Supermarkets are starting to blend a restaurant experience with the grocery experience. The recent combination of adding a Juice Press to the newest Whole Foods Market in Fort Green, Brooklyn is just one example of this.
It seems that the grocery retail segment hasn’t escaped the need to introduce experiences into the shopping process. The drive for supermarkets to provide more of a food ‘experience’ is being driven by the changing perspectives that millennials and generation Z’ers towards food and shopping. To accommodate these needs, supermarkets have naturally progressed towards dine-in options, making the supermarket visit more like an experiential food destination, rather than your weekly grocery shop. And the data supports this – as revenue for prepared food service at supermarkets grew an average of 10% a year from 2005 to 2015*
Quick serve restaurant concepts like Juice Press also drive increased foot traffic and more regular visits to grocery stores. Fresh, organic food brands also match the evolving tastes of modern consumers who, in turn, are cooking less and prefer prepared food options consistent with a fast paced, healthy lifestyle.
It looks like the new ‘grocerants’ will be the newest standard for grocery stores in the future.
*Research conducted by Technomic Inc.)
