Progressive Grocer - June/July 2009 - (Page 80)

“We want to educate our customers about how to grill healthy meals and select the best cuts of meat, so they can continue enjoying family traditions and outdoor parties without feeling limited by their budgets.” —Andrea Astrachan, Stop & Shop Chapin’s personal, accessible postings not only go a long way toward demystifying the inherent consumer confusion often felt when confronting a sea of fresh proteins, but also unassumingly convey the pride Yoke’s Fresh Markets takes in seeking to develop high-quality, competitively priced programs. While most shoppers naturally gravitate to traditional meats for summer grilling, Chapin is duly committed to encouraging customers to try some new choices, including turkey breasts, vegetables and fruits, flat iron steaks, whole birds, and of late, pork riblets, the latter of which, he says, “we’ve been hammering the heck out of.” A perennial highlight of everyday cookouts and large summer celebrations, ribs are obviously suited for year-round grilling. But thanks to the success pork riblets have seen in the foodservice channel, Chapin says he’s been able to turn many customers on to the reasonably priced ribs that are cut from either the loin or spareribs, and further sectioned into two, for at-home feasts. Regional independents hardly have the summer grilling market cornered. To the contrary, Quincy, Mass.-based Stop & Shop is offering easy ways to add healthy twists to the menu without adding dollars to the grocery bill. “We want to educate our customers about how to grill healthy meals and select the best cuts of meat, so they can continue enjoying family traditions and outdoor parties without feeling limited by their budgets,” notes the chain’s consumer advisor, Andrea Astrachan. As part of its diet- and budget-friendly summer grilling tips, Stop & Shop is offering consumers a host of informational resources as part of its “Healthy Ideas” initiative and storewide refresh campaign, which include tips about choosing flavorful, lean, affordable cuts of steak like top round, eye round, and top sirloin, as well as customized recipes for beef sirloin kebabs, which include a colorful mix of seasonal vegetables like red and green peppers, and sweet onions. Stop & Shop is additionally promoting its new on-shelf Healthy Ideas symbol that aims to help shoppers simplify their search for healthier options, especially with party snacks, buns and breads, which Astrachan observes can be a tricky proposition for even the most label-conscious shopper. To that end, the New England-based grocer is advocating a “Buy big, but serve small” mentality by urging shoppers to stock up on bulk meats and freeze leftovers for the next occasion. The chain — which operates stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey — is further encouraging shoppers to turn to smaller portions of meat (about 3 ounces per serving), bone-in cuts of meat that are generally less expensive, fresh poultry, and a robust, locally grown produce program that features such beloved summer favorites as corn, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and fresh herbs. ■ Fire up your beef proﬁts all year long. Presenting innovative promotional tools that lead the way by attracting customers and maximizing sales. Our Black Canyon® programs are packed with eye-catching displays, mouth-watering recipes and door-busting promotional ideas. National Beef Packing Company LLC, ©2009 Featuring the T-Bone Steak Go National and discover how we’re helping our partners lead and succeed. 1-800-449-BEEF (2333) or www.nationalbeef.com 80 • Progressive Grocer • June/July 2009 A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.nationalbeef.com http://www.nationalbeef.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - June/July 2009

Progressive Grocer - June/July 2009
Table of Contents
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/ Spotlight: Cheese/Shredded Cheese
Market Snapshot: Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, Calif.
Independents Report: The Advantages of Older Associates
Lempert Report: Food Experts Tackle the Economy
Industry Achievement: The Top 100 Women in Grocery
Multicultural Marketing: 2050 is Today
Retailer of the Year: Celebrating Kroger
2009 Deli/Bakery Operations Review: Shrink-Wrapped
Fresh Developments: Consumer Shifts Create New Complexities for Fresh Food Trading Partners
Produce: Brimming With Possibilities
Meat: Fired Up!
Store of the Month: Giant Eagle’s Express-Ohhh!
Cheese: Cooked Cheese and Other Spiritual Revelations
Beverage Alcohol: A Cup of Cheer
Frozen Foods: Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming
Real Estate: Bigger is not Always Better
Technology: At Your Service
Equipment Innovations
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - June/July 2009