Supermarket Perimeter - June 2022 - 53

Merchandising valueadded
options next to
traditional SKUs is a
great way to diversify
your seafood counter.
" In all fairness, when compared to pre-pandemic, seafood sales are
still highly elevated. If fewer people are buying fresh seafood or buying
it less often, it's hard for value-added to still see growth, " Roerink said.
" Yet, we absolutely see that above-average performance continue for all
things value-added, whether seafood, meat or produce. "
While shoppers are very concerned about inflation and value-added
items are priced at a premium, there are " several powerful underlying
currents " driving the continued popularity of value added items,
including seafood meal kits, shrimp kabobs, marinated items and more,
Roerink said.
" Convenience and saving time immediately comes to mind, and
that is the biggest reason, for sure. Our lives are as busy as they used
to be, yet we're dealing with 40-year high inflation and have gotten
used to cooking at home a bit more, " Roerink said. " So the scramble to
figure out the time versus money puzzle is back on and that's where
value added wins. People feel it's still a lot cheaper than eating out at
a restaurant. But it's not just about saving time, it's also about eating
something different and knowing that an expert has done the flavor
development and it's going to be great. "
Some shoppers also say they like buying value-added because that means
they don't have to buy all the individual ingredients, according to Roerink.
" How often do you see a fun recipe, but when looking at the
ingredients you're always missing one or two crucial ingredients that
you doubt you'll ever use again? Those are all very strong reasons to
create willingness to pay a little more, knowing you're at least one step
closer to a great meal, " Roerink said.
Seafood salads realize double-digit growth
While sales of some value-added seafood items have declined, seafood
salads' sales growth of 22% is benefitting overall fresh seafood sales.
" This continued growth is mostly due to convenience, fresh offerings
and continued options made available to the consumer, " Saenz noted.
For example, Gelson's offers self-serve poke stations where shoppers
can create poke rice bowls or salads or they can choose pre-packaged
popular items like spicy Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Poke Salad and Sriracha
Cooked Shrimp Poke Salad.
Gelson's is running a test of an exclusive plant-based ahi tuna poke
salad recipe developed in-house in eight of its stores.
you're always missing one or two crucial ingredients that you doubt you'll
ever use again? Those are all very strong reasons to create willingness to
How often do you see a fun recipe, but when looking at the ingredients
pay a little more, knowing you're at least one step closer to a great meal. "
Anne-Marie Roerink, principal at San Antonio-based 210 Analytics.
supermarketperimeter.com
JUNE 2022 - 53
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Supermarket Perimeter - June 2022

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