Having analysed the recently released Power of Fresh/Deli report – there is a vital need to leverage fresh prepared food selections to meet shopper demands for convenience. There exists an ever-increasing statistic of consumers purchasing meals prepared away from home, so this article highlights some of the top findings from the report.
Accommodate speedy shoppers
When it comes to buying fresh prepared foods at their grocery store, shoppers are focused on speed and convenience. Stores successfully accommodating busy shoppers are quietly capturing the attention of these consumers, and eventually one trip can yield into two. In addition to speed, shoppers are craving experiential factors in store – an atmosphere or ambience that can quickly connect them to their meals.
Target aspirational cookers with semi-homemade meals
Consumers find meal inspirations through their favourite cooking show, Facebook, or online recipe. The study shows; however, consumers are mixing fresh prepared meals with ingredients at home to create their own signature hybrid meal. In addition to experimenting with semi-homemade creations, consumers are craving more meal and recipe solutions with adventurous flavour twists. For example, that ordinary rotisserie chicken could be paired with coriander, mixed greens and honey to create Spicy Chicken Tacos (I saw that in a Facebook video!). If you give your shoppers the inspiration and the direction, who knows how many more meals can be improvised using fresh prepared food and other store items!
Develop your lunch trade
Urban areas lend opportunities to compete for foot traffic and the 9-to-5 crowd. It’s time to focus on building a reputation in fresh prepared food lunch offerings that emphasize speed, price, and a variety of healthy options to a metropolitan community. In urban areas, shoppers are twice as likely to visit grocery stores for deli/fresh-prepared quick lunch fixes. Building notoriety around lunchtime solutions also helps grocers earn the shopper’s loyalty and encourage repeat visits.
Do everything to develop word-of-mouth and taste reputation
Brand reputation is critical when it comes to building a name for your store. Today more than half of shoppers, learn about a grocery store’s fresh prepared food program by seeing or trying it for themselves when in-store. Gaining the attention and loyalty of foodies will be imperative to the future of fresh foods. Therefore, to build a reputation among consumers outside of the store, digital media is key to success among younger shoppers and circulars and printed media among older generations. Millennials are most likely to integrate meal solutions into their meal planning, it’s important to find ways to connect with Millennial shoppers to make your store top of mind.
