While pre-made grocery store meals have been around for decades, many grocery retailers are upping their foodservice game to compete with casual, quick-service restaurants and provide convenient, affordable and differentiated meal offerings to their customers. The age of the “groceraunt” is upon us!
According to FMI’s Power of Foodservice in Retail, 2022 report, US grocers reported a +12% growth in foodservice from 2021 to 2022, equating to almost $48 billion in total sales. Additionally, 53% of consumers say grocery foodservice items deliver more value when compared to eating at a restaurant or ordering takeout. Grocers can capitalize on this demand by offering cost effective, nutritious and convenient meal options with real-time food ordering. Continue reading to learn how.
Chances are if you’re a grocery retailer, you have a counter in your Deli where customers can order custom sandwiches. Why not bring this service line online as an additional sales channel and smoother in-store production for your team? With purpose-built software such as FoodStorm, grocers can deliver this online ordering experience to consumers, while providing their in-store teams the order management tools needed to produce and fulfill these orders.
From premade sides and salads to rotisserie chickens and fresh sushi, the prepared foods section of any grocery store is growing in popularity and demand. Consumers have grown to expect these types of premade items from their local grocers as an inexpensive and convenient alternative to fast food; especially with workday lunch rushes. By enabling ordering ahead for these items, grocers can increase sales due to visibility, reduce in-store preparation pressure and more accurately know how many items to produce to reduce waste.
According to FMI’s Fresh Foods, 2022 report, 75% of US grocery retailers use foodservice as a differentiator in 2021. The ability to be creative and innovative with what grocers offer their customers can help increase loyalty and sales. To take advantage of this, why not think of your local community demographics, what types of foods they may enjoy and update your menu each season? Maybe that looks like a build-your-own burrito bar. Or perhaps a special monthly pizza. The only limit is your imagination!
By opting to partner with a technology company focused on empowering the grocery industry, retailers can expect these solutions to offer impactful and practical features. With FoodStorm, grocery retailers can be confident that selling, managing, producing and fulfilling their made-to-order items, such as custom sandwiches, can be done intuitively and effectively by their teams. With features to support all customization options, such as sandwich size, bread type, fillings and extras, FoodStorm makes a once complex process extremely simple.
Many consumers want to browse a menu before ordering, so why not list your foodservice options on popular marketplaces such as the Instacart App, DoorDash and Uber East. This way your real-time food options are where online shoppers are already looking (usually at restaurants!) and they can place their order right on the app.
As the labor shortage continues, many retailers are looking for ways to bridge the gap while ensuring their customer experience is not impacted. Setting up an in-store kiosk near your foodservice counters can allow your customers to browse your menu, place their order and even pay directly on the kiosk. This frees up your staff to produce and fulfill the orders, creating a more efficient process for all. Best part is you can have multiple kiosks in your store, showing different menus or the same one.
With so much potential for offering real-time food ordering options, exploring what solutions and partners are on offer could benefit any grocery business. FoodStorm has spent over 15 years researching and developing software built for grocery prepared foods, and can meet any grocery business wherever they are in their foodservice journey.
