inStorebuyer - October 2012 - (Page 8)

foodserviceretail APPETIZING IDEAS FOR PREPARED FOODS The New Family Mealtime Whether it’s a single-parent family or a two-income household, work demands, drop-off routines and soccer schedules collide, and family meals become more hurried than ever. Give your customers the tools they need to create quick family meals on the go. Cross promote Don’t assume that the entire family-size upgrade has to come directly from your foodservice operation. Take advantage of other areas of the store, as well. For example, create a family meal with the large rotisserie chicken as the anchor. Then offer discounts on your prepared potato side dishes, along with a bag salad and frozen vegetables. Or, give customers the “semihomemade” option, by giving them all the components of the meal from the deli — prepared chicken, starch and salad — and then pair it with fresh produce and a recipe card for a vegetable side to prepare at home. And don’t forget the drinks. Offer a soda, bottled water, milk or juice item for added value. pick up to beat the post-church waits at sit-down restaurants. If your store offers an eat-in area, promote the time value that you offer for eating out before or after church. Take a tip from the Jason’s Deli chain, which offers free drinks for patrons who turn in their church bulletin on Sundays. Carryout family meal options for breakfast and brunch include large breakfast casseroles, fruit salads or pastry platters (scale down your event sizes or customize in tiers). With school in session, packed lunches can get pricey for a family of four or five. Create lunch packages that cater to everyone in the family. Pair your deli meats with bakery breads and fresh-baked desserts such as a box of cookies or large brownies that can be cut to suit kid- or adult-size appetites. Cross promotion options are available for lunchtime meals, too, with juice boxes or fresh fruits. Give them options Just as no two kids are alike, no two families are alike, either. Give customers options for their families, such as substitution options for side items or sauces. Utilize compartmentalized packaging to customize side items and help parents cater to the varied tastes in each family. Tiered sizes for side items are important, but be sure to use prominent signage to communicate how many people each size will feed, and indicate what is considered a portion size. “Four servings” for a family with two small children will mean something vastly different than to a family with two teenagers. JOANIE SPENCER Families eat all day Don’t limit yourself to the dinner daypart when promoting family-size meals. A meal like Sunday morning breakfast or brunch is a great opportunity to family-size your offerings. Merchandise a family brunch meal that customers can stop in and | 8 | inStorebuyer | October 2012 |

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of inStorebuyer - October 2012

inStorebuyer - October 2012
Editor's Note - Lessons from the Road
Table of Contents
Front Line News - Kroger Unveils Simple Truth Brand
Walmart Teaches Healthy Habits
The Safeway Foundation Airs Cancer Awareness PSA
Food Service Retail - The New Family Mealtime
Baking & Decorating - Breakfast on the Run
Bakery Development - Donut Growth
Deli Development - Deli Meats Grow Dollars, Lose Volume
The Fun Zone
Know Your Loyal Customers
Packaging Innovation - Tackling Food Tampering
Package to Show
Health & Nutrition - Portion Control
Cheese Corner - Spreadable Cheese
Product Trends
Product Showcase
Marketplace Network

inStorebuyer - October 2012