Dynamic Domino’s Dial’s Up Innovation

Once again success does leave clues.  At the intersection of fresh flavorful food, food technology, and food marketing one company continues to standout according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

That company is Domino’s.  The clear reason is that Domino’s domestic same-store sales up in Q2 6.9% once again leading the all large chains and many others in same store sales, innovation, and customer relevance according to Johnson.

Johnson continued saying that today’s consumers are on the run; and apparently running to Domino’s Tech Hotspots”. Domino’s Pizza Inc. grew domestic same-store sales 6.9 percent in the second quarter, helped by technological innovations like delivery hotspots, according to Ritch Allison, Domino’s CEO..

Allison continued “For the second quarter ended June 17, Domino’s net income rose 17.7 percent to $77.4 million, or $1.78 a share, from $65.7 million, or $1.32 a share, in the prior-year period. Revenues were up 24 percent to $779.4 million from $628.6 million in the same quarter last year.”

 Allison continued “our second quarter was highlighted by yet another innovation in food delivery with the launch of Domino’s HotSpots, of which there are now more than 200,000 across the United States

As regular reader of this blog know we reported in April, the company introduced the HotSpots, which feature non-traditional delivery locations including parks, beaches, local landmarks and other gathering spots. In the United States, Domino’s generates more than 60 percent of its sales via digital channels, and at the time said this was a win for Domino’s and a win for consumers. Well once again we were right.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or twitter.com/grocerant

Dash In's Fresh Food Connects with Consumers

It was not long ago that consumer’s idea of going to a convenience store for a fresh meal meant little more than a Hot Dog on a Roller Grill and a day old donut. Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® has helped changed that at many food retailers around the world over the years.

The demand for grocerant niche Ready-2Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food shows no signs of slowing down in large part to the growing base of time-strapped consumers according to Johnson.  Companies large and small are welcoming the new sales opportunity fresh food brings to retail.

Recently Dash In in an effort to develop a reimagined brand experience unveiled the fruits of its labor with an all-new, large-format "neighborhood concept store" in Chesterfield County, Va., that prominently showcases local products and the retailer’s elevated fresh food and beer/wine offering.

Julian B. Wills, president Dash In, a Wills Group company state  "[This store] achieves what we’re trying to do at Dash In. Other c-stores focus on transactions associated with normal customer pit stops, but for us and our mantra, we want to make time more rewarding for people by emphasizing a sense of local and personal connection that transforms the necessary errands of today’s busy lives into engaging experiences,"

At the core of the new concept is ‘craveable foodservice’. An expansive kitchen serves as the centerpiece of the Chesterfield County location, allowing customers to clearly locate it upon walking into the store. The move to put foodservice at the epicenter of the store design was intentional.

Wills continued "From a trust perspective, we wanted customers to be able to see the food being produced because we wanted to have that transparency. It also illustrates the freshness of everything being made on-site, on demand,"  Its Chef’s Craveable foodservice program — which includes all-day breakfast, artisan sandwiches, grab-and-go wraps and salads that are prepared in-house daily — has been adapted to the fit the concept of localized.

Specific to the Chesterfield County location, Dash In is testing two new menu items: a Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla and Chicken Parmesan sliders. The latter is the seventh variety in the retailer’s slider sandwich program. Thanks to the size of the kitchen, Dash In anticipates using this location to introduce and test more localized menu items before rolling them out to its other stores. So what is your new electricity?

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? 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.

Why a Wendy’s - Papa John’s Merger Makes Sense

Increasingly in 2018, consumers are finding that the family dinner is a grocerant meal, with 82.7% of family dinners including at least one grocerant niche fresh prepared item. In fact, Americans consume a shocking 350 slices of pizza every second, according to a report from CNBC -- and if that fact does not get you, consider this: 61% of consumers eat a sandwich at least once a week! 

Now, according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, Papa John’s has the technology to empower delivery that Wendy’s needs.  Wendy’s has burgers - another hand-held food that fits perfectly with consumers’ increasing on-the-go sandwich trends. Then there is the fact that Wendy’s does not sell breakfast system-wide, thus offering a huge opportunity for incremental growth for a combined company.

This new combination could create a platform that encompasses dinner sales, lunch sales, and breakfast sales, given the built-in customer bases and technology platform, according to Johnson.  After all, regular readers of this blog know that since 1991 Steven Johnson has been crafting new non-traditional business relationships edifying legacy brands, while building foundations for start-up and regional chains.

Does your brand need a refresh? If your brand looks more like yesterday than today or tomorrow, it just might be time that you called for outside eyes to help you drive inside results.  What is your new electricity that is driving top line sales and bottom line profits?  Are your customer counts growing? 

So, just what do we mean by a brand’s new electricity? According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven by innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution, all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

Johnson states that “in my mind’s-eye, the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, urban clothing, grocerant consultants, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, and digital hand-held marketing. This program has all of that.

For foodservice retailers to survive the next generation of retail, they must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar, not different.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships now more than ever before, according to Johnson.

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 speaker will leave success clues for all. Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

What’s for Lunch? It just might be MealPal

Going out to lunch today seems to take much more time that employees or companies want and according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru®, at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® companies the ilk of MealPal are providing a service that is attractive to both employees and companies alike.

Founded in 2016 MealPal is a subscription service that promises more than 40 percent off lunch for consumers, that has service 8 million meals.  The service launched has operations in fourteen cities. Largely aimed at urban office workers, MealPal offers two subscription tiers: a 20-day package per month for $5.59 per meal or a 12-day package per month for $5.99 per meal.

So how does the service work?  Customers submit their order through the MealPal app the night before or by 9:30 a.m., set a pickup time and fetch their meal without waiting in line. For restaurants, MealPal brings new customers, but they also benefit from receiving orders well in advance and the labor savings stemming from preparing bulk orders. Likening it to the catering model, MealPal says making one meal multiple times is much quicker than making a variety of individual meals.

“The biggest expense for them is labor costs, but because they are making only one meal per day for MealPal they are able to make it much more efficient,” Mary Biggins, MealPal’s founder and CEO, told TechCrunch last year. Are you considering a new partnership this year is so Johnson thinks you might want to consider MealPal to help you’re brand find new electricity. .

Consumers earn significant savings, avoid long lines at their pick-up spot, and get to continually try different meals from a variety of places.

One drawback is that orders must be picked up. A number of on-demand services support delivery, albeit generally at menu prices plus delivery fees. MealPal believes the meal savings and a desire to take a break from work encourage many to use the service.

The meals are only available on weekdays (not including holidays) and customers lose meals if their allotment (12 or 20 meals) for that month isn’t used. Some slightly pricier rollover options are available. The one-meal per restaurant limits options, but MealPal has attracted a number of establishments, including more than 150 in its Seattle launch.

So just what is your New Electricity? 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

Scotty’s Brewhouse Partnership to Kick-Off Continued Success

With fall just around the corner that means one thing football will be in full swing.  Restaurant awareness of the importance of what a local football team partnership could add to a chains brand value did not go unnoticed at Scotty’s Brewhouse according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru®, at Tacoma WA based Foodservice Solutions®. 

Scotty’s Brewhouse knew that it could add customer relevance while ‘refresh’ the brand when it signed a sponsorship agreement with the Indianapolis Colts that includes several exclusive promotions through the 2018–19 football season.

Does your brand need a refresh? If your brand looks more like yesterday than today or tomorrow it just might be time that you called for outside eyes to help you drive inside results.  What is your new electricity that is driving top line sales and bottom line profits?  Are your customer counts growing? 

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as sports team partnerships,  fresh foods, urban clothing, grocerant consultants, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing. This program has all of that.

Foodservice 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.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships more now than ever before according to Johnson.

Chris Martin, brand president of Scotty’s Brewhouse stated “We are very excited to team up with the Indianapolis Colts this season,” … “We will be sponsoring several events and offering promotions that we feel Colts fans will enjoy leading up to and throughout the football season. Watching NFL games at Scotty’s Brewhouse was already a Great Experience, and we feel this will help us take it to a whole other level.”

So, just what is your brands new electricity? According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

As the season kicks off Scotty’s Brewhouse guests will receive a two for one offer if the Colts score two touchdowns during that week’s game. The promotion will run from Sunday after the game through Tuesday of that week. Guests will be able to order any food menu item and get one free of equal or lesser value when they mention the Colts’ two touchdown offer.

Fans attending Colts’ home games at Lucas Oil Stadium will also receive an exclusive offer on the back of their ticket stubs that will be good through the entire football season, including the preseason.

“We want to reward Colts fans for dining with us,” continues Martin. “We believe these two promotions will give Colts fans something to cheer for all season long as they watch the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium or at one of our Scotty’s locations throughout the state of Indiana.”

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? 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.

Fazoli’s Hand Held Food for Immediate Consumption

Yesterday’s blog left many of you emailing asking what are chain restaurants thinking and why are they so slow to evolve with consumers. Let me just say that they are not all that way.  Just look at Fazoli’s as they continue to accelerate its success with record-breaking sales and menu innovation specifically evolving with innovative hand held food for immediate consumption according to our own Grocerant Guru®.

Carl Howard, Fazoli’s president and chief executive officer stated “It has already been an incredible year for our brand,” … “We owe Fazoli’s success to the hard work and commitment of our franchisees and the unwavering loyalty of our guests. Alongside our franchisees, we continue to focus on innovation and evolving and our brand strategy, resulting in another successful quarter for the brand.”

Look at this Fazoli’s franchisees set 11 sales records in the second quarter of 2018. The brand celebrated the second highest opening in brand history in Columbus, Georgia. Opening day sales in Columbus reached nearly $14,000 and closed the week at over $95,000. And, in what is a record-breaking year for new restaurant openings, Fazoli’s opened its second Arkansas location in Paragould and re-opened in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

In addition to strong franchise growth, the second quarter also marks one year since Fazoli’s brand refresh. As part of this refresh, Fazoli’s remodeled nine of its locations with a new contemporary look and feel, including a modern interior redesign. Sales and traffic in remodeled locations are up double-digits, at a remarkable 12%.

“Fazoli’s continues to gain momentum and, if the second quarter is any indication, there are no signs we’re slowing down.” Howard says. “We’re dedicated to being a ‘best in class’ brand that continuously strives for excellence.”

Success does leave clues are you 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.

Restaurant Sector Conundrum Raise Prices & Lose Customers

Restaurant sector year over year menu prices were up 2.6% in June,2018 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. At the same time the Black Box Intelligence index for June, 2018 year over year customer counts for the restaurant sector were down 2%; thus the conundrum according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  

While restaurants got back to growth in June, with same-store sales up 1.1% there was some good news for the sector.  However let’s face it restaurants are losing customers to everyone else.  Last year prepared foods sold in the grocery stores sales sored up 108% according to Nielsen as regular readers of this blog know.  Simply put the restaurant business model is broken, outdated in need of a refresh according to Johnson.

Does your restaurant need a refresh? If your brand looks more like yesterday than today or tomorrow it just might be time that you called for outside eyes to help you drive inside results.  What is your new electricity that is driving top line sales and bottom line profits?  Are your customer counts growing? 

So, just what is your brands new electricity? According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, urban clothing, grocerant consultants, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing. This program has all of that.

Foodservice 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.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships more now than ever before according to Johnson.

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