instore - Nov + Dec 2015 - (Page 40)

be competitive lunchtime by Bob Sims he best way to describe the typical lunch crowd during the week is hungry and in a hurry. For restaurants this daypart represents one of the biggest rushes they see. Supermarkets and c-stores have unique aspects to offer the lunch crowd and with some strategy can compete with restaurants. T than make up for the discounted cost. However, crunching numbers on the percentage of discount is important. While increased sales might appear to push you over your revenue goals, make sure the numbers add up. If your special creates more volume, but the discount makes it a wash, working harder for the same amount of sales doesn't make sense. Creating and marketing lunch offerings gives supermarket and c-store fresh food programs the ability to compete with the restaurant and QSR channels. C-store foodservice programs have grown steadily in recent years and most grocery stores offer some kind of foodservice, if not a full restaurant already. These channels are poised to see dramatic increase in the coming years. Social Media The convenience is inherent in the supermarket and c-store channels. Good tasting, high-quality food, marketing and merchandising can put them into a place to be competitive with the more traditional lunchtime retailers. Consumers not only utilize social media for personal reasons, but often use it as a means to get advice on purchases and services, as well as suggestions from friends and contacts. By keeping up with strategic posts, you can ensure that shoppers and potential customers will see your marketing efforts. With a majority of consumers using a multitude of different social media outlets daily, retailers need to have a presence. Social media represents the first marketing base for retailers to cover, especially in terms of cost. The Special If you're not already, utilize the power of the lunch special. To enhance foot traffic over the lunch hour, run daily or weekly specials. It doesn't have to be much, but just something to put out there to the lunch crowd and grab attention. Often times just a free drink with the purchase of a lunch combo meal can be enough to do the trick. If you offer an item that has done particularly well for you or is a favorite among regulars, run a special on it. The increased volume will more 40 * NOV + DEC 2015 * instore Be strategic! Plan social media posts to begin shortly before the lunch hour starts (10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.).

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - Nov + Dec 2015

instore - Nov + Dec 2015
Editor's Note - Channel Blurring
What's Ahead
Table of Contents
News - On Our Radar
Shopper Demographics - Cookies
Deli Prepared Foods
Smaller Households
Commissary Insider - Insight Insider
Preserving Color in Ready-To-Eat Meats
Big Gains for Ancient Grains
Proactive Defense
Deli & Cheese Slicers
Metal Detection
Deli Trends - Clean Eating
Adapting to Change - Foodservice Trends
Growing Movement - Free-form category explodes
Specialty in the Bakery - Artisan bread displays
Be Competitive - Lunchtime
Product Spotlight - Cookies, candies & sweets
Specialty Cheese - Pizza cheeses
Product Trends - First to Market
Product Showcase
Next Up/Ad Index

instore - Nov + Dec 2015