Krispy Kreme is Offering $1 Dozen Deal Today

Success does leave clues, and Krispy Kreme has picked up, shares, and learned a lot about its customers in it’s first 84 years according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

So. to Celebrate their 84th Birthday, Krispy Kreme is edifying its relationship with its customers the best way they know how.  That is with an interactive participatory branded message. That message is a customer favorite, a BOGO, (Buy One Get One); the BOGO deal is available on Friday, July 16.

If you are working in an office, Krispy Kreme is celebrating its 84th birthday treating fans with an offer of fun, it’s turning birthday to BirthYAY, consider stopping on your way to the office and share a treat.

Today, July 16, Krispy Kreme fans can receive a $1 BirthYAY dozen – an Original Glazed dozen featuring a special strawberry iced BirthYAY sprinkle doughnut – with the purchase of any dozen at participating shops across the U.S. 

Dave Skena, Chief Marketing Officer for Krispy Kreme stated, “For our 84th birthday, we’re giving our amazing fans a special doughnut and a great deal to celebrate with delicious, melt in-your-mouth doughnuts,”.   

Don’t delay, as today is the day to share how you’re celebrating Krispy Kreme’s birthday this year with a $1 BirthYAY Dozen by using #KrispyKreme and tagging @krispykreme on social media. The BirthYAY Dozen offer is available in stores and for online ordering with promocode: BIRTHYAY.

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 

Branded Food Matters to Digital Native Generations

 

How much would you pay to get a new customer for life?  That is the question foodservice retailers should be asking themselves according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. Johnson believes that the cost of a lifetime customer and cost of customer acquisition need to be top of mind for every leader selling food or beverages in every retail channel today.

Regular readers of this blog know that Gen Z and Millennials both have an unmet need-set, that being food discovery. Garnering trial from a digital native is one thing.  The real question is how to you plan to keep them a customer for life after they try your brand?  Younger consumers are developing strong preferences for brands that meet their needs.

Recently Mobiquity, a digital consultancy shared some insights with CSNews, about how retailers might encourage more occasions and ultimately earn their long-term business. The majority of consumers surveyed by Mobiquity, noted an increase in mobile, and online ordering, as well as the utilization of curbside services in the past year.

Mobiquity, found that this is especially true among digital native generations, with younger customers nearly three times as likely to use mobile apps than those ages 56 and above. Because of this growing mobile usage, younger consumers are creating digital habits and developing strong preferences for brands that meet their needs.

The findings went on to say that along the same lines, 63 percent of consumers ages 25 to 40 will frequent a restaurant or convenience store that has digital offerings more often than ones that do not. Forty-four percent of consumers in this age group have also changed where they order food from because their usual place had subpar digital offerings. Additionally, more than 70 percent of consumers ages 18 to 55 stating that they are likely to increase how often they order from a store if their mobile app is easy to use.

Other highlights of the report include:

·         Digital ordering promotes customer loyalty: When it comes to continuing to order from a particular restaurant or convenience store, 82 percent of respondents agree that having an easy-to-use website is important and 76 percent agree that an easy-to-use mobile app is crucial.

·         Customers will switch allegiance for better rewards: Fifty-two percent of respondents ages 25 to 40 changed where they order food from because another store had a better loyalty or rewards program.

·         Current apps are not quite meeting expectations: Of the consumers surveyed, 71 percent were satisfied with delivery mobile apps, such as DoorDash, GrubHub and Uber Eats. Seventy percent were satisfied with restaurants' apps, 61 percent were satisfied with coffee shops' apps, but only 53 percent were satisfied with convenience stores' mobile offerings.

·         Contactless fueling could lead to increased c-store visits: Among the 25 to 55 age demographic, the majority of consumers would visit a particular convenience store more if it offered them the ability to fuel their car using a mobile phone (more than 50 percent) as well as if they could earn fuel discounts via a mobile rewards program (more than 70 percent).

·         Income has an impact on order frequency: Those in the lowest income bracket ($50,000 or less) are most likely to use an app to order food and be frequent users, making about 56 visits a year. That's compared to consumers who earn more than $100,000 per year who make about 36 visits in the same timeframe.

Britt Mills, senior director, customer experience at Mobiquity, stated, "Restaurant and convenience store customers have rapidly adopted digital tools over the last year in order to safely interact with their preferred brands," … "It comes as no surprise that younger generations of customers are more comfortable using mobile apps to order food. Our Restaurant and Convenience Store Digital Impact Report revealed that these consumers have built digital habits that will remain even as restrictions ease. It's vital for restaurants and convenience stores to meet and exceed expectations when it comes to mobile apps to cement long-term consumer loyalty as competition grows."

The Restaurant and Convenience Store Digital Impact Report explores how consumers are engaging with technology in restaurants and convenience stores as well as how this engagement affects loyalty, order frequency, and in-store or in-restaurant traffic. Nearly 1,300 consumers across the U.S. ages 18 and older were surveyed.

For the full Restaurant and Convenience Store Digital Impact Report click this blue link.

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

Are Roller Grill’s Still Necessary

 

The number one article read on the Foodservice Solutions® blog since 2009 continues to be Roll, Roll, Roll, Away Roller Grill, according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Johnson, and the team at Foodservice Solutions® admits that they downplayed, the intersection of food preparation simplicity and profitability, and looked more at consumers trends and the growing demand under the ‘halo’ of better for you, food options.

That said, there is no doubt that customer trends continue to favor fresh food, fast and the appetite for a simple heated roller grill meal substitute is waning.  Yet, the team at Foodservice Solutions® thinks it important to share the insight from Isabelle Gustafson has to say about roller gills in C-stores today.

Here is what Gustafson had to say about roller grills today: “As the line between c-stores and quick-serve restaurants (QSRs) becomes increasingly blurred, and consumers become more accustomed to made-to-order foodservice, the roller grill is no longer a given.

As with all c-store segments, operators must ask themselves whether the roller grill is the best fit at their locations. So, what sets the roller grill apart from other foodservice offers, and how do you know if a roller grill is right for your c-store?

Space-Saver

The roller grill can be a great option for any c-store, but it’s especially helpful for c-stores with very limited space. A super-small store may not have room for the type of kitchen necessary for made-to-order foodservice. The roller grill provides these types of stores with a solid foodservice option that takes up minimal space.

We know that today’s consumers love customization, and this is where made-to-order foodservice options really shine. But customization can be challenging for operators, especially for c-stores, given their space constraints.

Self-Serve

The roller grill is especially beneficial for stores with not only limited space, but also limited employees.

Because the roller grill is self-serve, it’s a great way to keep labor costs low while still providing customers with a great grab-and-go foodservice option. While, of course, the roller grill must be properly and frequently cleaned and restocked, it’s relatively low-maintenance compared with other offers.

Granted, the pandemic did pose some unique challenge for the roller grill in particular: Amid shutdowns and heightened concerns over food safety, along with regional regulations, some retailers paused roller grill sales altogether. Meanwhile, others were able to bring the segment behind the counter as a way to meet COVID-19 safety requirements while continuing to serve customers.

Grab-and-Go

While made-to-order foodservice is increasingly popular, there’s a reason the roller grill is a tried and true favorite for c-stores: The roller grill is the ultimate convenience — a quick and easy lunch or snack for customers in a hurry.

Roller grill offers also tend to be less expensive than made-to-order foods while still being some of Americans’ favorites.

In fact, overall sales of hot dogs actually rose about 20% in 2020, and total pounds 7% over 2019, according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. In March, at the start of the pandemic’s spread in the. U.S., sales soared 127% in grocery stores specifically before they began to even out.

Dinner sausage sales experienced a similar increase. Overall in 2020, they were up 24% in sales and 15% in total pounds.

Ultimately, while the roller grill can be a great option for any store, big or small, no matter the location, there are a few key indicators to determine whether or not a roller grill is the right fit. As with most things, the answer will likely depend on your particular store’s needs and constraints as well as your specific clientele.

So, that was what Isabelle Gustafson had to say.  Do you know what we are saying today?  Once again, the trend is your friend. Let it go, the halo of better for you will drive more customer adoption than any thing else.

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

Donatos Growth with Ghost Kitchens

 

Donatos pizza is a dynamic company, they have tried just about every style of business model over the past 20 years.  The fact is they continue to grow, garner new customers, drive top line sales and bottom-line profits.  That according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® is what good companies do until they find the perfect fit.

Partnerships matter, and partnerships can drive new electricity into the brand and with consumers according to the team at Foodservice Solutions®. Donatos continues to drive growth with product the ilk of their brand's famous Edge to Edge topped thin crust pizzas, recently, Donatos announce a new partnership with REEF Kitchens to expand its presence in Nashville that began on June 23, 2021.

Consider this that in just five years since they open the first store in the Music City, Donatos has become a favorite of locals, visitors and students from both Vanderbilt and Belmont at its location in Midtown. An additional restaurant opened in nearby Murfreesboro four years ago, but requests for more locations and expanded delivery options around Nashville have continued to pour in.

Now, through the delivery-only partnership with REEF, customers in more areas of Music City and the surrounding communities will be able to order Donatos on demand.  REEF has a national network of Neighborhood Kitchens that enables food entrepreneurs, local restaurants, and national brands to open and quickly expand their delivery business for less than it would cost to build a new unit. The newest Donatos location in Nashville will service the East Nashville neighborhoods via delivery from all major delivery platforms including UberEats, DoorDash, Postmates, and Grubhub.

Donatos CEO Tom Krouse, stated, "We are excited about this new partnership and the ability to help more Nashville residents enjoy our pizza,". "REEF is a scalable way to grow our business through delivery."

"In a time where delivery, convenience, and quality are king, we're honored to tap our Neighborhood Kitchens to help Donatos reach new customers in Nashville," says Carl Segal, REEF's Chief Enterprise Success Officer.

This is the first of what both Donatos and REEF hope will be a multi-city growth venture throughout the country between the brands. Combining increased interest with new franchise partners, its partnership with Red Robin, and potential with REEF, the Donatos brand, which can now be found in 300 locations, is positioned for explosive growth in 2021 and beyond. How are you building out your network of stores and at what cost?

According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products and or service, when you edify your core brand message you elevate a platform driving new electricity.”  That said, what are you waiting for?

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, developing brands, unique urban clothing, grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.

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

Grocerant Niche Marketing Messaging Success Clues

Opening a foodservice operation is a dauting task.  Keeping it open, profitable, and top of mind with consumers takes a messaging that not only drives your brand messaging home but is a call to action. Success does leave clues and Jim Farrell is the founder of PRfirst, a public relations/marketing company, in Hanover, Mass. He recently shared some of his tips and hint’s on how to keep you brands messaging top of time with consumers.

Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, stated a proper press release can drive as must awareness as most printed advertisements for small growing companies.”. Note any edits were by our Grocerant Guru® for added clarity.

Jim Farrell began, “Don’t overlook the tried-and-true (and often under-utilized) press release or public relations (PR) effort to help position your company as a “top of mind” choice.

A press release is a straightforward “who, what, when, where, why” announcement that if done properly should find its way into a variety of newspapers and magazines and onto some key websites.

Tell your customers and potential customers your good news through a PR campaign that targets your local media — from the community newspapers to business journals and the dailies that cover your market. If you want to “get noticed” in the industry, definitely include the industry trade journals.

PR is different from other forms of marketing because it is “earned media,” which means that news outlets include your information generally at no cost to you because it is deemed newsworthy. That distinction carries with it the third-person validation of someone else saying good things about your business.

Over time, PR can accomplish two important goals: (1) Boosting a company’s brand recognition and visibility through Google and other searches, and (2) Establishing the business as an industry thought leader.

News outlets are generally interested in publishing/posting legitimate news about your business because many lack the resources to aggressively cover the news of smaller businesses and instead rely upon external submissions from the companies to fill the gap in coverage.

A press release can also serve as a springboard for larger coverage. Curious writers and editors may also be interested in an interview, a profile or even a contributed “thought leadership” piece from you on a topic such as, “Ten trends in fast food in the c-store industry.”

Whether you use the services of an outside public relations firm or have an internal marketing person or team to assist, here are a few basic guidelines.

1.       Your chances of having your news published or posted are greatly enhanced if what you submit is genuinely newsworthy. The “rookie error” of do-it-yourselfers is not understanding the difference between news and advertising. For example, offering 25% off a product line for the month of June is not news — unless you are donating the proceeds to a local non-profit that feeds the homeless. New hires and promotions, expansions, community charitable good works, new locations, awards won and new products are among the topics that make for good press releases.

2.       News releases should be written in a very simple, factual, straightforward way. Remember the 5Ws – “who, what, where, when and why” — in writing. The introductory sentences should clearly tell the story.

3.       News should be written in the third person. It is about (but not “by”) the company. For example, “John Smith, CEO of XYZ  local chain of grocerants, was named Citizen of the Year by the Smalltown Chamber of Commerce.”

4.       Include contact information. Someone at your company should be readily available to answer questions in case an editor or reporter wants to call and ask (quick callbacks are key).

5.       Remember that the goal of a press release is to inform, not promote.

6.       Where appropriate, include a picture. If it’s a new hire or new promotion, a good head-and-shoulders photograph is a plus.

7.       Check with the outlets that will receive your press release as to their preference for format. You can find contact information for media outlets with some careful (Google) research. Typically, the body of press release is embedded in the email message and the subject line should summarize the story. If sending to multiple recipients, put all addresses in the bcc column.

8.       Don’t submit news more often than every other week (unless it is truly “breaking news”).  More frequent distribution may wear out the welcome mat for you and lead to less coverage.

9.       And when you do get placements, the links to the coverage look good on the “in the news” section of your website, or on your social media pages.

Success at PR is more about consistency than magic. Well-written news releases that address topics of interest to editors should yield favorable results. Good luck, and good publicity!

Success does leave clues. One clue that time and time again continues to resurface is “the consumer is dynamic not static”.  Regular readers of this blog know that is the common refrain of Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Our Grocerant Guru® can help your company edify your brand with relevance.  Call 253-759-7869 for more information. 

Starbucks a Food Marketing Juggernaut

 

When industry professionals ask me what I think about Starbucks my response is fast and clear, they are a food marketing juggernaut. Starbucks is that best at consumer-focused interactive participatory marketing.  Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® says, “Amazon wants every employee every day think like it is day one. Starbucks, what’s everyone one to think each customer is number one.”

Starbucks has rolled out a new beta test that allows select digital customers to order secret menu items popularized on social media via an invitation from Instagram and Facebook, including the Pink Drink Remix and mixed Iced Matcha Latte/Iced Chai Latte. This is but another great example of consumer-focused interactive participatory food marketing.

Knowing who and where your consumers are is important and now leaning into social media trends — often led by influencers — that come up with new ways to customize Starbucks drinks that you can’t find on the menu board, is a success clue other should be taking note of.

So, the new Matcha/Chai latte combination for example, was popularized on TikTok earlier this year, and even rapper Lizzo got in on the trend, uploading a video of herself trying the combo drink.

That said, the Pink Drink Remixed is a version of the Pink Drink topped with vanilla sweet cream cold foam, which was popularized several years ago by customers substituting water for coconut milk in the coffee chain’s Strawberry Acai Refresher. The Pink Drink was officially added to the menu in 2017. Listening to customers works wonders if you want to garner incremental buy-in.

Once again here is how it works: Select Starbucks customers will be invited via Facebook or Instagram to participate in the test and will be taken to a separate website where they will be able to order one (or both) of the custom drinks, or they can also place their orders via the Starbucks app.

Press accounts noted comments from the company; “Starbucks is always exploring innovative ways to enhance the customer experience,” “Our customers and partners often come up with creative customizations and we look forward to hearing feedback on their experience using this digital ordering feature.”

This test is only for a limited time, but it would not be surprising if Starbucks finds more ways to incorporate personalized drinks and social media trends into their digital strategy in the future.

While a Starbucks spokesperson said “At this time, we look forward to hearing feedback on our customers’ and partners’ experiences using this digital ordering feature for these two beverages,” according to Johnson grocerant niche interactive participatory food marketing has provided positive results time and time again.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com 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.