Smaller Can Be Better—Small-format Stores Are Increasing in Numbers
Most people have heard the phrase, “Good things come in small packages.” This phrase does not just direct its meaning towards products, it also applies to the food retail industry as small-format retail stores are rapidly growing. Small-format stores, such as Lidl and Trader Joe’s, are some of the leading neighborhood stores in the country and have been quite successful in that niche. Other food retail businesses are following suit, hoping to maximize sales and target customers in their locality. But what makes these small-format retail stores so successful, even to the point of outperforming some much larger traditional grocery [...]
Questions to Ask Before Buying Refrigeration Systems for Your Food Retail Business
Refrigeration systems and display cases are undeniably essential equipment for various businesses. This is especially true in the food retail industry where investing in refrigeration systems and equipment is necessary for displaying and storing perishable food products. However, when you don’t have enough know-how on which refrigeration products best suit your business needs, procuring these assets can be tricky. Here are some questions to ask before buying refrigeration systems and equipment for your food retail business: What Is the Application? Before deciding to acquire products to meet your refrigeration needs, be it complete refrigeration systems or retail display cases, knowing [...]
Factors Affecting Food Integrity from Farm-to-Table
Before our food reaches the dinner table, it travels and passes through different stages of distribution from procurement to processing, and finally to our local grocery stores. The freshness of the meat we prepare at home, or the quality of the salad and sandwich we eat for brunch, depends on a lot of factors. When it comes to food integrity, factors such as food production, cold chain, merchandise display and storage, and food preparation each have a role to play. Here’s how these factors affect the food we consume: Food Production Most food nowadays is either produced on farms or [...]
Solving the Shortage of Refrigeration Technicians Through Recruitment and Training
Refrigeration has been an integral part of our daily lives since the day that we were born. Gone are the days when heating and cooling for buildings, commercial spaces, and residences is not necessary. Today, HVAC units are one of the first things installed when constructing establishments or residential units. If you look around, you can see property constructions and improvements or remodeling in almost every corner of our neighborhood or city. This is driving demand for HVAC solutions and refrigeration technicians that is expected to continue to rise in the years to come. However, the gap between the high [...]
Here’s How Grocers Can Address the Alarming Food Waste Crisis
The food waste crisis around the world has become more widespread these days, resulting in significant economic, societal, and environmental consequences. In the US, businesses and consumers scrap 25% to 40% of procured food each year. Although there are a lot of factors that contribute to food waste, the food retail industry plays a crucial part in this growing crisis. According to Shelf Engine, a technology firm geared towards tackling the issue of food waste, supermarkets account for 10% of the overall total. This calls for retailers to effectively initiate programs and activities that limit food going into the trash [...]
2022 Scoping Plan Update – Initial Air Quality & Health Impacts and Economic Analyses Results Workshop
The 2022 Scoping Plan Update will assess progress towards achieving the Senate Bill 32 (SB 32) 2030 target and lay out a path to achieve carbon neutrality no later than 2045. Achieving carbon neutrality will require the State to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the energy and industrial sectors (AB 32 sources), as well as consider emissions and sinks from natural and working lands (NWL). AB 32 specifies that the Scoping Plan evaluate the total potential costs and economic and non-economic benefits of the plan for reducing GHGs to California’s economy, environment, and health. For More Information>
Consumer Buying Behavior That Will Drive the Food Retail Industry in 2022
Consumer buying behavior in the food retail industry has been drastically altered over the past few years in more ways than one. Consumers are more conscious of what they eat, where, and how they buy their food. Considerations of health and safety and how their buying behavior affects the environment have also been observed and resulted in driving grocery purchase decisions over time. Now that COVID-19 is showing signs of easing off, stringent health protocols and panic buying will soon be things of the past. How will consumer buying behavior change in 2022 and how will it drive the food [...]
Social Commerce—What Is It and How Can Grocers Cash in on This Growing Trend
Social media has been one of the most powerful tools for sharing information and connecting people around the world. In different industries, such as food retail, social media is widely used to promote and share content for marketing and brand awareness. However, the days of social media being used exclusively for social networking and consuming content are over. Enter social commerce—the use of social media to promote and sell products and services online without the need for customers to go out and visit their local grocery stores. Different from a traditional e-commerce platform, social commerce makes use of social networking [...]
Natural Refrigerants FAQs—Here’s What You Need to Know
The use of natural refrigeration systems is getting ever more popular in the food retail industry. Due to different environmental regulations aiming to cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and the growing cost of HFC refrigerants, adopting sustainable solutions is the best way forward. However, natural refrigerants’ popularity doesn’t come without apprehensions and worries among retailers. This blog aims to clarify those concerns. Here, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the use of natural refrigeration systems, hoping to give you additional insight as to the many benefits of going “natural.” Are natural refrigerants safe for the [...]
Food Challenges in 2022 and How Grocers Can Solve Them
The last few years, starting at the height of the pandemic, have been very challenging times for the food retail industry, to say the least. Issues from health and safety to unprecedented consumer demands confronted food retailers of all formats and sizes. Now, in 2022, food retailers are expected to face different but equally challenging issues in the food retail industry surrounding the workforce and the industry’s impact on the environment and supply chain. Here are some 2022 food retail challenges and how grocers can solve them: Labor Crisis The lingering effects of the pandemic have impacted the workforce to [...]