Snacking the New Breakfast

Time starved ready-2-eat consumers want better for you food and believe that multiple small meals are better for you than one regular meal are replacing breakfast with snacks. Restaurants, Grocery stores, Convenience stores and chain Drug stores are all ready to cash in on this new trend.

Walgreens now has 500+ stores that host Café W selling fresh beverages and tag-along snacks that are providing incremental lift to stores. Taco Bell has a focus on the “fourth meal”, while McDonalds is garnering lift with new coffee beverage options and snack wraps.

Nielsen reported that last year sales of all snack foods reached $16.64 billion, that is 3.3 percent from a year ago.  Consumers are dynamic not static food retailers must incorporate directional moves by consumer into their product offerings.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

7 Eleven the fastest growing food retailer.

Did you know that in 2012 every two hours, a new 7-Eleven store is planned to open somewhere in the world. 7 Eleven is a global food retail power house.  There is no other retail food company in the world that is as successful and growing as fast as 7 Eleven today.

Currently 7 Eleven has in excess of 45,500 retail stores open. In North America they have 9,100 units in operations.  Food not fuel is accelerating the growth at 7 Eleven.  With years of success branding food products as an entity with identity the ilk of Slurpee®, Big Bite®, and Big Gulp® 7 Eleven is now driving customers frequency with new ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh food.

7 Eleven is accelerating growth organically and via acquisition what is important to note nearly 50% of all new units will not have fuel.  Focusing the building customer loyalty and top line growth 7 Eleven is utilizing both traditional and non-traditional avenues of brand distribution to its customer’s advantage all the while building top line sales and bottom line profits.

Accelerating growth in the US this began with the acquisition of year 51 Exxon/Mobile stores in Texas, then 55 Sam’s Mart’s in North Carolina and plans 15-20 new units in Jacksonville, Florida.  Non-traditionaly 7 Eleven is on the move as well, Slurpee® became the “Official Frozen Carbonated Beverage of Six Flags”.  

Do you understand the grocerant niche ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat niche?  Is your company growing with consumers?  Success does leave clues, contact Foodservice Solutions® at: grocerant@q.com for more.

Steven Johnson is Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions, with extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking. Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Technomic: Restaurant Brand Protectionism is a non-starter.

Eddying Foodservice Solutions® industry leading insights on Restaurant Brand Protectionism industry icon restaurant research guru Ron Paul founder of Technomic speaking at UCLA Extension’s Restaurant Industry Conference saw participants conclude that brand protectionism leads to customer discontinuity.

During the session that looked at “why winners win and why spinners spin” Paul identified several key points for stall-out within some chain restaurants. Here are some of the points he identified:

• Concept fatigue is taking its toll on consumers who are turning to more contemporary restaurants
• New competitors in each segment are putting greater pressure on more established brands
• Chains with narrowly focused customer demographics can suffer from customer base issues
• Several larger chains are focusing on international expansion with less effort spent domestically
• Weak or deteriorating economic models are generating weaker results
• Under-capitalized brands or those with weak cash flow can’t invest more aggressively at the unit level

Many legacy chain restaurants continue to operate under a model made popular during the 1970’s and early 1980’s.  That model has opened the door for many evolving restaurants chains and new chains to exploit. Within the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food niche retail foodservice operators are redefining success while garnering customers from legacy operators.  If success leaves clues abandoning brand protectionism is one of them.  Is your company growing with the times and with conusmers?

Steven Johnson is Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions, with extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking. Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Fresh Food Fight

It all started with the $ 5.00 food long and the Subway restaurant chain has be the individual retail food winner.  Subway is growing units and top line sales like no other food retailer in the United Sates and testing a café format. Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food is driving top line growth and bottom line profits in food retail today.

The Dollar menu has pushed the QSR sector along and now with inflation on the horizon; a global food price war in the food sector and grocery sector particularly has broken out.  It is painfully clear whomever is the last to raise prices in the QSR sector will be the clear winner, garnering market share.

In the grocery sector; Wegmans is freezing prices on “basic” items, Tesco’s ala Fresh & Easy parent has targeted its largest European rival in a price war.  Tesco has found its footing in the US and is now expanding again with a focus on Price and Product differentiation. Don’t count on large price increases in grocery any time soon, at least in urban centers. Kroger and Safeway must try and keep competitive.

The only over all sector of food retail that has gained both top line revenue and more units during the past two years is the C-store sector.  Both the Grocery store and Restaurant sector have lost units. Companies that utilize Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price; will understand success can be found within the grocerant niche.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Where are you getting your next meal?

Families, couples, singles all start wondering what’s for dinner about 4 PM every day. Food manufactures have teams of people working to get you to buy their product at 4 PM.  However, restaurants have a clear advantage in the mind’s eye of the consumer.  Restaurant branded Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food that is perceived as fresh and bundled in a meal, saves time and is top of mind for consumers.

A Grocery Manufacturers Association study found, “62% of shoppers look for deals online prior to at least half of their shopping trips.” Restaurants have a solid web presents and are leveraging that too garner consumers back from grocery stores. Food manufactures have websites but little voice in the mind’s eye of the consumer for they are only one component of the meal.

There is a stumbling block for restaurants consumer need other items at dinner time as well. Drug stores chains and grocery stores can leverage that need set to their advantage.  There is one simple problem.  Legacy grocery stores the ilk of A&P and Supervalu have legacy departmental internal bonus issues that prevent them from cross promoting Mix and Match meal components from other departments. Milk and bread different departments, bread and meat, different departments, green salad and frozen pizza; OK your catching on.  A&P and Supervalu were and are dependent and focused of slotting fees instead of the consumer. Big problem, look at the results.

Food manufactures have little leverage in or desire to cross-promote. Let’s face it business is about the consumer. Foodservice Solutions® has developed a shopper marketing cross-promotional team to assist food manufactures of branded and private label products bundle Mix and Match meal promo’s utilizing the 5P’s of food marketing.  

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

Trader Joe’s or Walgreens Café Chicago which has more ready-2-eat food?

At the intersection of “better for you” fresh prepared food and the time starved consumer we are finding an urban battle for share of stomach by two of the best retailers in the US.  Trader Joe’s has the highest sales per square foot of any retailer that sells food.  While Walgreens is quickly moving from legacy CPG shelf stable food products into ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food.

 

Trader Joe’s has more fresh prepared heat-N-eat food that is portioned for one or two than Walgreens.  Urban dwellers can utilize Trader Joe’s for the vast majority of their monthly food shopping.  Walgreens can fill the lunch and dinner need set with more ready-2-eat food.  Walgreens has a full and growing complement of ready-2-eat food and growing number of meal components that can be bundled into a family meal or eaten as an single entrée. 

 

The food landscape is evolving rapidly with many legacy retailers entering the fresh prepared ready-2-eat food niche.  Walgreens is but one successful example.  These companies’ strategy and success are disruptive to other traditional food retailers including casual restaurant chains, grocery stores, and full service restaurants. 

 

To date the only restaurant chain to introduce self-branded CPG packaged goods into its units that are “better for you” is Starbucks. The Seattle based retailer understands the consumer is dynamic not static and that as a food and beverage retailer it must move with the consumer for continued success.  Watch Starbucks for continued branded food success.  Will your company be disrupted or disrupting? 

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Who is driving the Ready-2-Eat “Better for you” food trend?

Grocerant Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food has been driving top line sales and bottom line profits across all sectors of retail foodservice. “Young U.S. adults are finding increasing appeal in packaged salads and other “convenience” fresh food items bought at grocery stores, a trend that promises to boost produce demand over the long-term, according to a recent survey conducted by the Perishables Group.”

In addition the study found “About 63% of consumers age 24 or younger said they buy packaged salads at least once a month, the highest rate of any age group”. …By comparison, 55% of people between ages 45 and 54 said they buy packaged salads at least once a month. For 65 and older, the rate was 49%.

The figures reflect broader consumption patterns and lifestyles among younger adults, who appear to be more accepting of convenience foods and less inclined to buy “whole” products, such as a head of lettuce, said Steve Lutz, Perishables Group executive vice president.” 

Regular readers of this blog understand that “better for you” is a key element in positioning new products with the retail food space. Grab-N-Go, Take-Away, Take-Out food continues to garner new customers of all age groups. Better for you convenience food bundled as a meal component is clearly a industry success clue.  

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Catering at Boston Market, Au Bon Pain, TGI Fridays, Panera Bread

Foodservice Solutions® 5P’s of food marketing building top line sales. The old adage “birds of a feather flock together” continues to ring true within the restaurant sector. Boston Market, Au Bon Pain, TGI Fridays, Panera Bread, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Chili’s all have success catering, take away or delivery options. This is all part of the grocerant sector within retail foodservice, the fastest growing sector of retail food sales.

Steven Johnson grocerant guru at Foodservice Solutions® identified, qualified and perfected the 5P’s of food marketing while working on projects for Fortune 100 food companies and internet client’s cyberslice, cybermeals, EZ2get and Food.com. 

Panera Bread is the latest company to implement a vertical integrated brand marketing program with a focus on all 5P’s.  The 5 P’s of food marketing are: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price.

Utilizing consumer research, integrating internal loyalty data into a consumer focused vertical integrated catering program expands the depth and reach of meaning branding consumer focused touch points.  Success does leave clues sales and profits are direct results from picking up the right clues.  Panera Bread is picking up all the right clues.

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Mix and Match better for you food components driving top line retail growth.

Regular readers of this blog know customization is a key element within meal planning. Bundled meal components allowing and promoting consumer choice are critical elements for a successful sales within foodservice.  Meal time is now becoming a time of convenient meal participation, with differentiation and individualization for the entire family.   

In a study conducted by Technomic for American Express, they found that “four out of five consumers (82%) report that it is somewhat or extremely important that they be able customize their meals at sandwich-specific LSRs (limited service restaurants). Chains such as Subway have built their reputation on allowing customers to more or less create their own sandwiches, so it’s logical that customization would be deemed most important in such restaurants.

Roughly three fifths of consumers indicate that customization is important to them at Burger (61%), Mexican (59%) and bakery-café (57%) LSRs, and about half note the same for chicken (53%) and Asian/noodle (48%) LSRs.  In all cases, women are much more likely than men to consider the opportunity for customization an important attribute.

Companies that utilize Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price; will understand success can be found within the grocerant niche. Building top line sales and bottom line profits when they roll out an integrated grocerant niche food program with distinctive differentiated food consumables as an entity with identity by day part.

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Private Label Brand Managers Trump Legacy CPG Brands.

The real opportunity is in fresh, packaged foods that are ready-2-eat or heat-N-eat and private label brand manager know it.  They are focused on it and winning the hearts and minds of the grocerant niche consumer.  Those private label brand managers are now extending their product reach into Convenience Stores, Restaurants, Dollar Stores and Drug Stores. Legacy CPG manufactures are simply failing to keep pace with the today’s consumer.   

Private label products are no longer in black and white packaging, no longer is there a stigma of cheap or poor quality, no longer are private label products restricted to simply the basics.  Private label is simply put, winning the branding game.

SymphonyIRI reported “unit sales in 14 of the top 20 packaged food categories (bread, soup, baby formula, canned/bottled fruit, shortening, etc.) declined 3% or more in the past 52 weeks at mid-market FDM (Food, Drug, Mass) retailers”.  In fact  store brands now account for 28 percent of all food and drink consumed in the United States, up from 20 percent about a decade ago, according to The NPD Group.

Regular readers of this blog know we have been reporting on this for many years.  Nielsen recently announced via a webinar on the rise of the perishables sector. “that perishables and fresh food in general are gaining share of grocery dollars—and have been for years.”  The grocerant niche is booming.  We last reported how Technomic had confirmed that Grocerant ready-2-eat fresh and heat-N-eat prepared food is driving top line growth and bottom line profits in all sectors of retail foodservice. Success does leave clues and it’s going to be fun watching legacy foodservice operators play catch up.  If you want to know who is our pick for best foodservice retailer of ready-2-eat fresh prepared product Email:Grocerant@q.com and we will let you know.

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Ready-2-Eat, Heat-N-Eat Take Out Food Is Fine Food Fast.

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru Steven Johnson has defined, documented and detailed the growth and success within the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat grocerant niche.  It is no wonder the success his blog THE Grocerant has garnered.  It is followed by thousands on LinkedIn daily and thousands more via Facebook. 

Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food that is better for you continues to spread from restaurants, into grocery stores, convenience stores and now into the drug store sector.  Grocerant food is entering the convenience store niche at such a fast pace that the C-stores sector of the foodservice industry has lead all other retail food sectors in year over year growth for the past three years.

The primary driver of the grocerant niche is quality food bundled as components allowing and promoting consumer choice.  Meal time is now becoming a time of convenient meal participation, with differentiation and individualization for the entire family.  When a family can mix and match components everyone wins. 

Companies that utilize Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price; will understand success can be found within the grocerant niche. Building strong sales if they roll out an integrated grocerant niche food program with distinctive differentiated food consumables as an entity with identity by day part.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

Full-Service Restaurant Now Fresh Fast Food Service

Raving Brands monitors retail food consumer trends and has seen the dramatic growth within the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food aka the grocerant niche.  Understanding that not only is the  economy slowly in recovery mode but more and more consumers are time starved Raving Brands full-service concept Flying Biscuit Café’s will offer ‘On-The-Fly’ menu options.

With the Full Service option continuing the The Flying Biscuit Café has created a solution with a new quick-service menu. “‘On-The-Fly’ menu options will let customers, who may not have time to sit down and dine in, still get their same quality Flying Biscuit fix. This new section of the menu includes an assortment of Flying Biscuit staples including breakfast sandwiches, the restaurant’s unique creamy dreamy breakfast bowls, specialty coffee beverages and a new menu item, the yogurt parfait bowl.”

Flying Biscuit’s ‘On-The-Fly’ menu will be made available to all brand locations nationwide soon.  Ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food continues to drive top line growth in all segments of retail food service. Foodservice Solutions® can help your company or brand reposition utilizing the 5 P’s of food marketing.  Success does leave clues; we have picked them up and can help you. 

“The Flying Biscuit Café is an eclectic neighborhood restaurant nationally recognized for its natural, hip cuisine and charming atmosphere. USA Todayclaims, “The biscuits are the best.” Gourmet states, “Wonderful southern food.” Rachael Ray’s $40 a Day program broadcasts, “great food, great value.” This Atlanta institution is well-known for its unique Southern fare including The High Flyer”

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Whole Foods Market, Harris Teeter and Fresh Market differentiate with fresh food.

The ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food niche continues to highlight retail food industry winners. In the C-store  sector its Sheetz, Wawa, Casey’s General Stores and rapidly gaining ground 7 eleven. 

In the legacy supermarket sector Whole Foods Market, Harris Teeter, Fresh Market and Trader Joe’s are redefining the customer experience leveraging ready-2eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food to build top line sales and bottom line profits.

Gus Lubin| wrote for businessinsider.com an article titled: Supermarkets Are Getting Pulverized by Drug, Dollar & Club Stores in which he stated “Traditional grocery market share has declined to 51 percent from 66 percent in 2000.”  He included a chart from UBS that showed how consumers “first go to club stores, dollar stores, supercenters and even drug stores to fill certain needs. Going forward stores will face even more competition from online.”

The competition for share of stomach continues to increase particularly in the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food niche.  Companies the ilk of Walgreens, Wawa, Sheetz, Whole Foods and Central Market have increased their focus on ready-2-eat fresh prepared foods and are winning the hearts and minds of the consumer. Is your company ready to reposition for success?

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

Re-branding with Ready-2-Eat food

Ready-2-eat re-branding is not back to the basic’s it’s a step into the future of food marketing, positioning and essential for legacy retail food brands continued consumer relevance. Grocery stores, Restaurants and Convenience stores are all scurrying to reposition their product / menu mix of “better for you” prepared food to garner an increase in share of stomach. 

Competitive may not be a strong enough word for the battle between sectors and companies for the consumer. The Grocerant niche is where all the action is consisting of better for you prepared portable ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food.  The Convenience store sector has led with Ready-2-Eat food innovation and over the past three years captured a larger share of stomach while sectors had flat or down sales.  

McDonalds, Wegmans, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Sheetz, Boston Market and Wawa have done great things with fresh prepared ready-2-eat food.  Each is capturing market share.  The equilibrium between financial success and breakthrough top of mind recognition is but one key in the success.  Ready-2-eat and Heat-N-eat grocerant niche fresh prepared better for you food is the main driver.  Watch for Starbucks and McDonalds too add additional fresh food products for all age groups in 2012.  

Safeway’s “lifestyle” is another example for grocerant re-branding and a turn away from the middle of the store and focus on consumer relevant fresh, prepared food. These “lifestyle” units have proven a focus on the grocerant niche prepared food sector provides a halo for even the burdened center of the store. This is about winning the heart and minds of the consumer. Safeway’s miss-step is they expanded each of the new remodeled units.  They did not need to do that.  They should have simply shrunk the middle of the store.  All new Whole Foods stores will have a maximum of 30,000 SQFT.  Once again proving fresh ready-2-eat food trumps legacy big stores.

The challenged for each company is the ability to see and understand the customers focus at its core, not your brands core. Success does leave clues and companies leading the charge in 2011 will be leaders within each niche for years to come. Those that do not will be reading headlines that C-level change is coming or came. Without bold new leaders those 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.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

Foodservice Grab-and-Go Food Fueling Success.

Read-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh and prepared food has been driving success within US retail foodservice sales increase leading companies for the past three years.  With the economy continuing in a quagmire and consumers uneasy about spending its clear the grocerant niche will continue to garner top line growth.

With a global economic slowdown looming, there is one global chain that is building steam within the grocerant niche building sales while garnering customer loyalty.  That company is Pret A Manager and those of you who read French know Pret A Manager means “ready to eat”.  

While partly owned by McDonalds Pret is nothing like any legacy American chain.  Positioned squarely in the center of the fast growing grocerant niche Prets goal is to “serve customers within 60 seconds” simultaneously compliment your tan or earrings. Serving quality “better for you” food with outstanding customer service Pret A Manager is positioning itself for long term global success.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

Branded CPG Food may be Doomed.

Private label products have encroached end caps from Wegmans to Whole Foods and now new research by AisleBuyer suggest that younger consumers are willing to switch brands as fast as a glimpse of the phone.

The research found that “nearly 75 percent of consumers would switch brands if offered real-time mobile promotions delivered to their smartphones while shopping in a store aisle. The least brand conscious group consists of 25-34 year-old shoppers, with 82 percent willing to switch brands if they received a mobile offer for a competing product while in the store.”  Here are some other key findings:

--81 percent of smartphone owners go to grocery and drug stores prepared with a list of items to buy. Of this group, only 8 percent list specific brands to purchase.

-- 90% of 25-34 year-old smartphone owners expressed interest in receiving instant offers for the things they were already shopping for through a grocery or drug store-based mobile shopping app

-- When they are in a grocery or drug store aisle, smartphone owners' purchasing decisions are based on: -- Price/everyday low value (76%)

-- Promotions/getting the most for their money (58%)

-- Coupon availability (51%)

-- Brand loyalty (38%)

-- Generic or store brand availability (26%)

-- New products from existing or emerging brands (22%)

Mobile phone and in-particularly “smart phones” can and will provide food retailers equilibrium the private label vs CPG brand shelf space battle.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Looking for the 5 P’s of Food Marketing?

Tacoma, Washington based Foodservice Solutions® has been gathering retail food success clues.  Within the clues they discovered some universal commonalities from those commonalities they developed, The 5’P’s of Food Marketing.  The 5 P’s are:

1.       Product

2.       Packaging

3.       Placement

4.       Portability

5.       Price

If you are interested in learning how integrating the 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food product or brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization contact us via this blog or Email at: grocerant@q.com

Interested in Presentations, Key Note or Trade Show Event Speaking or Company Consultative Services contact:grocerant@q.com

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in global outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant

Mintel found demand for ready-2-eat meals up 44% in just 4 years in the UK.

Ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared meals are driving top line sales and bottom line profits around the globe.  Here in the United Sates where restaurants once owned the playing field for ready-2-eat, grocery stores, chain drug stores and C-stores have all entered and are rapidly growing market share.

British based Mintel analyst Anne Bourgeois said: "In the UK the ready-made meal has undergone a change of image, from being deemed as unhealthy, lazy food to being repositioned as a premium, indulgent option.

"Retailers have further enhanced the image of chilled meals by using premium packaging and premium positioning." She added: "The traditionally insular British are becoming ever more cosmopolitan - a trend initiated by the spread of cheaper air travel and the democratization of foreign holidays.  This is reflected in the wide range of ethnic restaurants mushrooming in high streets across the land."

The report from market analysts Mintel looked at sales in five European countries –“ France, Spain, Germany, Italy and the UK.

Mintel found consumers in the UK buy more ready-made meals than any other major European country.  Around £1.9 billion was spent on the meals in the UK last year - double that of the French and six times more than in Spain.

And while demand for ready-made meals across Europe rose by 29% between 1998 and 2002, in the UK it soared by 44%. It found 30% of adults in the UK eat a ready-made meal more than once a week compared with just 16% in France.

A sign that the UK has more of a convenience culture is shown by the fact 80% of the UK population owns a microwave oven while in Italy it is 27%, the report says. Mintel found sales of ready-made meals in the five countries was £4.7 billion last year.

The UK accounted for 42% of all sales last year, way ahead of France with 21%, Germany (20%), Italy (9%), and Spain (7%). Ethnic meals are particularly popular, the report found, with Indian, Chinese and other Asian recipes making up 40% of the chilled ready-made market across Europe.”

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in global outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant