instore - July 2016 - (Page 13)

cover story Millennial mindset Boosting your fresh department foodservice is best done by connecting to the biggest generation yet - if you understand what it is they want By Eric Richard, education coordinator, IDDBA W hen it comes to American eating habits, prepared food is still the top choice among many consumers. According to the research firm Technomic, the 500 largest restaurant chains in the United States posted sales of $288 billion in 2015, a 4.9 percent jump from the prior year. Playing an important role in this increase were restaurants in the fast-casual category, which saw sales jump 11.4 percent in the previous year. demographics should be considered when developing a retail foodservice strategy, there is one in particular that retailers should focus on: the ever-popular millennial segment. Driving foodservice growth, innovation While chains like Chipotle and Panera may garner the headlines of today's fast-casual foodservice segment, supermarkets and grocery retailers that take a proactive and committed approach to capturing a piece of the foodservice market can position themselves for success and establish their stores as go-to foodservice destinations. We're already seeing the success of innovative "grocerants" like Mario Batali's Eataly, where customers can both shop for their regular grocery items and enjoy gourmet prepared meals. Given their sheer numbers (almost 80 million) and spending power (estimated at $1.3 trillion), millennials are a demographic that every facet of the US retail landscape is trying to connect with. The food industry is no exception, with retailers and manufacturers alike focused on developing new products and offerings they hope will attract the attention of this generation of consumers. In doing so, an understanding of the shopping habits of those in the millennial generation becomes vital, especially given their apparent affinity for prepared foods: 42 percent of them regularly purchase prepared food, compared to just 33 percent of baby boomers and a mere 21 percent of those in the Gen X category. While most established retailers may not have the infrastructure to support a concept such as Eataly, foodservice can still play a big role in attracting and retaining shoppers looking for a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner option. And a huge factor in accomplishing this is to have a keen understanding of today's foodservice consumer and the tastes, flavors, textures, and convenience they're seeking. Although all While all generations differ in some ways when it comes to their buying behaviors, millennials in particular exhibit certain traits that retailers can capitalize on. These demographical characteristics were examined by the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association in a recent original research report, "Culinary Concierge: Engaging Millennials through Meals." The mindset and beliefs that millennials have in their overall instore * JULY 2016 * 13

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - July 2016

TARGET AUDIENCE More on millennials
ON OUR RADAR
BY THE NUMBERS Cupcakes
Millennial mindset
The end of Big Food?
commissary INSIDER - July 2016
Insight Insider: Mrs. Gerry’s builds room to grow
Yes, there is a Mrs. Gerry
Food Safety: Corrugated packaging vs. reusable plastic containers (Part 1 of 2)
Equipment: Flexibility with depositors
Product Category Spotlight: Cooked, cured meats
Technology: High pressure pasteurization
Research and development: Hard-boiled eggs: the next big thing for graband- go snacking
NEED TO KNOW Malt & molasses
CONSIDER Trending cheese flavors
LATEST INNOVATION Labor savers
ON DISPLAY Grab-and-go lunch
FIRST TO MARKET
product showcase
AD INDEX

instore - July 2016