Automatic_Merchandiser_June-July_2021 - 28

SIGNS OF THE TIMES
The beauty of micro markets is their
modular nature that not only allows
operators to customize them to meet
location needs, but also to adapt them
as those needs change, which was the
case nearly across the board during
the pandemic.
Axis Designs stepped up to the
plate with a few innovative concepts to
answer new demands. They included
a self-serve, prepackaged vertical
salad bar; a self-serve grocery retail
store open to the general public; and
mobile micro market fixtures. For
other locations, it added rolldown
security gates on market fixtures and
island-style preorder and point-of-sale
stations with product merchandising.
Fixturelite's Orlando emphasized
that solutions that are modular,
low- or no-touch, and that provide
distancing are important. Fixturelite
introduced its Pop-Up collection,
which makes it simple for patrons to
order and understand, fast to set up
in the field and easily mobile when it
needs to relocate.
" It's flexible in how it lays out and
can grow in size to meet population
demand, and it's super affordable to
the operator, " Orlando noted.
Additionally, Fixturelite has seen
a surge in its Off the Wall collection,
which moves such market features as
snack, coffee and checkout away from
the wall to allow more distancing and
better traffic flow in the market.
" We didn't make many changes
to our product lines, but we did take
maximum advantage of the slowdown
in sales to improve our processes and
efficiencies in-house, " said Genesis
Décor's Arrington. " This will pay huge
dividends in our production efficiency
and turnaround time as sales continue
to grow. In general, we see a continuing
trend of installing markets in smaller
accounts. Another sign of the times is
increased material costs. We have been
working hard to absorb cost increases
28 Automatic Merchandiser * June/July 2021
Modular, low-touch solutions that provide distancing are important. Fixturelite's
Pop-Up collection, pictured here, features 365's PICO smart cooler that doubles as the
market's payment point. Pop-ups are fast to set up and easy to relocate.
Fixturelite
"
In the blue-collar world,
demand skyrocketed as
markets in a grab-n-go
format replaced the
cafeteria line...a trend
we see continuing. "
Steve Orlando, Fixturelite
as we can, but as prices continue to
rise, we may have no choice but to raise
prices on many of our products. "
In the heat of the pandemic,
Parlevel's customers sought guidelines
on how to advertise their micro
market services as safe and hygienic,
which led to the retail technology
company's establishing and promoting
best operational practices.
" We recommended best practices
for screen cleaning, PPE stocking and
hand sanitizer stations, " Blomquist
said. " We also created our hubz Smart
Cooler - a locking fridge stocked
with diverse items - that marries the
security of a vending machine with the
product diversity of a micro market to
help operators appeal to a wider array
of locations. "
RAMPING BACK UP
As the pandemic continues to wind
down, several micro market fixture
suppliers say they are seeing a return to
pre-pandemic-period design demands.
" We anticipate an uptick in demand
for micro market fixtures and full
breakroom designs as employees return
to their workplaces, " Wegener said.
Orlando predicts that prepandemic
designs are going to
continue to change to meet the
new demands employees are going
to have when they return to work.
" They want to feel safe and supported
by their employer, so designs will
have to change to meet these new
requirements, " he said.
Parlevel's Blomquist sees micro
market demand slowly returning
to pre-pandemic levels, but it's still
30% to 40% less than at its peak.
" However, account viability has
shifted, " he said. " Some previously
profitable accounts have reduced
their workforces, while other lessdesirable
accounts have increased
numbers. This leads operators to
reexamine which locations make
sense for their business. "
Arrington said that as of mid-May,
Genesis Décor was seeing a dramatic
upswing in requests for designs, quotes
and orders to pre-pandemic levels.
Automatic_Merchandiser_June-July_2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automatic_Merchandiser_June-July_2021
