Darden Restaurants umbrella of growth is shining bright.

Joe Lee knew he could grow Red Lobster into a retail food success story. However what an outstanding job he did creating a culture of evolution focused on daily quality execution.  All the while building a overarching strategy of moving the business forward with the consumer.  If success leaves clues over the course of the past year Darden’s growth pattern has been established.

With a new global vision well in hand Darden is positioning to remain an industry leader not only within the United Sates but around the world. Equipped with a plethora of viable concepts under its umbrella Darden began growing via area development agreements.  With new agreements in place and new operating partners opening or running restaurants in Dubai, Mexico, Puerto Rico.  Can Asia, Europe and the rest of the Middle East is far behind?

Understanding you can’t continue to open restaurants without high quality sustainable food.  Darden is constructing the world’s first Lobster Farm in Malaysia providing products for its mainstay brand Red Lobster while empowering continued global growth.  Combine that with new opportunities with companies the ilk of Blue Ocean and Darden’s supply chain is fast becoming sustainable.  Retail food operators are adopting this new farm to fork supply chain positioning around the globe, evolving once more.

Most important to my clients and for regular readers of this blog is Darden’s growing understanding of the ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food marketplace.  Many of Darden’s concepts provide Take-Out placing the chain in the middle of the growing grocerant niche.  When they announced last week that Sam’s Club would be the exclusive seller of Darden’s new ready-2-eat retail salad dressing, mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, it was clear the $300 million invested in sustainable crustacean farming would also provide a competitive advantage within the seafood heat-N-eat retail marketplace.  

Darden’s strategy is evolving with the retail marketplace, domestic foundational ownership, global franchising and retail dominance.  Success does leave clues Darden has pick up many and is positioning for many more years of success.  Darden understands the consumer is dynamic not static and is moving in step with the global consumer of today and tomorrow. Darden’s umbrella of success is bright.  Is yours?

Outside eyes can deliver top line sales and bottom line profits.  Invite Foodservice Solutions® to provide brand and product positioning assistance or a grocerant program assessment. 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 twitter.com/grocerant

Malaysia Grocerant Development Well Underway.

Malaysia’s Jaya Grocer currently in the Empire Shopping Gallery has focused on ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food.  They are transforming grocery shopping; blending a dining and shopping experience. Here is how it has been describe in Malaysia.“THE next time you head for Jaya Grocer to get your fresh cut of steak or seafood, you might not land up taking it out in a bag with you. Instead, you are probably going to enjoy tucking into the steak or fish, the way you like it prepared, sitting down in the middle of the supermarket. This is Jaya Grocer’s newly introduced “grocerant “at its Empire Shopping Gallery outlet – a one-stop shopping and dining experience within a supermarket. Shoppers can walk in, choose their choices of meat or seafood from the butchery or seafood counters, head to the El Fresco cashier to pay for it and specify their choice of how they want it cooked.

El Fresco – The Italiano Café Authentic Italian cuisine is served here.  Situated right in the middle of Jaya Grocer, El Fresco is the heart beat of the dining experience offered when shoppers step in. According to its manager Azhar Khairuddin, freshness of ingredients is the strength of Italian cooking. Being in a grocery store, freshness becomes a no issue. “Diners can choose fish, meat or vegetables from the grocery and we cook it for them according to their choice.”  “We offer mid-range pricing but fine dining experience, not compromising on our presentation or quality of food,” he said. El Fresco offers a wide variety in their menu, ranging from starters to desserts with a big emphasis on pasta and pizza.”

Enough, sounds like any contemporized US Whole Foods or Central Market. The world is getting smaller people around the globe are repositioning the concept of food and traditional avenues of distribution.  If you are a food retailer and you think you can do what you have done for the past 20 years, well you can’t!  You just might end up looking like A & P who could end up being bought by Jaya Grocer of Malaysia!  Have your called Foodservice Solutions? Are you ready for a grocerant program assessment or grocerant brand positioning plan?

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

Restaurant consumer discontinuity creates opportunity.

Here is a look at this week’s food related new and our view of the opportunity to be garnered from it. We learned that ninety-two percent of U.S. energy drinkers vist quick-service restaurants.  The research stated 81% of those consumers would be likely to buy energy drinks in a quick service restaurant. We learned that it’s time to reposition beverage to include bottle, cans and supplements.

Then we heard approximately 9% of generation X adults strongly are strongly committed to buying organic foods whenever possible, while 39% say they buy organic on occasion. Are you offering organic food, if so, is it positioned as “better for you” product?

Nearly 36% of Danish consumers are prepared to pay more in taxes in return for policies to promote consumption of healthier food.  They pay some of the highest taxes now. Opportunity “better for you” might be better for business.

Then Technomic found 58% of U.S. consumers have at least one food-related application on their mobile device.   If it is not your app wow there is an opportunity.  Banner ads are dead; mobile is in and will continue to grow.

Evolving flavor profiles create new menu opportunity.  A new study found U.S. foodies significantly more likely to choose menu items with bitter, sour and umami flavors, yet general consumer say sweet is their personal taste preference. Keep sweet up front but add a little bitter.

I think we learned that 18-34 year olds don’t understand the implication of double dipping. In one study we learned 67% of Americans restaurant patrons age 18-34 say it’s OK to double dip, while only 28% of those ages 55 and older say it is acceptable. That study came from TGI Friday’s by the way.   Am I wrong or just too old?

There just might be an opportunity in food safety education and your customers.  When 57% of Canadians have no idea what food irradiation is and 38% have not heard of it and 5% are not sure what it is.  But when informed 66% strongly favor practice one being told the definition.    Allow your food safety to guide and reassure consumers.

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

Carrefour should use Safeway for its entrance into North America.

Around the world when you’re ready-2-eat millions of people turn to Carrefour every week. North America is the one key spot that Carrefour has yet to enter and Safeway just might be the vehicle needed for Carrefour to move into the profitable US and Canadian marketplace.

Headquartered in Paris, France Carrefour is one of the best in class with fresh ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food companies.  Carrefour has successful experience with and aging population, demographic changes and evolving ethnic food offerings that could be leveraged to lift Safeway from its current doldrums.

Safeway headquartered on the west coast of the United States continues to utilizing legacy category management techniques that while once viable simply don’t reflect the evolving food retail environment. That category focus is but one reason that they were unable to compete successfully in the US, east coast marketplace and are now selling or closing locations.  Carrefour has the ability to leverage its global success with ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food if they buy Safeway and would have plenty of room for additional growth.  Carrefour understands the grocerant niche and can be successful in the United States. 

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

Starbucks: restaurateur, food manufacturer, retailer simply evolving with retail food success.

The grocerant niche filled with ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh and prepared food has no better example of success than Starbucks.  The retail food world is evolving at a faster rate than ever before and many legacy brands simply have not kept up.  To many legacy chain restaurants and retailers practice brand protectionism rather than evolve with the consumer.  The retail food consumer is dynamic not static.  Here are some ways that Starbucks has evolved with the consumer.

Entered Single cup coffee selling 100+ million K-cups in non-traditional points of distribution.

Entered Fresh Juice market with Evolution Fresh non-traditional product sold in multiple retail channels.

Expanded Organic with  Galápagos San Cristóbal coffee Non-traditional and exclusive.

Entered instant coffee world with VIA® Ready Brew Non-traditional sold in multiple retail channels.

Exclusive provider of coffee for Alaska Air lines

Exclusive new restaurants located within Disney World

Starbucks founded in Seattle, Washington operates more coffee focused restaurants than anyone in the world has not limited itself to the restaurant world.  Starbucks focus in on the evolving consumer.  With the dynamic growth of the middle class in China, this year Starbucks will open more than one store every four days in China while simultaneously expanding VIA in all food retail channels in Asia. Starbucks with

industry leading products, positioning and ever evolving cross channel business success is a perfect example of success within the grocerant niche.  What are you doing with your food products, food brand or chain restaurant? Contact Foodservice Solutions if you would like to unlock your potential within retail food.

Drive Thru Food, Packaging the Experience.

Taco Bells success with its new Doritos Tacos placed the focus clearly on product.  Taco Bell quickly realized an unintended consequence of a single new product success created disequilibrium within the 5 P’s of Food Marketing 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price, specifically packaging.  What do you think they should consider for new packaging?

Since they are under the Yum Brand umbrella do you think that they considered a bucket, a box or car cup holder cardboard trays? Our research shows that there is a universal commonality among consumers of all ages.  When it comes to Drive Thru Food Packaging, less packaging is “better for you”. While brand marketers love placing brand logo’s on buckets, boxes, cups and wraps.  Consumers have grown tired of the excessive packaging on Take Away food and view it as non-environmentally friendly. Consider Papa Murphy’s Take-N-Bake pizza consumers rave on the simplicity of the package.  No Box, No Bucket and No logo on the packaging itself. 

Regular readers of this blog know that our recommendations include packaging the drive thru itself with visceral digital graphics. Restaurateurs should be adding mobile messaging, order conformation, payment and voice access via smartphone or phone while in the drive thru. Follow Wienerschnitzel’s lead and have a drive thru access door for personalized service while speeding up service during rush hour with hand held ordering device for exterior use.  Most important have fewer boxes, buckets and wraps.  Drive thru packaging success can be found in visceral digital presentations.

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

Caffeine for the captive, Disney moves forward.

Traditional food retailers can edify consumers while building brand value together. An intriguing new relationship was born that will edify two of America’s best known brands Starbucks and Disney. Long faulted for limiting choice of food offerings within its theme parks and practicing food brand protectionism, Disney has shifted gears.

These two global brands both with outstanding leaders within the fresh and prepared ready-2-eat grocerant niche announced an alliance that I am sure over time will reach around the globe. This is another key turning point in the growth of the grocerant niche. This is an example where two very strong global brands create synergy to meet or exceed consumer demand without diminishing individual brand value.

My friend and founder CEO of Technomic may have said it best. "I don't expect to see Mickey drinking coffee any time soon,"….. "But from a marketing perspective, you have two iconic brands coming together, which has to be a positive."  From my perspective Starbucks belongs on Main Street USA.

Hand held food for immediate consumption have been a mainstay on Main Street US.  The new branded Starbucks offerings will complement and enrich the consumer experience for both brands.  Where does your brand belong?  Do you need positioning, placement or brand building ideations?

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