C-Stores Gaining Traction Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
C-stores are seeing a rise in consumer spending in recent months due to reasons like proximity, convenience and safety. However, as consumers’ buying behavior changes, they are also demanding for more available products – not just shelf stable items – indicating a wave of opportunities coming for the channel. Consumer Rise in Spending and Demand Convenience stores' total spending boosted by 3.2% in the month of May. One reason for this increase in spending is proximity. Consumers continue shopping closer to home and are trying to avoid large crowds in big food-retailers like supermarkets to eliminate the risk of exposure [...]
What Would You Give for a Truly “Future-Proof” Investment
“Change is the only constant in life.” Somewhere along the line, most of us have heard that saying. After all, it’s been around a long time — a matter of fact, most people would never guess that the author was a Greek pioneer of wisdom named Heraclitus who lived around 500 BC in the days before Plato and Aristotle. It’s hard to argue that the statement is anything but an unequivocal truism. We face changes every day of our lives. The impact of those changes on each of us can run the gamut from negligible to life-altering. Ignoring the inevitable [...]
Online Grocery Shopping is…NOW!
The grocery shopping habits of consumers have changed drastically over the past few months. Online grocery shopping, which shows a very high surge in adoption, is reshaping the food retail industry. In these trying times where our lives have become narrowed, how is online grocery shopping winning over consumers’ and industry’s demands? Surge in Online Grocery Shopping Since the start of the stay-at-home restrictions, people have been using online grocery shopping to deliver their essentials at home or curbside. Due to this surge, even some brick-and-mortar food-retail businesses are jumpstarting their e-commerce platform strategies. According to Brick Meets Click and [...]
The Future is Accelerated: Full-on E-commerce Adoption is Just Around the Corner
The past few months have accelerated the digital strategies of some food retailers in the country. Some implemented makeshift e-commerce platforms to cater to customer needs and some reinforced their in-store online initiatives, like store mobile apps, in the hope of adapting in today’s innovative times. Due to recent events, we were greatly propelled into a shift to the digital world, but what are food-retailers doing to prepare themselves for the e-commerce revolution? Food Retailers are Getting Agile E-commerce sales records continue to surge this year. Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey recorded up to $7.2 billion of e-commerce grocery [...]
Are Robots the Future of Grocery Stores?
The evolution in the food retail industry as we know it has completely changed over the past few months. E-commerce stores have shot up, automation has been widely adopted in the food retail industry to keep up with the demands of consumers and technology has significantly impacted our industry for the better. Now, with the proliferation of intelligent machines in the food retail industry hoping to improve operations, are robots the future of grocery stores? Here are some of the reasons why they may be: Addition to Your Workforce Investing in robots for retail operations free up store associates on [...]
Double the display life of cut meat; save employee labor hours with Coolgenix
Meat and seafood departments present huge, high-margin opportunities for supermarkets. In the consumer’s mind, purchasing meat and seafood from a trusted grocer best ensures it is fresh and safe. These offerings enable grocers to differentiate their stores from discount and online retailers and build loyalty with local shoppers. But meat and seafood departments present challenges, too. The product is costly and highly perishable. Grocers must make sure they’re refrigerating and displaying meat and seafood properly to reduce waste and the risk of contamination — and to increase sales. One problem I see in supermarkets again and again is displayed meat [...]
Video: Is your display case stealing moisture from your meat and seafood?
To understand how conduction heat transfer preserves the natural moisture content of meat and seafood, it helps to understand the alternative: traditional convection-cooled cases. Most convection-cooled meat and seafood display cases work in one of two ways. The most common way uses fans to drive the circulated air; this method is called forced convection. A second approach relies on the natural tendency of cold air to sink and warm air to rise. A particular type of evaporator called a gravity coil is mounted at the top of the case instead of at the bottom as is typically used in forced-air [...]
Retailers can future-proof their business now by assessing alternative refrigerants…
Retailers can future-proof their business now by assessing alternative refrigerants before they hit the market Now’s the time for supermarkets and convenience stores to assess whether soon-to-be-released sustainable refrigerants will be a good fit for their businesses — and Hillphoenix experts can help. Major manufacturers plan to release refrigerants with lower global-warming potential in mid-2015. The new products will hit the market in advance of an anticipated phase out of R404A, a widely used refrigerant that U.S. and European regulators have targeted because of its potential for environmentally harmful emissions. “Grocers and convenience store owners should start today assessing whether these [...]
That’s So Cool…Literally!
In the world of refrigerated service display cases, “cool” is the name of the game. And there is no place where this is more important than the sale of fresh meat, poultry and seafood products. Keeping these products at the proper temperature can affect everything from shelf life and product integrity to the very safety of the food itself. Obviously, for a food retailer, the impact of this on store profit can be costly. Although there are a number of variables that affect the shelf life and product integrity of these perishable foods, the tissue temperature of the product itself [...]
Supermarket Sense – Learn How to Elevate Your Brand and Your Revenue
Take your business to the next level by participating in top-notch food retail training. Supermarket Sense is your inside scoop to the latest trends, upcoming strategies, and the evolving industry. Join food retail experts as they take you through two days of new insights, meaningful discussions, and eye-opening ideas. From directors and managers to merchandisers, and from architects to store planners, Supermarket Sense has something for everyone. Anticipating trends and then preparing for them can be a defining moment for any business. Let’s make sure you are ready for what’s ahead. Grocerants, the convergence of health and food industries, juicing, [...]