Convenience stores growth outpaces restaurants and grocery stores in the US and globally.



In a special report by Convenience Retailing 2010: Future Trading Strategies, with focus on United Kingdom the report showed that “the C-store sector is growing at a faster pace than the overall UK grocery market”. What is of particular interest to all of us is that the report also states that consumers “make more frequent trips to smaller shops instead of one large supermarket shop each week.”

That reflects the messaging that has dominated the grocery sector for years here in the US. Time starved consumers do not want to spend all day walking around shopping in a grocery store. In a special report by Convenience Retailing 2010: Future Trading Strategies, Consumer don’t want to walk up and down isle after isle looking for the 6 – 8 items they want! Thus, the growth in the grocerant niche, prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared and portable food niche.

Legacy grocery retailers that focus on legacy metrics the ilk of “basket size” are simply out of touch. There are other attributes more important to the consumer. Companies that focus on the consumer will win. Not those focused on legacy metrics.

If success leaves clues it clear the convenience stores sector has picked many of the clues and is running away with consumers. Legacy restaurant chain operators and legacy grocery stores need too follow the consumer not legacy metric’s.

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For product or brand positioning assistance contact Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook at Steven Johnson, GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant