anticipate will drive additional foot traffic in our retail locations around the country," ... "By partnering with Blackhawk, we are able to bring Amazon Cash to our stores and continue to be a one-stop shop for our diverse group of customers, including cash-based shoppers."

Amazon Cash allows consumers to load between money from $15 to $500 in cash to their Amazon balance without fees. To do so, they simply present a personalized Amazon barcode to a cashier at a participating retailer along with the amount of money they wish to load. The amount is then applied to the customer's existing Amazon account and immediately available to use for online shopping of eligible products and digital content on Amazon.com.

Success does leave clues and regular readers of this blog know that Casey’s success in larger part has to come from driving customer migration too Casey’s with increased grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared foodservice offerings and Pizza.  Walljasper understands that when you combine increased grocerant niche fresh food offerings with time technology consumers relevance grows exponentially.  Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCards as regular readers know have pointed that out time and time again. Have you tapped into the New Electricity?  

Tap into the Foodservice Solutions® team for greater understanding of New Electricity or for 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

Carl’s Jr. Beer, Wine, and Dine NYC

While most Carl’s Jr. guest in LA know that Downtown L.A. Carl’s Jr. locations have been quietly selling beer for 36 years according to the LA Times.  This Carl's Jr. opened its first-ever New York City / Manhattan restaurant.

The two -story restaurant near Madison Square Garden and will serve up Carl's Jr., 100-percent Black Angus Thickburgers to Made from Scratch Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders. More importantly it will serve a selection of local and national beer and wine brands for its of-age customers. Creating a point of differentiation in fresh fast food offerings in NYC according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Johnson continued saying that “restaurants need to continually evolve and Carl’s Jr. understands that consumers are dynamic and their brand must be as well. This new urban locations demographics are a perfect fit for the addition of both beer and wine.”

Jason Marker, chief executive officer, Carl's Jr. and Hardees stated "We are so excited to bring our West Coast Cool vibe to NYC." "Manhattan is a city with a big personality. We feel our brand has a larger than life personality, too, and a high-quality, great-tasting menu to match."

Carl’s Jr. addition of both beer and wine empower consumers desire for food discovery at non-traditional locations as well as their ability to mix and match meal components, beverage components of their choice.  Success does leave clues and Carl’s Jr. is on the right track.

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 have the clue you need to propel your continued success.

U.S. Convenience Stores Growth Stifles Restaurants

Consumer trial of grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food offerings at convenience stores continues to stifle restaurant sector brand managers looking to drive incremental customer counts according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Regular readers of this blog know that U.S. convenience store count increased to a record 154,958 stores as of December 31, 2017.

Chris Rapanick, director of business development at National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) stated "Our continued store growth suggests that the convenience and fuel retailing industry’s core offer of convenience continues to resonate with customers,”.. “Convenience stores are the destination of choice for the 160 million customers who frequent their community convenience store each day to refresh and refuel, whether it’s to grab a quick snack and a beverage, or a fresh-prepared meal.”

Consider this the convenience store count is significantly higher than other channels of trade, accounting for more than one third (34.4%) of the brick-and-mortar retail universe tracked by Nielsen in the United States. Except for the dollar store channel, all other major channels have fewer units at year-end 2017 than 2016: Jeanne Danubio, EVP retail for lead markets at Nielsen stated “Convenience stores saw solid growth in 2017 due to an increased focus on innovation, improved customer experience, assortment variation and healthy investments in food services,”

This has to be an ongoing concern for the restaurant sector “79.1% of convenience stores sell motor fuels, a decrease of 1.0% or 1,255 stores from 2016, with the single-store motor fuel segment dropping by 1,025 stores. The decline in the number of convenience stores selling fuel is reflective of retailers evolving their business models to focus more on the in-store, foodservice offer, as well as retailers embracing new store formats and establishing their brands in more urban, walk-up locations” and that my friends is from Nielsen.

In a nut shell C-stores have more units selling fresh food than ever before, more units driving visits frequency with fresh food than every before and more stores leveraging grocerant niche mix & match meal component bundling than ever before.  The C-store business model is evolving.  Does your business model look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why?

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.