The wellness industry is booming. From yoga-mats and home gyms to the ever-growing organic aisle of the supermarket, consumers are seeking out products that encourage and nurture their wellbeing. As the industry grows, so does the need for a cohesive brand image that promotes wellness values. As always, product packaging speaks volumes- and for brands […]
The Importance of Sustainability for CPG Brands Read More »
You’re damned if you do, and you’re damned if you don’t. That’s the overwhelming response when you ask foodservice operators about third-party food delivery apps like UberEats, Skip the Dishes and Foodora. Such services say they are opening the door to new customers – but this isn’t what restauranteurs are seeing on the ground. The increase in ordering through
Should Foodservice Embrace Third-Party Delivery? Read More »
The investment in developing a new supermarket design is significant, and the risk is enormous. With most supermarket and grocery chains consisting of thousands of locations, converting to a new concept can be laborious and span many years. On average, most good operators renovate about 5 to 10 percent of their stores per year, putting
What is the Lifespan of a Supermarket Design Concept? Read More »
Digital technology has impacted almost every industry in recent years, including the grocery category. You can now use your computer or phone to have someone else pick up your groceries and deliver them to your doorstep. These delivery and shopping services, such as Instacart and AmazonFresh, are meeting a key need for convenience and putting
Helping Customers Navigate Your Grocery Store Read More »
With Amazon Go’s “just walk out” grocery store finally up and running as of January 2018, everyone in the supermarket industry from cashiers to CEOs are watching with bated breath. Is Amazon intending to implement throughout the Whole Foods network? Will other grocers adopt the same strategy? Will governments start taxing and regulating automation with rollouts
Will Your Customers Love or Hate Automation in 2025? Read More »
Many retailers offer ready-made coffee: grocery stores, gas stations, book stores, and more. We recently worked with a leading convenience retailer to improve their coffee experience by appealing to a wider spectrum of customers. Specifically, their goal was to mitigate the hygiene concerns some customers had around using glass decanters in a convenience store retail
How to Improve Convenience Retailer Coffee Station for Enhanced Growth Read More »
Big brand grocery stores dominate the Canadian and US marketplace. From Trader Joe’s to Loblaws to Costco, whether you want cheap groceries or specialty items, the grocery wars are being waged with all guns blazing: private label programs, new interior design that mimics marketplaces, and deals, deals, deals. It seems as though there might not be room left for a
6 Ways Local Grocers can Beat Big Brands and Thrive Read More »
The convenience of Amazon Go – a completely automated shopping experience, free of cashiers, queues, and check-out counters – hasn’t quite materialized as quickly as promised. When the retail giant first announced its ambitious concept, it promised to bring the idea to the public by early 2017, but so far the project seems to be floundering. While
How Retailers Will Compete with Amazon Go Read More »
Traditionally, food from convenience stores often focuses on packaged snacks, and hot food offerings may be perceived to be of dubious quality. Yet according to research from Nation’s Restaurant News, convenience store food quality is improving, shifting consumer perceptions and becoming a threat to fast food restaurants. However, if a fast food restaurant has moved in
Are Convenience Stores Becoming the New Quick-Service Restaurants? Read More »
The goal of any restaurant operator is to drive repeat visits. Loyal customers tend to drive better margins and greater sales (while also providing some predictability to same-store sales) and cost less to market to than new customers. When considering brand loyalty for food service operators, fostering a sense of belonging is crucial to creating
Brand Loyalty in Foodservice: How to Create a Sense of Place Read More »
If you are in the food service industry and rely on your locations to drive your business, curb appeal and visibility are key. Operators such as Dairy Queen, Boston Pizza, Second Cup and Tim Hortons all understand that exterior signing is their most effective marketing vehicle, working 24/7 to grab the attention of customers and
Creating the right first impression through signing Read More »
Categories in today’s market are becoming less defined, as foodservice blends with grocery and retail and cafes offer added value within banks, bookstores, and gyms. Customers are looking for choice, custom experiences, convenience, multi-functionality, and less cultural rigidity. All-day breakfast is becoming a popular restaurant offering, the demand for gender-neutral clothing is increasing, and hybrid
Keep Your Restaurant Relevant With These Hybrid Design Tips Read More »
The food service category is in transition and many new restaurant concepts are emerging. Many established restaurants are struggling in this evolving market. Refreshing your restaurant’s brand ensures future relevance. Now is the ideal time to start the process. Business may be decreasing because of more competition or not meeting customers’ changing needs as effectively
Five Steps to Refresh Your Restaurant Experience Read More »
It seems nowadays everyone is a foodie – with the hashtag “foodie” being used over 244 million times on Instagram. It’s not a surprise that restaurants are feeling the pressure to attract more of a foodie generation to their facilities. How do you begin to legitimize your restaurant as a “foodie” establishment in the eyes
How to Better Appeal to “Foodie” Millennials Read More »
When you are embarking on any kind of change for your foodservice brand, regardless of the degree, it is critical to get a good understanding of where your brand fits into the industry landscape. One of the most recognized tools to create this view is the SWOT analysis. However, we often get asked questions about
[Worksheet] Foodservice SWOT Analysis 101 Read More »
As food operators explore growth strategies an option being considered by many is a partnership with another complementary brand. We have seen in many other industries, such as banking, the benefits and liabilities of partnering with a coffee chain to provide a differentiated customer experience. The opportunity to leverage the power of two offerings to
Creating Brand Cohesion When Exploring Restaurant Partnerships Read More »
Vancouver is well-known for its West Coast beaches, surrounding mountains, tall trees, and hiking trails, but it also has an interesting restaurant scene influenced by its international population and active culture. Fusion-style dishes provide unique options, farm-to-table, local, and better-for-you movements have spread throughout the city, and themed pubs add personality to dining experiences. Below
Unique Restaurants in Vancouver: Inspiration for Foodservice Brands Read More »
Rebranding is often a messy process, but when it comes to rebranding an entire franchise, it can get downright adversarial. The relationship between franchisees and franchisors can often become strained as franchisors want to update their brands quickly and broadly, while franchisees can feel frustrated and resentful when they don’t understand the reasoning behind high-level
How to Rebrand Without Alienating Your Franchisees Read More »
Many things seem to get in the way of you and your food when you are hungry and short on time. Wait times exist throughout the experience, whether you are grabbing a snack at a limited-service fast food restaurant or dining at a full-service sit-down establishment. For example, there is a delay between walking in
Maximize Your Restaurant’s Efficiency: 6 Proven Strategies to Reduce Wait Time Read More »
The average consumer spends more than two hours per day on their smartphones and 50 minutes of that time is spent playing games (QSR Insights) such as Betwiz. Businesses have identified that trend and turned it into an opportunity, coining the phrase “gamification.” Gamification can be defined as the application of gaming mechanics (such as points,
Three BIG Benefits of Gamification in Restaurants Read More »
