The grocery industry is one that is continually evolving. Every year, a new trend, focus, or outlook for the coming months means big changes for retailers on the ground. This year is no different, and several major grocery retailers are meeting new consumer demand with changes in their stores. One of the most visible changes: the ‘New Grocery Store’ – a reinvention of the total shopping experience.
What is this new grocery store? Well, it isn’t really new, just different – but in a big way with regard to how stores are branding, or rather rebranding, their image.
Sobeys is one such retailer. Their rebranding: The Affordable Better Food Movement. Recognizing the demand for fresher, healthier options, Sobeys has taken that demand and is running with it, not just with their on-the-shelf offerings, but with the whole look and feel of their store.
And these stores are not just for taking home food to cook anymore. Sobeys has introduced ‘Our Kitchen’ – which offers a wide range of ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat meals. According to Senior VP of Merchandising and Commercial Programs at Sobeys, Mary Dalimonte, this new ‘grocerant’ concept “will continue to challenge traditional ‘eating-out’ and redefine what it means to shop and eat at your local grocery store.
In a recent Canadian Grocer interview, Farm Boy’s CEO Jeff York agreed, and he sees the ‘grocerant’ as an important avenue in his stores as well: “We feel it’s a lot easier to get a sales increase taking sales away from restaurants than Walmart,” says York. He sees Farm Boy’s kitchen offerings as a way to tap into what people want: there’s no tipping or waiting for their meal to be prepared, and they’re not slaves to the portions a restaurant would serve to them.
So what do we learn from this? Are people going to forego their regular restaurant visits in the hopes of killing two birds with one stone at the grocery store? Probably not, but it does mean far more competition for those products listed on the shelf. With a focus on certain products, others seemingly get lost when customers are racing down the aisle. Unique, eye-catching, custom packaging now plays an even greater role in consumer purchasing behaviour. To get noticed your product has to stand out.
It also needs to hit those targets that Sobeys and Farm Boy are running with. Buzz words like fresh, healthy, or quick, as well as packaging that is eco-friendly, are things that speak to customers – you need to harness the power of these things.
At PTI, we stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the industry, and deliver an end product that uses these trends to their fullest potential, thus translating to sales on the store floor. For a complete redesign or just a pick-me-up for your packaging, we’ve got you covered. Call us today at 1-800-303-5883.
