Hurry Order from Sprouts Grocerant Holiday Meal Options

Why not have a Thanksgiving meal designed and prepared with the help of “Iron Chef” star Cat Cora.  Take the worry out of planning and cooking this Thanksgiving and leave the hard work to Sprouts Farmers Market and Cat Cora according Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Success does leave clues and Cat Cora and Sprouts are our success clue for Thanksgiving.  

So, Sprouts Farmers Market has kicked off the holidays with fresh, healthy and convenient selections across its stores and online. Through Nov. 23, shoppers can reserve turkeys and holiday meats, prepared meals, and party trays online, or by texting HOLIDAY to 50392.

Customers may pick up their orders until Thanksgiving Day at noon. December pre-orders resume Dec. 7 through Dec. 21. Shoppers can pre-order the following items:

·         No-Antibiotics-Ever Natural Turkey: 12 pounds for $20.28, 18 pounds for $30.42

·         Free-Range Organic Turkey:10 pounds for $29.99

·         USDA Choice Beef Rib Roast: 8 pounds for $79.92

·         No-Antibiotics-Ever Spiral-sliced Ham: 8 pounds for $23.92

·         No-Antibiotics-Ever Uncured and Sugar-Free, Spiral-sliced Ham: 8 pounds for $31.92

Sprouts Chief Fresh Merchandising Officer Scott Neal stated, “Shoppers are particularly interested in the quality of the meats they’re preparing for their families this year.. … “Sprouts’ natural turkeys are raised with no antibiotics ever, and Sprouts’ organic turkeys are free-range and fed a certified-organic diet on family-run farms.”

This is the best part Sprouts focused on price and they are priced right.  They range from $35.99 to $79.99, for the grocerant Ready-2-Heat and -serve prepared meals include traditional trimmings and seasonal sides, with main courses such as Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast for two, or party-sized portions for six to eight of a Natural Whole Turkey, USDA Choice Boneless Rib Roast or Spiral-sliced Ham, along with seasonal sides and dinner rolls. 

For those seeking a vegan option, Sprouts offers a prepared 40-ounce Gardein Roast meal, which includes cornbread stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and a Take & Bake Sourdough Loaf. Also available are ready-to-serve party trays for $15.99 to $44.99.

Customers can place delivery and curbside pickup orders for holiday meats, prepared meals and thousands of holiday ingredients online. Prepared meals can be ordered as gifts for faraway friends and families to pick up at their local Sprouts stores. Thanksgiving Day delivery is available while supplies last. Customers can place orders using their Sprouts accounts and link their Instacart Express Memberships.

Additionally, in celebration of the season, Sprouts will host an Instagram Live cooking demo with “Iron Chef” star Cat Cora on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. PST. During the demo, Cora will show how to make her Cornbread, Sausage and Apple Stuffing recipe. That is interactive and participatory brand building and will be fun according to Johnson.

“Growing up in the South, we made all our family recipes from scratch using fresh and seasonal ingredients,” said Cora. “This stuffing reminds me of the flavors of cooler seasons back home ... apples, sausage, cornbread. I hope everyone can enjoy the goodness and love of this recipe during their holiday meals this year!”  Let Cat Cora help you have a happy holiday meal.

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 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869 

Panera Franchisees Can Make a Difference

 

Franchise developers at Panera Bread typically own at minimum 15 units. Regular readers of this blog know that in most cases franchisees are closer to the consumer and pulse of ‘what customers want’. In the case of Panera bread developer, The Flynn Restaurant Group subsidiary Pan American Group is testing alcohol sales as part of the Panera Tonight program in five Kansas City locations.

Listening to consumers and giving them what they want is important according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. When asked if they wanted to cook dinner from scratch or assemble dinner from fresh meal components 91.1 % of Gen Z chose assemble from Fresh Prepared Meal Components and Millennials 83.6 chose meal components. Johnson noted that both wine and beer are meal components deemed an important to complete a meal by 69.7% or respondents.

The alcohol test is part of the introduction of the Panera Tonight: Beer, Wine & Dine program that premiered exclusively at the five Pan American franchised stores on Oct. 28, which coincided with the nationwide launch of Panera’s new flatbread pizzas. Ok, we all know that beer and pizza is like a one to punch for online ordering.

Since this is the first time that any Panera Bread café is serving alcohol. Pan American Group is partnering with Boulevard Brewing Co. and Napa Valley’s Ménage à Trois Wines. The program will start out at two cafes in Overland Park, Kan., and will expand to three other Kansas City cafes. Customers at these locations will be able to try out and pair a variety of wines, beers and hard seltzers from 4 p.m. until closing, including Boulevard’s pale ale, unfiltered wheat beer, and Quirk Spiked and sparkling strawberry lemon and basil seltzer, along with Ménage à Trois’ red blend, gold Chardonnay and Limelight pinot grigio.

Randy Bates, senior director, head of marketing at Flynn Restaurant Group told NRN, “We are targeting our dinner and evening guests that are looking to pair a beer or wine with our great products like our new flatbread pizzas,”. “Given the environment over the last 6 months we’ve been challenged to think differently about our business.  This is one of the areas we believe is a growth opportunity for our brand.  We always like to give our guests choices.”

While the alcohol menu is only available for dine-in customers, though Bates said that they “will continue to evolve to meet the demands and requests of our guests.” He also said that depending on the success of the pilot program, that they could add to their alcohol offerings or expand the program to other stores. Johnson noted the benefits of increasing ticket size for delivery while meeting the unmet demand for convenience by consumers is obvious.

Natalie Gershon, vice president of marketing for Boulevard stated, “Like mine, families on-the-go are always looking for dinner options that are delicious, healthy and please the entire family,”…  “We are honored to team up with Panera for this pilot and offer fans Boulevard beer and seltzer in our backyard.”

“It’s honestly up to our customers,” Bates said. “If they show us that they want a beer with their flatbread or a glass of wine with their salad, I think it likely that others will jump on board.” If you want beer and wine from your Panera start asking every time you visit, call, or order Online according to Johnson.

Panera Flatbread pizzas are available in cheese, margherita, or chipotle chicken & bacon.  They start at $7.59, while beer and wine prices range from $4-$6 at the participating Kansas City area Panera restaurants.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® 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: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Vallarta Supermarkets' in-house Mexican kitchen Meals are cooked fresh daily.

 

Success does leave clues and at Vallarta Supermarkets grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food is cooked on site, with fresh foods, and authentic full-flavor that taste homemade.  Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® based in Tacoma, WA Steven Johnson stated “in-house /on-site kitchens drive freshness, and consumer adoption.”

So, Vallarta Supermarkets, is one of the largest Latino-owned supermarket chains in California, is now offering home delivery of its La Cocina menu of prepared food through a new partnership with Postmates food delivery service.  This partnership that will rival the service from a chain restaurant according to Johnson will create new electricity for both La Cocina Kitchen and Vallarta.

Vallarta Supermarket is known locally as the “Home of the Original Carne Asada”.  They have been testing Postmates delivery service in select regions since June and will now offer it in 32 of its 52 stores, with service to more stores coming by the end of 2020. How are you developing new electricity for your brand?

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply chain and includes such things as fresh foods, online ordering, delivery, plant based foods, sampling, toy’s, cereal, developing brands,  grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All food and beverage retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food and beverages that are portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.  Does your retail path forward look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why?

Mark Montelongo, vice president, meat, seafood and La Cocina stated, “The wait is over, now you can get Vallarta’s homemade, authentic dishes from La Cocina delivered straight to your home,” … “Food delivery is something that our customers have been asking for, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Postmates is making it convenient and safe for you to have our delicious tacos, burritos and other menu options at your door. We’ve worked hard with our operations teams to ensure customers get the high-quality La Cocina items they’ve come to expect." 

On average, Postmates will deliver to a customer’s door within 45 minutes, the retailer said. For customers who prefer to pick up their orders, they can place the order via the Postmates app and pick it up in-store at the Postmates pickup window at La Cocina.  

La Cocina Authentic Mexican Taqueria and Kitchen is Vallarta's in-house Mexican kitchen where traditional foods are prepared, cooked fresh daily and ready for purchase. The La Cocina menu will consist of popular items including carne asada burritos, birria de res, taquiza packs, tamales, caldos (soups), horchata, pupusas, fresh guacamole, premium tortilla chips, tres leches cake, champurrado, fresh-squeezed juices and more.

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 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

The Restaurant Conundrum: Compliancy or Consternation

 

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson ask can you afford to sit back and wait for the COVID-19 vaccinations to reach 100% of your consumers?  The time to look a customer ahead is now. You have a choice barrow money and wait it out, hoping all of your customers return or you can fight the tenancy of compliancy and opt for a degree of consternation as you move forward with new menu items in new avenues of distribution.  

So. back in the day (2009), Domino’s awoke from a long period of brand protectionism practices, self-imposed rules that contributed to stifling sales growth, product quality, and a loss of customer relevance.  Domino’s was the first major retail brand to discard it core product for and completely new one since the failed rebranding of Coco Cola. It was a huge risk.  Guess what Domino’s won.

Domino’s did what no other restaurant chain did; they stopped doing what they always had done and moved forward focused on the customer. In short, they abandoned brand protectionism.   It is not back to the basics.  It was a macro step, not a micro step.  It was a step into the future of brand marketing, positioning, and essential for legacy brands continued consumer relevance.  Abandoning brand protectionism means repositioning a product or a company focusing on the core foundation of the legacy product with a dramatic shift in contemporized customer relevance.  Simply put incremental steps are not enough today. 

In Seth Godin's book Purple Cow where an entrepreneur wants to recapture some of the magic that the brand at one time had. Godin suggests that the key to success is finding a way to stand out and be remarkable, like a purple cow in a field of regular cows. That’s what Domino’s did and the company has never looked back.

Domino’s same-store sales have risen 19 percent on a two-year basis, which six years later and with a recession in the middle is not bad at all. They continue to rise.

Rebuilding customer relevance is important if a brand somehow grows out of touch.  In the case of Domino’s abandoning brand protectionism contributed to drive top line sales and bottom-line profits, driving customer relevance and sales momentum resulting in same-store sales in international markets rose 7.7 percent in the quarter in 2015. Growth can happen when both the franchisee and customers are happy at chain restaurants.   The customer is dynamic not static any your brand must be as well. 

The challenged for any restaurant today is to move past the yesterday and look at Gen Z and Millennials think about how a digital native is going to shop, buy meals, and eat moving forward. The grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food, gives retailers the to drive incremental food sales, the ability to see and understand the customers focus at its core, then evolve. Success does leave clues and companies leading the charge in 2021 will be leaders within their niche for years to come.

Food retailers that do not evolve be warned that the rest of will be reading headlines that C-level change is coming or came at your company. Without bold new leaders many legacy retail food brands may simply become non relevant. In the event that they are more about their brand than the consumer they will simply fall to the way side. Do you need outside eyes to help drive top line sale and bottom-line profits?

Consternation is not a bad thing. It can be both uncomfortable and rewarding. Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions FIVE P’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.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information

What’s for Dinner Gen Z and Millennials Boredom

 

Guess what? Gen Z and Millennials, while at the cusp of maturity are still not willing to explore as much as we had previously reported. Digital natives while in search of food discovery are more like their parents according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

I just might have to qualify that.  By saying their core menu is like their parents but the search for food discovery remains high, as they seek new avenues of distribution, new bolder flavors, and digital marketing.

So, COVID-19 has even forced Gen Z and Millennials too spend more time at home and indoors, they have more control over their food choices than ever, but have largely fallen into a food rut according to a new survey from Y-Pulse. Let’s see just what they found:

“With the lack of in-restaurant meals, on-campus dining or social dining events to differentiate day-to-day eating habits, 59 percent of survey respondents agreed with the statement "I find myself eating the same foods every day." Yet nearly eight in 10 (79 percent) of these young consumers crave the variety they can get when dining out.

They are experiencing monotony in their actual meals but are interested in a return to more versatile options, whether that comes from the restaurants they miss or innovations they are creating for themselves in the kitchen, Y-Pulse reported.

"Young consumers are feeling both inspired and exhausted by the conditions of the pandemic," said Sharon Olson, executive director of Y-Pulse. "They're fluctuating between a need for distraction and a quick fix to their everyday dining needs. That kind of shifting perspective on dining needs to be met with dynamic ideas to captivate young audiences."

While 57 percent of respondents prefer to purchase fully prepared food over making food from scratch, 62 percent of young consumers disagree with the statement "I do not like to cook." In fact, cooking is on the rise among consumers who are experiencing an increase in free time due to the pandemic disrupting their day-to-day routines. Seventy-eight percent have found opportunities to explore cooking new recipes during stay-at-home periods and 80 percent have been inspired to learn more cooking techniques during their at-home cooking forays.

In addition to looking for variety in their diets, younger consumers are also vacillating between health foods and indulgent options when they search for comforting foods. Sixty-nine percent pointed to indulgent comfort food as their choice in recent months, while 83 percent are looking forward to returning to healthier eating, which implies that indulgence needs to be balanced with fresh and healthy options.

However, this does not mean that younger consumers are likely to adopt strict dieting rules, as 71 percent agree that a little bit of indulgence was likely to become part of their daily routine and 76 percent say that life is too short to skip dessert. For younger generations, balanced meals are a critical part of self-care and comfort, according to the survey.

Younger consumers also miss social dining events that are currently restricted. Seventy percent say they have missed being around other people when dining in a foodservice establishment, despite their wariness regarding a return to normal social routines. Sixty-five percent say they will be reluctant to return to large food halls or marketplace environments.

With 66 percent looking forward to socializing at the farmers market, finding ways to accommodate open air and outdoor dining can help reinvigorate social dining while maintaining safety protocols, Y-Pulse noted.

Although the timeline for reopening is different for everyone, younger consumers haven't forgotten their former favorite restaurants, and the absence of restaurant dining has increased their appreciation for dining out, as 77 percent say they have a greater appreciation for all of the restaurant experiences they used to take for granted and 79 percent agree that chefs have become heroes serving their communities in these difficult times.

Three out of four consumers plan to patronize restaurants that were known for taking care of their employees during the pandemic. In the meantime, the drive-thru window at younger consumers' favorite restaurants feels like home for 48 percent of survey respondents. Regardless of the pandemic, younger consumers will continue to support their favorite eateries.”

Looking for success clues of your own? Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Foodservice and Gasoline-Powered Car Ban’s

 

The train has left the building on awareness, acceptance, and approval of the ‘halo’ of better for you around banning new gasoline powered cars.  It’s going to happened is your foodservice brand going to fight it to the end or are you preparing to step up and look a customer ahead?

Momentum is building for the U.S. to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars.  Soon, New Jersey could become the second state in the U.S. to enact a ban on the sales of new gasoline-powered cars, following California. Tesla is an aspirational brand and they don’t make a gasoline powered car at all. 

I know, they are just selling 500,000 cars a year and 14.500,000 cars are sold in the U.S. a year.  Back to momentum, all car manufactures are now producing and introducing new electric vehicles. Currently, grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food is driving growth or sustaining sales in every sector of retail foodservice.

When asked if they wanted to cook dinner from scratch or assemble dinner from fresh grocerant niche meal components 91.1 % of Gen Z chose assemble from Fresh Prepared Meal Components and Millennials 83.6 chose meal components. Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® stated “both gen Z and Millennials value of grocerant niche meal components placing a ‘halo’ of better-4-you around them.”

Since California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement of a ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection has called for a similar measure in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Johnson noted that both Gen Z and millennials who are digital natives are also the most aware, accepting, and will be ready to adopt electric vehicles.  Thus, forcing restaurants, c-stores, dollar stores, and grocerant stores to evolve their business models in three important ways:

1.       Install more charging stations

2.       Increase Grocerant niche meals, and meal component offerings

3.       Innovate packaging options that include the ‘halo’ of Better-4-You

By the way, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and California Rep. Mark Levin have introduced legislation that would require 50% of sales for new passenger vehicles to be zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2025 and end U.S. sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, while boosting the market for battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Note: At least 15 countries have made similar commitments already, including Germany, France and Norway.

Regular readers of this blog know that “consumers never go backwards”.  Are you looking a customer ahead? Do you understand what attributes, values, that drive top of mind awareness around grocerant niche meals and meal components?

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson 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. For more information visit GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869

Foodservice Suppliers like The Coca-Cola Co. Can Drive New Electricity into your Business

 

Independent restaurants, convenience stores, grocers and benefit from a close relationship with key suppliers according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. Large chains are not the only ones that can benefit from a partnership with a key supplier.

Johnson, stated “during these times of uncertainty, it is important to ask for help, and take it where ever you can get it. Here is some good news, many of your suppliers may have an answer to a problem you could not afford, solve on your own or for some of you even knew about.”

Success does leave clues and the Coco-Cola company is a key supplier to many that created a platform to help clients succeed today.  If fact it’s their goal to help you as that also helps them.

Take for example “Usability Testing”.  Did you know that “usability testing acts as a complimentary and remote resource that restaurants and c-stores can use to uncover ways to optimize their websites and apps? Have your ever tried to use an app that did not work.  Even one that does not work well will hurt your business.

Since, COVID-19 has reshaped consumer behavior, independent restaurants, c-stores, and grocery stores have to keep up with chains and small chains need help as well. To help drive top line sales, bottom line profits while garnering new Gen Z and Millennial customers. Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food has proven to be a sales and profit savior for all sectors of retail foodservice. Ordering via an app is close to being deemed essential for survival according to Johnson. Having an app that works and works well will drive new electricity into your brand.

All foodservice retailers today should be enhancing their digital footprints by creating or updating their websites and mobile apps, as more interactions move from in person to virtual. Thus, “The Coca-Cola Co. has rolled out a variety of solutions and tools to help its restaurant customers digitize — many of which can also be leveraged by convenience retailers as they move into similar spaces.

Coca-Cola Digital Marketplace launched this summer, featuring digital solutions to help operators enhance and expand their off-premise and digital order capabilities. Coca-Cola customers receive exclusive discounts to technologies, including Omnivore’s Menu Management System and OneDine’s Off Premise Solutions.

Omnivore’s Menu Management System is a single-source-of-truth software that allows operators to own their digital menu content and control their brand across any digital platform. Enhancing digital ordering and third-party delivery, MMS enables orders from third-party app providers to be injected directly into the Point of Sale (POS), providing operators complete visibility and control over consumers’ digital experiences and access to valuable performance data.

OneDine’s scan-to-order solution allows guests to simply drive up to a parking space and scan the QR code from the standing sign with their mobile device. This launches a mobile-friendly web page for the outlet where the guest can order food and beverages and pay from their phone, and have the food and drinks delivered right to their car.

Coca-Cola is also offering Usability Testing as a complimentary and remote resource for operators to uncover ways to optimize their websites and apps. A panel of users tests the app or website, and Coca-Cola delivers video and audio recordings of feedback as well as a robust findings report.

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply chain and includes such things as fresh foods, online ordering, delivery, plant based foods, sampling, toy’s, cereal, developing brands,  grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All food and beverage retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food and beverages that are portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.  Does your retail path forward look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why?

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® 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 us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

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