Mimi’s Café ready-2-eat or heat-N-eat Christmas meal.

Time starved, having company for the holidays the grocerant niche is filled with a plethora of options.  Mimi’s Café is filled with options to make your holiday dinner filled with easy with a “Holiday Feast to Go, it will feed from 6 to 8 without any problems.  Here is one of the options offered this year from Mimi’s:

§  A whole pre-cooked turkey

§  Mashed potatoes

§  Mashed sweet potatoes

§  Cornbread stuffing

§  Steamed mixed vegetables

§  Turkey gravy

§  Cranberry relish

§  Carrot raisin nut bread

§  Whole pumpkin pie

Mimi’s Café has a simple 4 step meal process; Pick up, heat, serve, RELAX.  Consumers have been exposed to a plethora of flavors and have not the time to master the skill of cooking each.  This growing trend is empowering the consumer to establish new customs and traditions in eating better, more flavorful food.  The Grocerant niche is about convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization Mimi’s Café can fill both the time starved gap and the skill-set gap. 

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.

McDonalds Visceral Innovation is as important as cleanliness.

Restaurants specifically Quick Service Restaurants (QSR’s) understand consumer contemporary relevance. The most frequent QSR consumers are more visceral engaged on a daily basis than someone born sixty years ago.  They are in fact visceral a tuned, plugged in, online or utilizing mobile texting at the fastest rate ever. Visceral attractiveness in décor for Food retailers is as important as cleanliness don’t get left out in the cold.

McDonalds is testing its own proprietary entertainment network billed as “McDonalds Channel” at 19 units currently. With wifi in most units around the US currently this program will ““will entice the customer to sit down and enjoy their meal — and perhaps to stay a little longer.” Competitor Burger King had introduced flat screen tabletops and reportedly is still testing.

Convenience stores and grocery stores will need to install at minimum digital signage in the “deli” or ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat sections of their stores. Food ordering from the pump and TV at the pump is showing up more and more. Many grocery stores use in isle video POS displays.

Visceral attractiveness and consumer relevance are moving forward hand in hand in food retailing.  The ability to show the story in a new visceral way has never been so important.  Visceral displayed grocerant ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food is becoming a main stay in all food retailing.

Steven A. Johnson is Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based foodservice consultancy Foodservice Solutions® and writes a blog at: http://www.grocerants.blogspot.com. He can be found on LinkedIn at: linkedin.com/in/grocerant, facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Twitter.com/grocerant

Convenience stores have learned menu bundling from Quick Serve Restaurants.

Grocerant prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food is booming in the northeast United States Convenience store sector. According to Convenience Store news;” Rutter's Farm Stores recently expanded its fresh-food menu to include turkey wings and sliders, which are available in all 36 of its stores that offer touchscreen ordering. The wings, which are $1.39 each and can be ordered one, two or three at a time, comprise 2.25 ounces of meat that is marinated and then fried. They can be ordered with original, buffalo or spicy seasoning, according to the convenience chain.” 

What I like is the fact that Rutter’s utilizes restaurant industry bundling options for items; “ new sliders offer a hamburger or fried chicken patty served on a fresh-baked roll. Yellow American cheese, pickle and onion can be added at no additional cost. Sliders can be ordered in quantities of one ($1.29); three ($3.39); six ($5.94); or 12 ($9.96) at a time.

QuickChek, Wawa, Sheetz and Rutter’s all have a strong fresh fast quality food program.  Products that are priced with many would say is at a competitive advantage or many Quick Serve Restaurants.  Recently we discussed all of the new product in test at 7 Eleven.  This sector in currying favor with consumer and retailers are responding.

Contact me for more at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or leave a comment below.  For more read this article: http://www.anything4restaurants.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/restaurant-consumer-discontinuity-the-consumer-moved-first/

Subway Café’s interactive, participatory success!

Eat, Drink, chat via Wi-Fi or simply watch TV, Subway Café is a platform for additional growth both in new units and top line sales.  With a focus on the highly profitably beverage sector, you can grab-N-go, order-in and chat or catch the latest new on TV.  Seasonally attuned they have espresso drinks, lattes and frozen blended beverages now or for summer.

The SUBWAY® Café concept, which is still in a test stage, now with about 22 units open is proving to be a hit with customers and franchisee’s.  The largest difference is the “ambiance” OK you get it.  It’s an upscale comfortable place with the same consumer driven sandwich menu with a coffeehouse look and feel.  Simply put this place is comfortable.   

Here at Foodservice Solutions® we say differentiation is different it is familiar with a twist.  Subway Café is just that.  There is no wonder that franchisees are clamoring to either upgrade or open a Café. Success leaves clues and Subway has been developing this concept for many years.  It looks as if it is now ready to roll.  Filled with familiar ready-2-eat grocerant niche food Subway is doing things right.  

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.

Food Stamps at Restaurants – Why not

SNAP Recipients deserve full range of Alternative and Affordable Meals Solution

SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education) is a federal/state partnership that supports nutrition education for persons eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

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Food Stamp Program - Subsidizing the Retail Grocery Industry at the expense of Quick Service Restaurants

We think Food Stamp Recipients deserve the full range of Alternative and Affordable Meal Solutions. Food Stamps, or now more commonly called EBT¹ cards (Electronic Benefits Transfer) shoud be accepted at Fast Food (QSR) restaurants.

Yum Brands² did the right thing requesting permission to accept food stamps at fast food…its restaurants in Kentucky. Our question is: why not in every state?

The reported US unemployment rate is hovering at 9.2%, but we all know that combined with the underemployed and those not even looking any longer the unemployment rate is much closer to 20%. It's clear a large portion of America is going without. Unemployment numbers are disproportionately high for those under 24 and over 55 increasing anxiety while creating a climate of disorder in the workforce.

The NPD Group³reports that" the number of annual restaurant visits by an average Millennial consumer (age 16 to 30) has dropped from 245 visits five years ago to 192 this year -- approximately one fewer visit each week. Additionally, a National Restaurant Association survey⁴found that in July, restaurant performance dropped to its lowest level in almost a year, and restaurant owners predicted their worst overall performance expectations in 20 months. This gets more complicated as fast food blurs the lines between a meal and a snack⁵.

Subsidized in part with food stamp programs Conveniences stores, Chain Drug Stores, Grocery Stores and now Walmart Express⁶ are increasing fresh food sales and garnering ready-2-eat market share.

Why Are the Food Police ignoring 45 Million People's Needs?

QSR's, Fast Casual, Casual Dining⁷and all other restaurant formats as well as deli's should be able to accept food stamps. Why?

Recession, stagnation or double dip… 45 million plus Americans are currently receiving assistance from the Food and Nutrition Service⁸division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (the USDA SNAP), which oversees the food stamp program. Like most legacy government programs it's time to update this program ensuring participant parity and contemporized consumer relevance.

Outdated Food Stamp Program - Affects Real People and Has Real Impacts

Real Solutions Required for USDA SNAP

Here are two examples of real people that come from our proprietary research conducted in August 2011 that demonstrate the problem.

Aaron - 25 Year Old Male Army Veteran - Tucson Arizona

He has recently left the military and rents a room in a house for $450 per month. He attends a local community college, works two jobs. His first job is at McDonalds, four days a week from 5:30AM until 9:30 getting $7.85 per hour, accepts all additional shifts offered. Aaron's second job is at Bashes grocery store as a produce shelf stocker from 10AM to 4PM two to three days per week. After rent, toothpaste, laundry soap, uniform shoes and without health insurance Aaron would not eat unless he had food stamp eligibility⁹.

McDonalds offers him a meal at 50% off for employees but his cash is used for housing and simply the basics. Aaron says, "A single person cannot cook a burger as cheaply as I purchase McDonalds or Taco Bell." Aaron is not looking for a hand out; he is looking at the system and asking for a hand up.

Louise, 60 year old female from Tacoma, Washington has an even sadder story…

This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://foodbeverage.about.com/od/Grocerant/a/Food-Stamps-At-Fast-Food.htm

Louise - 60 year old female - Tacoma, Washington

She works 2 jobs, has serious arthritis and resides with one autistic son at home. As a hairdresser, she is on 100% commission and has worked in this profession for 30 years. Since 2008, when the economy went south, her business declined. She also works nights at a local casino restaurant at $9:75 per hour to supplement her income and health insurance. She works over 80 hours a week with just one day off!

Louise says, "When the slump started, business has dropped off about 45% and I simply could no long pay the bills. My clients are still there but no longer can they afford a perm or color. They come in now for a haircut, style and not as often as they did in the past". When you're the sole provider you must do whatever it takes to get by." When all is said and done she brings home $575.00 per month on average . "With a $25.00 co-pay health insurance each visit to the doctor is now simply to expensive but we both have to go". She applied for food stamps in order to eat.

The Food Police - Listen To Louise

Louise wants to know why she can't but a rotisserie chicken from the deli occasionally to make her life on her one day off easier. She continued "these are hard times and when you can't be home to cook it would be very nice to buy a quick meal at Taco Bell or KFC." Louise is not gaming the system - she works hard six days a week… four of those days 16+ hours per day.

Food Police Elitist Attitudes

It's August… Louise on only day off is talking to us with a small fan blowing around the mid-summer hot air. She has no air conditioning. When asked she said we can't afford it.

While the food police ride an air conditioned elevator to the upper floor of their office that is a comfortable 72 air conditioned degrees and after a simple 8 hour day and 40 hour week sit in an easy chair watching sports on TV in an air conditioned room.

Consumers Today Cook With Meal Components

Over the past 20 years there has been a transition in home cooking where the vast majority of meals are not cooked from scratch but assembled meal components¹ . Components like rotisserie chicken², fresh vegetables, ribs, soups, take-N-bake pizza, casseroles, Chinese entrees, and kids meals can be bought from QSR's, restaurants and from the prepared food sections at supermarkets and delis. Still not convinced? Just look at the vast selection of meal components from the East Coast chain Wegman's in their Market Café section³.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has long understood that diet composition is not the issue for a homeless family facing starvation. While subsidizing a consumers food consumption carries with it responsibility and intent for a healthy nutritious diet, it's important that programs adapt with the time and consumer need set.

Do any of us have the same lifestyle today vs. our parents and grandparents? It's critically important to understand the new normal of family meal preparation and adjust programs to fit the need.

It's 4pm and QSR's know where their customers are⁴. It's time to let restaurants and all food retailers accept food stamps for ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat⁵fresh prepared food. We ask for your collaboration for this ongoing initiative.

Foodservice Solutions Advocacy is a special vehicle driven communications and lobbying venture designed to work creative solutions quickly. Email: grocerant@q.com

Steven Johnson has been a restaurant franchisee and concept developer, is globally recognized for his blog " The Grocerant⁶." He runs Foodservice Solutions® has offices in California and Washington and is a foodservice consultancy specializing in outsourced vertical retail food sector strategy - marketing strategy and business development, identifying, quantifying and qualifying niche opportunity for global foodservice related activity since 1991.

Links in this article:

1.     http://foodbeverage.about.com/od/Whats_Hot/a/Its-4-Pm-Do-You-Know-What-Your-Customers-Want-To-Make-For-Dinner_2.htm

2.     http://grocerants.blogspot.com/2011/11/safeways-ready-2-eat-and-heat-n-eat.html

3.     http://www.wegmans.com/images/universal/photogallery/1011/link/prepared2.jpg

4.     http://foodbeverage.about.com/od/Whats_Hot/a/Its-4-Pm-Do-You-Know-What-Your-Customers-Want-To-Make-For-Dinner.htm

5.     http://grocerants.blogspot.com/2011/11/fresh-prepared-ready-2-eat-and-heat-n.html

6.     http://grocerants.blogspot.com/

 Part two:
1.     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Benefit_Transfer

2.     http://www.yum.com/company/ourbrands.asp

3.     http://www.npdgroup.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/pressreleases/pr_100825/%21ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3g3b1NTS98QY0P3EHNzA0-PAE9XT0MfI39Dc_1I_SjjeBc3Sw8PN28TQ4sgSwsDT1d_QxfPoAAjC0sj_YLsQEUAhrefRQ%21%21/

4.     http://www.restaurant.org/pressroom/pressrelease/?ID=2161

5.     http://foodbeverage.about.com/od/Whats_Hot/a/Fast-Food-Blurs-The-Line-Between-A-Meal-And-A-Snack.htm

6.     http://foodbeverage.about.com/b/2011/07/28/walmart-express-first-of-walmarts-expansion-in-chicago-opens-in-chatham.htm

7.     http://foodbeverage.about.com/od/StartingAFoodBusiness/qt/Restaurant-Formats-Starting-A-Restaurant-Here-Are-The-Basics.htm

8.     http://grocerants.blogspot.com/2011/10/lets-move-america-for-food-parity.html

9.     http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant_recipients/eligibility.htm

Grab and Go Restaurants vs. Grocery ready-2-eat, a battle of convenience or variety.

Harry Balzer of The NPD Group, a noted retail foodservice keynote speaker recently noted that “The restaurant industry is having a very difficult time,” he said. “In fact, we're still looking for the bottom in the number of meals being bought.”

Within the grocery sector the only nationwide area to show year over year growth is the “deli” or prepared food sector.  It obvious to all regular readers of this blog why; consumers still don’t want to cook, they want to assemble a meal at most.

“From a sales growth standpoint, in recent years supermarket foodservice has consistently been one of if not the strongest performing segments of the industry that we track,” said Jenny Anderson, director of research and consulting for Technomic. “We expect that momentum to continue and consider supermarket foodservice to be in a solid position going into 2012.” Most important, 77% of consumers say that they purchase prepared foods from retailers at least once per month, according to the 2011according to Anderson.

While Balzer believes the demand for convenience and value are driving a long-term shift in consumer preference our research show that Mix and Match meal bundling that allows meal component variety is just as important. Jeff Culhane vice president of perishable marketing for Tops Friendly Markets noted that prepared food departments also offer a variety that most QSRs simply can't match.   

Successful retail food operators today are using or understand Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price. Then they are using them to build strong sales with an integrated grocerant niche food program leveraging 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

Drive-thru Convenience stores threaten QSR sector.

If success leaves clues convenience stores from around the country have picked them up from the QSR sector leaders and are now experimenting with drive-thru units at an exponential rate.  Understanding that the consumer is time starved and in need or fresh food fast.  Now many C-stores are offering fast fresh food via a Drive-thru threating the very core of many legacy QSR operations with weak differentiation.

Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price are all in play with each of these examples.  Some C-stores are even offering franchising as a means for growth.  Successful food retailers must drop legacy brand protectionism tactics and begin building contemporize customer relevance if long term sustainability is a goal.

Photo’s: Cumberland Farms, Brew Thru, Cappy’s Drive Thru, The Dairy Barn Swiss Farms

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 ortwitter.com/grocerant.