Join Harold Lloyd for “Saving the Center Store” at Supermarket Sense 2016, Sept. 21-22 in Conyers, Georgia. The supermarket center store is stuck in a time warp, and that’s especially dangerous in today’s food retail environment. We’re going up against online shopping that’s fast and entertaining, and products in the center store are particularly vulnerable to online competition. Yet, those [...]
Join Margie Proctor and Jack Sjogren for “The Art of Lighting – Merchandising and Food Presentation” at Supermarket Sense 2016, September 21-22 in Conyers, Ga. From highlighting food products to setting the tone for the shopping experience, lighting – in particular, color choice – is a key merchandising strategy for grocers. Lighting is one of the first things a shopper [...]
Dr. Keith Vorst is the Director for the Polymer and Food Protection Consortium at Iowa State University. Join Dr. Keith Vorst for “Make Every Package Count” at Supermarket Sense 2016, September 21-22 in Conyers, Ga. Many retailers are inclined to rely solely on suppliers for food packaging without asking the right questions regarding the specific needs of their stores. In [...]
Join Mark DiDomenico for “Trends and Predictions in Foodservice 2016 – Supermarket and Convenience Stores” at Supermarket Sense 2016, Sept. 21-22 in Conyers, Georgia.” In recent years, I’ve talked a lot about the importance of ethnic foods for restaurants and food retailers. In fact, our food industry research firm, Datassential, considers ethnic food trends to be a point of origin [...]
Join Mark DiDomenico for “Trends and Predictions in Foodservice 2016 – Supermarket and Convenience Stores” at Supermarket Sense 2016, Sept. 21-22 in Conyers, Georgia. Proteins have been on consumers’ (and food service operators’) minds for the past few years. The trend has shifted to “ubiquity” on the adoption cycle used by our food industry research firm, Datassential (see graphic). But [...]
Join Michael Williams and Joe Sielski for “HACCP Plan – Ideas on Having a Strong Program for Prepared Meals and Deli” at Supermarket Sense 2016, September 21-22 in Conyers, Ga. Offering prepared and semi-prepared foods at retail supermarkets presents a great opportunity for grocers but also presents a potential for great risk if the food safety program is not properly [...]
Nearly all Americans snack at least once a day: 94 percent, according to market research firm Mintel. Half of adults snack multiple times a day, and many prefer healthier options. When you’re packaging prepared foods, are you offering portable and craveable packaged snacks? Customers aren’t just buying the food; they’re also buying the container. Or they’re eating with their eyes [...]
Join Jack Sjogren and Kelly Sayko for “Innovations in the Fresh Perimeter” at Supermarket Sense 2016, September 21-22 in Conyers, Ga. Destination centers in the produce department are a huge opportunity for grocers aiming to capitalize on consumers’ dual demands for freshness and convenience. But these fresh-on-the-perimeter spaces require some strategic setup and merchandising. Here are a few things to [...]
Join Jack Sjogren and Kelly Sayko for “Innovations in the Fresh Perimeter” at Supermarket Sense 2016, September 21-22 in Conyers, Ga. Adding a destination center to a supermarket’s produce department satisfies two important shopper demands simultaneously. Offering pre-cut ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat produce provides time-saving convenience to busy shoppers. And it helps them meet their goals of eating healthier. Check out this [...]
People love the convenience of grabbing a prepared meal from the store. Whether they’re running late to work in the morning or they’re eating lunch in between meetings, over 60% of people will pick up a fully prepared meal from a local store once a week. That drops slightly to just under 50% for ready-to-heat and semi-prepared meals. Over a [...]