Strategies to operating within the retail food sector are always changing. This runs specifically true within the supermarket space. Today’s informed consumers are increasingly demanding quality, fresh, and innovative foods. Additionally, these consumers also demand convenience be served in addition to these first-rate products.
More grocery items are being purchased at non-traditional food retailers. These include Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Costco Wholesale Corporation, in addition to pharmacies/drugstores, and specialty alternative grocers.
How are traditional grocers – chains and independents – addressing the dual issues of freshness and convenience? Listed below are ways they’re working to grow sales through serving their customers better:
1. Locally sourced products. It’s really a since products sourced locally will likely be on supermarket shelves and in supermarket counters quicker. Same-day produce and dairy deliveries from local suppliers ensure customers receive their favorite foods fresher.
Additionally, today’s savvy consumers wish to know in which their foods are received from. This gives these to quickly and easily trace many origins should they experience any difficulty with them. Hence, locally sourced may be the new concept, which food retailers are on board with to satisfy customer demands.
2. More specialized departments. Fresh products in grocers are coming increasingly from very specialized departments. Such as artisan bakeries, market fresh seafood and fish departments, gourmet cheese departments, and convey departments offering more organic produce.
Artisan in-store bakeries (with products baked fresh daily) are providing breads and also other goods with unbleached flour and healthy grain. Specialized departments concentrating on all-natural products are leaving products containing MSG. Moreover, they’re providing consumers’ wishes for low-sodium, low or no sugar, plus gluten-free products.
3. Clean food. Customers are demanding ‘cleaner’ food. This means products with limited ingredients. Nonetheless, these limited ingredients must be first-rate, without additives and preservatives. Consumers wish to discover how their vegatables and fruits are grown and processed. They need to know whether the meat they are buying is grain or grass-fed and if it contains antibiotics or chemicals. Supermarkets are increasingly stocking food items that meet consumers’ needs during these areas.
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