Equilibrium is developing in the ready-to-eat and ready to heat grocerant niche.



In the ongoing battle between restaurants and grocery stores for grocerant ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat fresh prepared food share of stomach a recent Food Marketing Institute study found that 86% of consumers “say they are either “somewhat” or “very confident” in the safety of their food” bought at supermarkets. Those numbers are on par with consumer reflections on restaurant prepared food.

Interestingly the study went on to state: “More than half of shoppers (55 percent) are preparing more meals at home than they did one year ago. They continue to watch every penny they spend. Shoppers’ interest in supermarket ready-to-eat foods (55 percent) is at its highest point in four years, especially among those who are choosing to save money on eating out by cooking at home. They are especially interested in:

• Freshly prepared, heat-and-serve food to take home (47 percent).

• Made to order sandwiches (37 percent).

• Extensive salad bar (37 percent).

• Prepared hot food buffet/bar (34 percent).

• Restaurant/sit-down area in-store (23 percent).

We must take note of the fact that both the restaurant niche and grocery niche are under fire from non-traditional fresh food retailers that are entering the retail fresh prepared food niche including: Walgreens, Rite Aid, 7 Eleven, Sears and Amazon.com.

It’s clear that all food retailers must continually reevaluate their positioning within the food retail space in order to retain consumer relevance and market share. Here is a link too the FMI press release:

http://www.fmi.org/news_releases/index.cfm?fuseaction=mediatext&id=1172

Since 1991 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 on Facebook at Steven Johnson, BING / GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant