Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 42

Deli
By Andy Nelson
SUSHI GROWTH IN GROCERY DELI PREPARED FOODS SECTION HAS BEEN " FANTASTIC "
OVER THE PAST DECADE, said Ed Romero, president of CEO of Hana Group, whose Hana
Group US division supplies freshly made instore sushi to Whole Foods, Sam's Club, Costco and
other US retailers.
" It's one of the top categories in prepared deli, behind sandwiches, wraps and salads but
bigger than soups " and other categories, Romero said. " It went from being very niche to now
very mainstream. "
There are several reasons for the huge growth, he said.
One is an increase in quality. High-end suppliers like Hana Group have always
About 98% of
the grocery sushi
Hana Group sells
is made fresh
instore by trained
sushi chefs.
provided top retail partners like Whole Foods with premium sushi. But lower down
the retail ranks, quality has traditionally been much more spotty.
That has changed significantly in recent years.
" If you look back, in the US, there was a pretty sizable different in the quality of
the experience from top to bottom, " Romero said. " Our number one client is Whole
Foods, and ours has always been very close to restaurant-quality. More traditional
supermarkets were nowhere near that. But the last couple of years, our competitors
have elevated their game. "
The " poor quality " sushi providers have been mostly weeded out of the grocery
world, he added. The quality of the sushi being sold today in grocery stores is
typically " good " or " great. "
Another reason for sushi's popularity, Romero said, is the increase in demand for
grab-and-go and hand-held foods.
" Sushi is very portable. You can eat it on the go, you can eat it with your fingers or
chopsticks. "
A third major reason for the category's big growth is its health profile. Sushi typically has
clean ingredients, very few or no preservatives and is filled with fish, rice, vegetables and other
healthy foods, Romero said.
Club store fit
Hana Group's most recent retail partnership in the US is with Sam's Club, where Romero used
to work.
42 - APRIL 2024
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Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024

Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - Intro
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - FCa
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - FCb
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 1
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 2
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 3
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 4
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 5
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 6
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 7
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 8
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 9
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 10
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 11
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 12
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 13
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 14
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 15
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 16
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 17
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 18
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 19
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 20
Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 21
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Supermarket Perimeter - April 2024 - 34
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