Shine the Right Light on Your Offerings to Stand Out in the Marketplace
It should come as no surprise that LED lighting continues to rise in popularity to save cost and improve efficiency. An overlooked detail is that improper use can actually reduce sales, too. By using incorrect color temperatures and not protecting product integrity, customer satisfaction is at risk. Let’s look at color. Opting to use warm or cool tones appropriately around your produce, meats, and even packaged frozen products makes all the difference in the world to how your shoppers view your offerings. Vibrant colors naturally exist in fresh fruits and vegetables. If your LEDs aren’t dialed in to bring out [...]
Combine food art, science, & trends to drive fresh ideas
As the supermarket industry continues to expand and evolve, it’s become even more essential to anticipate trends and shoppers’ needs. This is precisely why Hillphoenix is part of bringing together in-house experts and industry professionals for another year of Supermarket Sense. Join us September 20-21, 2017 in Conyers, GA to boost your insights into trends, strategies, and goals. Across two days, you’ll be inspired to create a crave-worthy store with sensory experiences for your shoppers. And let’s not forget the importance of lighting, strategic packaging, and the upcoming trends with flavors. Here are just a few topics that should catch [...]
Best Practices for Dairy Case Merchandising
It all begins at the farm. Quality dairy products come from happy, healthy animals and plant-based products whose milk has been safely processed to ensure a flavorful, fresh consumer experience. However, we can’t put all the responsibility on the farm or the processor. To keep shoppers coming back week after week for fresh, flavorful dairy products, follow these display case best practices. Temperature - From the moment a dairy product hits the grocery store dock, it is critical to keep the product cold. As soon as dairy products are removed from the walk-in cooler they should be put into a refrigerated [...]
Milk Flavor Profile Influenced by Retail Lighting and Packaging
If you’ve ever tasted fresh milk with its creamy, slightly sweet flavor, you know how delicious good milk can be. You probably also noted the brand and the grocery store from which it came. Likewise, you may have experienced milk that tasted off or gone bad — perhaps with hints of burnt, plastic or cardboard flavors. These off-flavor notes are caused by oxidation in the milk which is caused by light exposure. As part of its ongoing commitment to fresh marketing, Hillphoenix sponsored two studies, conducted by researchers at the Virginia Tech Food Science Department, Chemours Packaging, and the Dairy [...]
Lighting Affects Consumer Perception of Vacuum-Packaged Meats
In late 2016, Hillphoenix and Sealed Air co-sponsored a study that compared consumer assessments of its new proprietary Clearvoyant® LED lighting technology to existing “cool” and “warm” levels of fluorescent lighting. This research supports efforts to encourage the adoption of vacuum packaging for fresh proteins. As a percentage of packages in the refrigerated meat case, vacuum packaging grew from 10% in 2002 to 24% in 2015 as PVC packing decreased from 51% to 33%. For retailers, the benefits include extended shelf life, less handling within the store, less shrink, and more time for employees to help shoppers and keep cases [...]
Paying for Building-Level Energy Projects: PACE Makes It Possible
The AMS Group Solar power, wind power, fuel cells. These and other alternative approaches to producing and using energy still have an air of newness for most people who are not in the energy business. While the technologies themselves are not new, the traction they are gaining in a more mainstream application and adoption is. This, in large part, is because they are becoming easier to pay for. In two previous posts, we covered how food retailers can maintain positive cash flow while paying for energy projects through on-bill financing and even traditional financing. These are great options for energy-efficiency [...]
Infographic: Island 2 Innovate (i2i) Makes Destination Centers Easy
Hillphoenix’s new Island 2 Innovate (i2i) modular island system makes it easy for retailers to offer creatively merchandised, healthy food selections within any size footprint. The i2i island system is a multifunctional, modular display case that can be configured to include heated, refrigerated, wet and dry products in virtually any combination. With i2i, any retailer can create fresh Destination Centers — regardless of store layout or size.
Casting the Right Talent for Destination Centers
By Margie Proctor Hillphoenix Marketing & Design Specialist No one would expect a cashier to assume the role of produce manager or butcher. The same goes for staffing Destination Centers. These roles require a genuine interest in food and robust people skills. Staff should be able to share product knowledge and engage customers – and enjoy doing it. Culinary talent Chefs and other culinary professionals bring authenticity and expertise to menu development, food preparation, and food presentation. To fully benefit from their strengths, don’t hide them away in an enclosed work area. Bring them out where shoppers can see them [...]
Destination Centers: Layout and Flow Can Make or Break the Customer Experience
By Margie Proctor Hillphoenix Marketing & Design Specialist Consumers are looking to grocers to please their sophisticated palettes and to help solve the problem of how to give their families and themselves high-quality meals despite their busy schedules. Grocers are responding with Destination Centers: from full-scale grocerants and fresh prepared dishes for takeout to wine and beer bars and cheese or chocolate shops. Destination Centers can vary widely in type and number, but whatever route is taken, one thing holds true: The layout and flow has tremendous impact on the customer experience, staff performance, and sales. The design experts at [...]
Each Destination Center Is a Theater for Engaging the Whole Shopper
By Margie Proctor Hillphoenix Marketing & Design Specialist Grocery stores are in a unique position to satisfy today’s consumer’s appetite for fresh, high-quality foods and engaging food experiences. Along with being a one-stop shop for household goods and pantry staples – something restaurants and farmers markets can’t offer – in-store Destination Centers cater to customers seeking a boutique wine or cheese experience or fresh, prepared dishes to eat in or take out. They’re also a store’s opportunity to captivate shoppers who came in for a few basic items, like milk and paper towels, and have them leaving with a bottle [...]