Want Retail Food Sales Success? Here are six clues to get on track.

The convergence of non-traditional points of distribution, an evolving grocery fresh prepared sector and lingering economic conditions have created the perfect opportunity for retail food brand expansion. The key to that success can be foundunder the ready-2-eat or heat-N-eat retail food umbrella?

Companies need to develop a platform that allows consumer focused meal co-creation; in the car, at the office or at home, are winning the hearts and minds of today’s retail food consumer.  The grocerant niche comprised of the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food is driving the success of the retail foodservice today building top line revenue and bottom line profits.

Each sector has innovators; Restaurants started with Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, Domino’s Pizza, MCD, BK and a whole lot more! Grocery started with Wegmans Metropolitan Market, Whole Food and now fast charging Safeway and the “lifestyle stores.  Convenience Stores have Sheetz, Wawa, with fast charging Casey’s General stores and a sleeping giant 7 Eleven is opening a new store every 2 hours somewhere on the world in 2012.  The six clues are all consumer interactive and participatory.  Here they are:

1.       Visceral presentation, Freshness based on how it looks and is presented.

2.       Bundling, the ability to build your meal with components family member will eat.

3.       Individualized portions, power to select quality and quantity of items viewed.

4.       Convenience, unit /store location on the drive home from work.

5.       Time Saving, ability to evaluate price vs. time to cook from scratch.

6.       Portability, empowering choice eat in or take home / office

Success does leave clues and many retail food operators are now adopting Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price. Are you ready to extend your brand?  Are you looking for successful positioning assistance?

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