Small-Format Strategies: Merchandising tips that make every square foot count
By Margie Proctor Hillphoenix Marketing & Design Specialist In small-format stores, every square foot counts. That’s why it’s important for convenience, discount and drug stores to save space, while also maximizing merchandising opportunities. So, what can small-format stores do to make the most of their space and ensure that small feels special to shoppers? Here are a few strategies: Elevate endcaps Don’t stuff end caps with past-their-prime discounts or the staples shoppers already know you sell. Instead, use that prime real estate to showcase goods that will surprise and delight your customers. For example, encourage shoppers to bring home a [...]
Securing Energy Incentives Isn’t a DIY Endeavor for Supermarkets
By Leigha Joyal Energy Analyst, Hillphoenix Food retail is among the most electricity intensive commercial enterprises, and store owners want to reduce their consumption and their bills. Utilities want to see that happen, too. Containing consumption is more cost effective for utilities than expanding the electric grid. That’s why they have incentive programs that defray some of the costs of adopting energy-efficient technologies. This, at least in theory, is a win for everyone. But in practice, it’s not always a win for food retailers. The energy incentives landscape Navigating the incentives terrain takes an investment of time, manpower, and even [...]
The Future for Naturals is Now: Utility Incentive Success Stories
By Keilly Witman KW Refrigerant Management Strategy LLC Much has been written over the past few months about the potential for utility incentives based on natural refrigerant use in supermarkets. The word “potential,” as well as the nature of the articles, suggests that utility incentives for naturals are a thing of the future. Not so! There are plenty of examples of successful incentive projects for stores that use natural refrigeration systems. The discussion about utility incentives for naturals normally centers around how our industry can get utilities to adapt their existing incentive programs to better fit the world of natural [...]
Anti-Sweat Control that Makes Sense and Saves Money
By Jonathan Tan, VP Energy Services The AMS Group Did you ever think about how much heat there might be in your frozen food aisles? There could be heat on the door glass, the frames around the glass, and the frames on the cases. The heat prevents moisture from forming on the glass and frames – which is essential. But did you know heat is needed only a fraction of the time to be effective? Yet many stores still have uncontrolled heat, which operates all day, every day. This is wasted electricity – and money – in the form of [...]
No-Heat Freezer Doors? No Sweat!
By Jonathan Tan, VP Energy Services The AMS Group Food stores are complex. What it takes to merchandise effectively, on one hand, and operate efficiently, on the other, can be at odds with each other. Heated cooler and freezer doors are a perfect example. Preventing condensation, or sweating, on low-temperature case doors is a must for merchandising and a good customer experience. Using heat to do it, however, has a significant downside for efficient operations. The problem with heated doors Put simply, heated doors are expensive to operate. In addition to the energy it takes to prevent condensation, refrigeration loads [...]
Video: Coolgenix versus other conduction cooling cases
Only Coolgenix deck pans use pulse flow control technology to maintain natural moisture levels and preserve the integrity of meat and seafood. Other conduction cooling cases claim to work like Coolgenix, but they don’t. Protect the integrity of your meat and seafood with the only conduction cooling case that actually maintains natural humidity and prevents shrink.
Make Utility Rebates Part of Your Energy Improvement Efforts
By Jonathan Tan, VP Energy Services The AMS Group, Hillphoenix In the commercial building space, grocery stores rank #1 for energy intensity, using more energy per square foot than even health care facilities. As consumer demand for more fresh and frozen foods grows, energy intensity will too, with more store space devoted to refrigerated and freezer cases. Improving energy efficiency is imperative to protect grocers’ already thin profit margins. End-use energy is the second highest operating expense after labor for food retailers, and the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that every dollar saved in electricity has the same impact on [...]
Prepare for Refrigerant Regulation Changes; Future-Proof Your Business
EPA’s SNAP Phaseout Schedule for Alternative Refrigerants The wait is over. Food retailers and the refrigeration industry were in a holding pattern for months while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considered its next move on alternative refrigerants. Then, in mid-July, a 90-page ruling published in the Federal Register (pp. 42870-42959) confirmed what Hillphoenix and other industry experts had anticipated: Widely used refrigerants R-404A and R-507A would join the list of alternatives being phased out under the EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. Now retailers and manufacturers have the facts. Like the ruling or not, the industry finally can take [...]
New LEDs will have you seeing red in all the right ways
By Jonathan Tan, VP Energy Services The AMS Group, Hillphoenix Over the past decade or so, grocers have been reaping merchandising benefits of LED lighting in freezer cases. Despite initial limitations in LED color quality and total light output, both its cooler color temperatures and uniform illumination have literally cast frozen foods in a favorable light. Along with creating the ideal look and feel, LED’s superior performance at lower temperatures and greater energy efficiency compared with fluorescent lights have been a real win for grocers in the freezer aisle. LEDs have finally surpassed fluorescents in color fidelity. The good news [...]
Before and after: Speedy fixes for merchandising mistakes
By Margie Proctor Hillphoenix Marketing & Design Specialist With no budget and only the merchandise on hand, I partnered with an independent supermarket customer to overhaul a closed-case display. The store’s merchandiser was focused on SKUs she was responsible for and spread the product too thin — so the set looked picked over. By cross merchandising, we were able to create a full set and increase sales. Giving customers a visual cue that “This goes great with that!” works just as well behind doors as in open cases. You can see the results in these before-and-after photos. Adding baskets and shelf [...]
