Kroger’s new consumer centric growth strategy is a good idea.

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Iwas one informed by a U.S. Navy Admiral that “aircraft carriers do not turn ona dime”.  Success does leave clues andbuilding on success is what Kroger is planning. All food retailers goal is to continue growing profitably.  When consumer food consumption patternsevolve, retailers follow.  Some foodindustries sectors are bit slower than others the grocery sector for one therestaurant sector is another.  Kroger isnow leveraging its internal supply chain advantages, marketing know-how anddeep analytical expertize to shift from grocery store and super-size foodretailer into a spoke-N-hub end to end food retailer.
MichaelSchlotman Kroger Company’s Chief Financial Officer recently stated that Krogerplans to open more convenience stores. To date all Kroger convenience stores are located in the proximity ofits grocery stores.  Kroger will be focusingon consumer’s number one goal when food shopping speed of service with the newc-store outlets. In addition the focus will be on fresh food, with fresh presentations;including an expanded deli area for ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food options akagrocerant options. 
WhileKroger is experimenting with different formats Schlotman says that it is tooearly in the process to call it a full scale test.  Kroger is aware that Wawa a chain of regionalconvenience stores is the fourth largest food retailer in the DelawareValley.  The success that Wawa and Sheetzhave found in the convenience store sector focusing on fresh food rather thanroller grill options has clearly placed the spotlight smaller footprint foodoutlet options aka grocerant niche.
Kroger’snational footprint could benefit greatly from such a move particularly on theWest Coast where Kroger’s large store format Fred Meyer could be complementedwith additional outlets.  Importantlythere is a lack of corporate owned convenience stores on the West Coast andvery few if any with the consumer focus and quality attributes of c-storeindustry leaders Wawa or Sheetz.
Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WAhas been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on FoodserviceSolutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visithttp://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant,twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

NEVER go to the mall with kids.

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Tuesday I made the very hard and stressful decision to leave Old Navy.  I enjoyed the job but the 45 minute commute to and from work everyday was very stressful on me and tough on my wallet for gas money.  As much as I loved everyone there and enjoyed the job (and the discount!) I told them that we had to part ways as I didn't want to be unfair to them when I couldn't give my all to the job. As I was in the car on the way home from telling them I had to leave (and I was in tears) I got a phone call from Coach.  I had applied with them a few weeks prior and had gone on an interview about a week and a half before...  They were offering me a job!!  I was so excited I could barely contain myself and all I wanted to do was get out of my car and jump for joy.  Not to mention how perfect the timing was of their phone call; when I was crying and stressing over my decision to leave Old Navy!  
To make a long story short, my mom had to run to a store to get something for an anniversary party she has to go to and Coach wanted me to come in for a short orientation; so I had to take my mom and kids with me to Staten Island. What a freaking mistake that was!  On the way to the mall Olivia kept asking me if we were going to the North Pole.  Why? I have no idea.  Every time I said no she would get so angry at me...so according to Olivia; we were going to the North Pole. (Aka Staten Island Mall??) 
I walk in the mall and almost gouge my car keys into my eyes because they have a HUGE Christmas tree up, Christmas Carols playing and, of course, a HUGE train ride around the Christmas tree.  I forgot, did we even HAVE Thanksgiving yet?  Is it just me or are the Christmas decorations going up earlier and earlier?  I'm completely no where near ready.  I'm already cutting it close for my orientation and my kids are jumping around BEGGING me to let them go on the train.  Really?  So I promise them after I get out of my work meeting.  (Secretly, I was hoping they'd walk around the mall and forget about the train ride.  Of course, the damn thing is right smack in the middle of the mall -- the focal point of EVERYTHING!)  
My orientation went very well and I was so excited to be around all of those gorgeous purses. (I actually picked out one that I want so bad.) It's the Chelsea Jayden Animal Print Carryall.  (I can't find a pic of it, but google it.  Gorgeous!)  They said they're going to give me a call on Monday or Tuesday to let me know when I can come in to actually start. (And get my discount? LOL)  I'm just so very excited.  I love Coach, I love their products and working for a company that I adore as much as I do just makes me so happy.
As I found my mom and kids again I find out that my mom took them into Build-A-Bear... REALLY MOM!?  All I hear is "They have Angry Birds", "Can we go to Build-A-Bear again?", "Can we have Olivia's birthday party at Build-a-Bear?" No, No, No and one more No... Did I mention NO!?  Of course, I have to go past Build-A-Money Tree again because I have to go to Claires to return something.  Thankfully, we walked on the other side of the corridor so we wouldn't be in direct view of Build-A-Bear.  
Did I mention that going to Claires with a 6 going on 16 year old is a BAD idea?  I had to exchange a pack of nose studs because mine was missing one. (Actually, I went to put the clear one in last night and knocked it off my sink...It fell INTO the sink.  Therefore, I told Claires one was missing...Everyone does it.)  When we walked into the store all I heard from Alayna was, "Can I buy earrings? Oo, I want some makeup.  Can I buy hair accessories for school?  What about a necklace? OHHHH JUSTIN BIEBER GLOVES!"  My head was spinning and I silently cursed Justin freaking Bieber out for even becoming a singer at this point. By the time I got the package of nose studs my mom had gotten a basket and put things she wanted me to buy the girls in it.  "They're all on clearance..." she said, but she didn't realize that buying 10383947395 things that are on clearance are going to add up.  $60 later (really?!) Alayna had her stupid Justin Bieber gloves and about 108430958 headbands for school, Olivia had her stupid Hello Kitty set...whatever it was and all I got was my nose studs and a pair of earrings for work.  Ok, I got Alayna two pairs of earrings for school and she also got a Justin Bieber necklace. (I swear to God, after Alayna's JB birthday party, her obsession with JB and today -- I'm paying the kid's college tuition.) 
By this point, I just want to go home!  Of course, I have to stop and get pretzels before we leave because my kids won't shut up unless they get pretzels.  But we finally got out of there...THANK GOD!  Never again will I go to the mall with my kids.  It's just asking to go insane.

It's all about the accessories in interior decorating

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Guest post written by Vickie Strong
You don't have to worry about a whole lot when it comes to furniture if you know how to shop for it. I'm all about getting second hand furniture that's cheap and not considered an antique. I'm not wealthy enough to invest in antiques, so I just try to make sure that my style is really quirky and I dress up all the stuff that I find.
But I love to use all kinds of little accessories and accents, but I thought that it might be fun to come up with a group of things to hang up together for some unique wall art. When I was online looking up some ideas for that, I ran across some info on Sears Home Improvement. After I looked through it a little bit, I decided to use them to get our windows replaced. They've looked kind of bad for a long time now anyway.
I got the idea to frame some cool family photographs with some brightly painted frames. I got some great deals at the flea market and my grouping of frames looks so cute and unique to our home!

Santa Clause is Coming...To The Mall?

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Yes, that's Santa and yes, I know it's early for a picture with Santa.  I don't want to give anyone anxiety with the Christmas/Santa talk and I'm not trying to rush the Holiday, trust me!  When we went to the mall the other day Santa was sitting there in his Holiday wonderland with absolutely no one in line. (I think I may have seen Santa filing his nails while waiting! haa!!)  Olivia and Alayna both started saying they wanted to talk to Santa and were adamant about it, so I agreed.  Alayna has never had a problem with Santa but Olivia has never taken one picture with Santa where she wasn't crying, I had to seize the day. (Without sounding overly dramatic!)  Only problem was; Olivia was in a sweat suit and Alayna was in her school uniform! (Respectively.)  
There were a few clothes stores right next to where Santa was, so we ran into one and bought the cutest matching outfits for the girls. (And changed them in the bathroom for the picture!)  The stress, worry and money was well worth it when I got an adorable picture of the girls (SMILING) with Santa for our Christmas cards!
However, this makes me think -- Isn't it so hard to shop for Christmas outfits for your kids?  I know we go through that stress every year!  Prior to this year we've always gone with the red and white fru-fru dresses, hey my kids are two adorable girls, right?  This year Alayna and Olivia both said they didn't want anything baby-ish and fru-fru(ish).  They wanted something mature and "trendy" (who wudda thought at 3.5 and 6..)  so we got them the sweater dresses with the matching scarves.  Throw on some leggings and cute shoes -- "trendy" Christmas outfits. (Although I miss the fru-fru)  I know everyone goes through this hassle with Christmas and important events for their kids!  Granted, girls clothing is much more difficult to find than boys clothes; girls have more of a variety and EVERYTHING looks cute on them!
What types of outfits do your kids wear for Christmas or special holidays?

I never thought I'd say this but...shopping sucks!

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I know, I know...most people who know me very well probably had dropped jaws when they read the title up there, but it's true.  I'm starting to despise shopping! (Well, ok...I'm lying...only clothes shopping.)  Shopping for myself for everyday casual wear is so completely different, but when you're shopping for clothes for work, it gets frustrating. 

Let's start from the very very beginning of today. 

When I heard both my girls were going to my ex's house for the weekend, I was so happy. LOL! I love my kids, please don't get me wrong, but my two girls fight like crazy constantly and there's never a clean room or peaceful moment in the house.  As they left, I took my mom with me and we decided to go out for a little bit.
I work right off the New Jersey Turnpike about maybe 50 feet from the Holland Tunnel.  It's very easy to get to my office by going down the NJ Turnpike, but in the morning when I leave (8:30) there's A LOT of Holland Tunnel traffic that I just can't get past.  So, my mom decided to take a ride with me to my office but showing me a local way to get there instead of going down the Turnpike everyday.  So we took a ride there and I have to say....DUH! The freaking way she showed me to go is just plain common sense that I should have realized.  I felt like an idiot, actually. (Which happens often, it's not a new feeling for me.)
After taking that ride, we decided to stop at TJ Maxx. My mom wanted to see if she could get a dress for my birthmother's wedding, Alayna needed something nice for picture day on Wednesday and I wanted to look for some desk accessories for work and for some shirts for work.  I found some beautiful shirts that I absolutely loved, but when I tried them on everything was either too short, too fitted, too ugly on me or just made cheaply.  Out of 14 shirts I tried on, I walked out with two.  I hate when that happens.  I also didn't get any desk accessories; they hardly had anything. :(
So now I'm headed out to see a local town show that my best friend is a stage manager for.  Maybe at least I'll have some fun tonight, since my shopping day sucked.  Ha. At least I'm still childless for another day!

Panera Bread Adds Manhattan Bakery Cafes

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I recently headed over to the east side of Manhattan to meet Victoria of Veep Veep who partnered with Panera Bread and invited a group of bloggers to the newly opened East 86th Street location, where we could sample the menu, learn more about the cafes and Panera Bread plans to expand with more stores.



While snacking on a menu samples of sandwiches, salads and flavorful ice tea, I learned that Panera Bread cafes aims to have high-quality food.

Their breads are made FRESH daily with a baker who come into the store super early in the morning to prepare everything for when the store opens. Along with the bread, the cafes aim to keep all their food and drink offering freshly made. As I looked around the store I noticed that even the coffee is made fresh and labeled accordingly.

The options on the menus include something for everyone including organic and vegetarians



Meals are made to order and freshly prepared as requested by some of the friendless staff I've ever met. Which is great since this Panera Bread East 86th Street location offering table service. You place your order, receive a niffy table device and a server will bring your meal to you when it's ready.

After enjoying a meal you can take a moment to surf the net or check email because Panera Bread has free wifi access available.While other cafe who also offer wifi can be crowded, this location has ample room with 2 floors (main and lower level) that has cozy section great for friends sharing a meal or mother sharing a treat with a child. Panera Bread has a kids menu!

With so much to offer Panera Bread will continue expanding into Manhattan with the opening of its 3rd bakery-cafe to be located on 5th Avenue between 39th and 40th Streets and in the coming months, an additional bakery-cafe located in Union Square.

Panera’s loyalty program MyPanera will also be offered so that Manhattan customers can enjoy rewards including complimentary products, invitations to special events and access to special recipes and communications. All of the Manhattan bakery-cafes will support City Harvest through the Company’s Day-End Dough-Nation™ program and the Community Breadbox™ program.

For more information on these initiatives, please visit www.panerabread.com/about/community

Please Note: I was invited as media and received a gift card after the event. No other compensation was received. Views expressed are always 100% my own.

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Posted in: Event, Food

Banana Boat New Natural Reflect Lotion & 101 Days of Summer Play Pledge

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This afternoon we headed into Brooklyn for an event hosted by Amy of SelfishMom, Banana Boat and RM Media, to celebrate "Banana Boat 101 Days of Summer Play pledge". The pledge challenges parents to enjoy summer outside with their families every day. During the event the families took part in fun summer time games that included ring toss, bug finding or pin wheel making.



It didn't take long before my son started the game playing. He made sure to play as many games as he could, even if he wasn't very good at them. I swore I caught him cheating a few times! From tossing sacks and rings to going on a bug hunt, my son was enjoying being out doors so I didn't scold him for cheating.



While it's great my son and the other kids enjoyed some outdoor time, the parents wanted to make sure our children's skin are protected. During the event, we made sure to apply Banana Boat Natural Reflect Lotion to our children's skin while learning more about the new products.



Banana Boat Natural Reflect Lotion offers sun protection using naturally sourced sunscreen actives that reflect UVA and UVB rays. Free of oxybenzone and parabens, the sunscreen actives in Banana Boat Natural Reflect Lotion are 100% naturally sourced mineral sunscreens Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, which are gentle on sensitive skin, water resistant and proven effective to protect against sunburn long-term skin damage.

I was impressed to learn that the new Banana Boat Natural Reflect underwent extensive testing in 7 real life conditions – sun, pool water, ocean water, wind, sweat, sand, and even 100° heat– to ensure sun protection. Since children do a lot of different activities over the summer, it's important that they wear a sunscreen that can protect during various activities.

The New Banana Boat Natural Reflect line includes



Banana Boat® Sunscreen Baby Natural Reflect Tear-Free Sting-Free Lotion SPF 50+

• Pediatrician tested
• Fragrance-free
• Hypoallergenic
• Mild on baby’s delicate skin
• Suggested retail price: $11.49 for 4 oz. tube
  

Banana Boat® Sunscreen Kids Natural Reflect Tear-Free Sting-Free Lotion SPF 50+

• Pediatrician tested
• Hypoallergenic
• Won’t run into eyes
• Suggested retail price: $11.49 for 4 oz. tube
  

Banana Boat® Sunscreen Natural Reflect Lotion SPF 50+

• Dermatologist tested
• Gentle on sensitive skin
• Suggested retail price: $11.49 for 4 oz. tube
  

The Banana Boat Natural Reflect line also has a charity connection. With each facebook pledge made Banana Boat will donation 1 bottle of sunscreen to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, the Connecticut camp founded by Paul Newman in 1988 for children coping with cancer and other serious illnesses.

Throughout the summer, parents can take the pledge on the Banana Boat brand Facebook page www.facebook.com/bananaboatbrand

As part of the Banana Boat Natural Reflect Lotion 101 Days of Summer Play campaign, the brand will be sharing custom tips and suggestions from natural living expert and mom, Sara Snow, on how to stay active and have fun in the sun together as a family over the course of the summer

For more information about Banana Boat brand sun care products, visit www.bananaboat.com

Please Note: I was invited as media and received a gift card for travel expenses and a gift bag after the event. As a thank you for writing this post, I will receive another gift card. No other compensation was received. Views expressed are always 100% my own.

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Posted in: Event, Health, Spon

My daughter, the model.

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Yesterday my mom bought Alayna a brand new dress and winter boots for school and wearing out. (Aka: Being fashionable at age 6...)  Of course, my little diva has to pick the most mature dress and mature boots because they're "really cool".  (I never cared about being cool when I was 6...)  Well, when she woke up this morning and found out we were going to the grocery store, she wanted to be in high fashion, so she put on her new dress, leggings and boots.  Then...she wanted to be a "model".  She really could be a model, if we knew how to!  lol  She told me that when she grows up she wants to be a singer or actor.  She also says that if she can't be that, she could "deal" with being a model.  Wooow...

It's all about the accessories in interior decorating

To contact us Click HERE


Guest post written by Vickie Strong
You don't have to worry about a whole lot when it comes to furniture if you know how to shop for it. I'm all about getting second hand furniture that's cheap and not considered an antique. I'm not wealthy enough to invest in antiques, so I just try to make sure that my style is really quirky and I dress up all the stuff that I find.
But I love to use all kinds of little accessories and accents, but I thought that it might be fun to come up with a group of things to hang up together for some unique wall art. When I was online looking up some ideas for that, I ran across some info on Sears Home Improvement. After I looked through it a little bit, I decided to use them to get our windows replaced. They've looked kind of bad for a long time now anyway.
I got the idea to frame some cool family photographs with some brightly painted frames. I got some great deals at the flea market and my grouping of frames looks so cute and unique to our home!

Shopping for Dresses & Plus Size Dresses.

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So it's no secret that right now I have to semi shop in the plus size department.  Honestly, I don't think my dress size should be considered even in the plus size department since it's not even large enough to be considered plus size... but that's today's society.  I got disgusted the other day when I saw a size 11/12 in the plus size department.  (I guess we're all supposed to be anorexic, right?)
For over a month and a half now I have been looking for a dress to wear to an important event coming up. It seems to be impossible to find something that I would want to wear for this event.  I fell in love with a dress at the mall, tried it on and found out I looked horrible in it.  I've tried on about 4 or 5 dresses since then and can't find anything!  It's so difficult to find plus size dresses that flatter you, that's for sure.  (Or maybe society is just making us feel like crap for being on the lower end of the plus sizes? Either/or!) 
I found some dresses that I really like and would have to order online... any input? FYI - I'm wearing black tall heeled boots with whatever I pick. Kind of like the boots in the second pic.

1. Surplice Empire Dress
2. Cowl Neck Dress (I would get the green)
3. Printed Tunic Blouse
4. Hanky Hem Tunic (And if so, what color?)

I just have no idea what to wear and I really do need help finding that perfect outfit within the next week or week and a half.  I really feel stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Subway simply continues getting “better for you” the consumer.

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Founded in 1965 by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck the goal was to build abrand of “better for you” great tasting fast food outlets.  Consumer have never slowed in showingappreciation, today Subway is the world’s largest restaurant chain.   Ready-2-eat “better for you” food worksworldwide and Subway proved it.
In a first for a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Subwaywas the first to meet the stringent nutritional standards required for theAmerican Heart Association’s Heart-Check Certification program.  Tony Pace, Sr. Vice President, Global ChiefMarketing Officer of the SUBWAY® Brand stated "The Heart-Check reinforcesour leadership as a healthy food option for the many Americans who want asimple way to enjoy eating better."
From the beginning Subway focused on “better for you”food as a brand strategy.  It worked andtoday they successfully integrated tactic after tactic to edify the strategy.Here are just a few examples; reducing sodium across the board, fortifyingbread with calcium and vitamin D, and Fresh Fit Meals.
Success does leave clues and Subway is an outstandingexample brand messaging success and how to integrate consumer focus tacticsextending the halo of the brand with continued consumer relevance.
Invite FoodserviceSolutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placementor positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA hasbeen the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson,Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant.

Starbucks much more than the “third place” SBUX is everyplace.

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While legacy food retailers the ilk of Wendy’s, Chevy’s, KFC, Albertsons, Safeway and Rite Aid sputter to be a consumer relevant place; Starbucks has moved beyond the “third place” for consumers too everyplace for consumers.
When food retailers think success, they must think Starbucks.  In the beginning Howard Schultz wanted consumers to think of Starbucks as the “third place” home, work and Starbucks.  Howard simply did not stop there, today Starbucks is everywhere. 
Utilizing a local relationship with Seattle based Coinstar, Starbucks (Seattle Best Coffee division) will begin placing kiosks around the United States this summer positioning itself to sell coffee.  I say, LOT’s of coffee.
With 20% of sales now coming from food the addition of La Boulange will prove valuable in existing coffee houses but even more valuable as a new line of Consumer Packaged Goods. Starbucks will elevate this brand, educate the consumer and exploit a qualitative point of differentiation.
Just in case you missed it, Socialbakers a social media and digital analytics firm found that Starbucks is among the top five companies globally in terms of Facebook fans.
Watch for more in the area of sustainability, additional fare trade coffee, less packaging with prolonged shelf life and new marketing that will ask consumers to bring in a reusable cup.  These are not trends for Starbucks they are values.
Let us not forget the home.  Starbucks has shipped more than 230 million k-Cups since it began selling the pods last year at supermarkets and retailers. Then for home and on the go there are two new Frappuccino’s this spring. 
Many legacy food retailers continue to practice brand protectionism, stifle the brand while diminishing consumer relevance.  McDonalds and Starbucks are two companies that understand the consumer is dynamic not static.  Brands must be dynamic, evolving with the consumer.  Starbucks is growing its brand value with the consumer are you?  Do you understand vertical brand integration as well as Starbucks?Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placement or positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant ortwitter.com/grocerant.

Restaurant Channel Disruptions Continue to Garner Strength.

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Who’s afterrestaurateurs food dollars and why they should care. While food consumers are ahighly fragmented group there are universal commonalities creating channeldisruptions. Consumers want what they want when they want it! Today it is allabout the consumer buying what the type of food they want, where they buy itand how they buy it is in flux. You can buy food from large format foodretailers the ilk of  Safeway Lifestyle stores, Kroger’s Fred Meyer,Walmart Supercenters and, Whole Foods, or Smaller Format retailers like TraderJoe, Fresh & Easy (Tesco), Dollar Stores, Walgreens, and of course restaurants.
The line betweenrestaurants and food retailers is growing ever thinner. The fight for America'sfood dollars continues to intensify as consumers find fresh preparedready-2-eat food options at a wide and growing array of outlets across almostevery channel: convenience stores, chain drug stores, restaurants, grocerystores, club stores, vending and even more non-food retailers like dollarstores. While manufacturers, retailers and restaurants worry about choiceoverload, consumers have embraced their new choices and show no signs ofreturning to the old ways. This fight is taking place in what is called thegrocerant niche.
The restaurant industryis not an industry known for trying to be first as in fastest to market with anideation, food or technology advance. In the United States the larger the chainin almost all cases the more slowly they are to adopt something than a smallerchain or independent restaurants will. Chain restaurants goal is simple feedone meal at a time in the restaurant while protecting and edifying the brand.
Historically chainrestaurant leaders have denied the credibility of start-up competitors asnon-relevant. The pizza sector is a great example; evolving from family dinningindependents to national chain of "Red Roof" Italian, then todelivery only outlets and now take-N-bake is garnering market share inthe pizza sector. (Note: Home Made Pizza Company and Papa Murphy's are further examplesof take and bake pizza operators.)
Trends in the FoodIndustry Point to an Increase in Non-Traditional Meal Occasions
At the intersection ofthe consumer, fresh prepared food and technology we fine that consumer eatingbehavior is evolving and is now beyond the control of traditional foodmarketers. Evolving culture and lifestyle, demographics along with the newuncertain economy are all putting pressure on the American food consumer:Demands of work, economic shrinkage, demands of raising a family, commuting,social interaction, kid's after-school activities, all contribute to a foodmarketplace where convenience vies with price over legacy brands. Recentadvances in food packaging and new points of non-traditional food distributionhave empowered consumer choice, and Americans are embracing these choices evenas legacy marketers cringe. Who's after restaurant food dollars… simply put…everyone.
Why should you care ifWalgreens is selling fresh prepared ready-2-eat and made-2-order sandwiches?Why should you care if Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Safeway and Wegmans areselling ready-2-eat and or heat-N-eat fresh pizza? Why should you care ifCoinstar is selling Seattle Best Coffee at 1,000 locations for $1.00?
You should care becausethey are selling it, and you are not! The fastest growing sector of retail foodservice for the past four years has been the Convenience store sector. TheC-store sectors growth in large part has been driven by fresh prepared food.Non-traditional avenues of distribution are growing, gobbling market sharewhile establishing new patterns of consumption, price points and customerloyalty.
The Shopper is inControl Spurring New Retail Food Formats
Trader Joe's and WholeFoods have created ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat fresh prepared food items withqualitative differentiation as an entity with identity that has help propelthem into ready-2-eat fresh prepared food leadership. In fact recent researchshows that both Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are each known for high quality(restaurant quality) ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat foods with distinctiveofferings. More important each is leading with innovative products and packagesize that create value and have positioned each chain as a foodshopping destinationfor meal components customized and personalized forimmediate consumption or mix and matched for a meal time at home. In short theyare stealing your customers.
Walgreens fresh prepared food is restaurantquality and priced less than Panera Bread or Corner Bakery CAFE. Both Panera Bread and Corner Bakery CAFEthrive in urban locations.Walgreens is now growing price, quality and speed of service advantages overlegacy retailers. Legacy restaurant chains must reconsider the speed at whichthey evolve and adapt or non-traditional outlets will capture profits marginsas well.
Traditional views ofmeals and mealtime can pretty much be discarded. Legacy retailers waiting forthe "next big thing" to copy simply might be out of luck this time.Legacy food retailers may not like to be first movers very much but it mayprove that waiting too long will not work this time.
Product, Packaging,Placement, Portability and Price are Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s
The retail food world isevolving at an ever increasing pace filled with innovation in food, portionsize, points of distribution, and quality fresh prepared meal solutions. Theprice, value, service equilibrium is resetting in retail foodservice. In orderto edify the brand and reinforce consumer relevance restaurateurs must leverageFoodservice Solutions® 5P's of food marketing. 
Many legacy foodretailers continue to practice brand protectionism, stifle the brand whilediminishing consumer relevance. The consumer is dynamic not static. Brands mustbe dynamic, evolving with the consumer. Four more years of watching otherretail sectors thrive should be long enough. Success in the restaurant world isno longer simply about what happens within your 4 walls.
Steven Johnson isGrocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, with extensiveexperience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / productpositioning expert and public speaking. Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant

Social Media is driving global awareness of grocerant fresh prepared ready-2-eat / heat-N-eat food.

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FoodserviceSolutions® of Tacoma, WA has garnered attention via social media for itsexpertise in the grocerant niche. C-level industry chain professionalsfrom Restaurants, Grocery Stores and Convenience Stores, Dollar Stores and DrugStores have been seeking information on the grocerant niche via Linkedin. Front line chefs are followinggrocerant information on Facebook at Steven Johnson. The grocerant nichecomprised of fresh prepared food that is ready-2-eat and or heat-N-eat.  Grocerant niche food is deemed “better foryou food” and propelling growth within the all retail foodservice sectors today.
Whileconsumers remainloyal to supermarkets for affordable, convenient meal solutions, bundled freshprepared meal components are driving daypart sales.  Interestingly fully-cooked meat, whichaccounts for 6 percent of meat department dollars, had the greatest dollar increasefrom the prior year. Growth was driven primarily by fully-cooked chicken, whichincreased 3+ percent in sales and still at competitive prices.
Withinthe grocerant niche mix & match meal component bundling is empoweringconsumer choice; something consumer like. In addition many retailers  havebegun to focus on catering; again this is something that not only builds topline growth but expands the brand beyond the four walls. Many QSR’s have begunselling “snack” items, which has expanded daypart sales and consumer choicewhile increasing consumer frequency.
Whileconvenience stores focus on price and bundled meal options the entire niche isfollowing the fresh prepared food niche. We will soon be seeing regional chefs prepare portable meal’s selectionsin the Convenience stores sector.  Theseare exciting times in retail foodservice. What we eat, how we eat and where we buy our meals are all evolvingrapidly. 
Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WAhas been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For brand or positioningexperts contact: Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant,twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com

McDonald’s leverages “better for you” chicken around core brands.

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Industry leadership requires steadfast focus and continuousconsumer monitoring. McDonald’s is a global leader in the restaurant industryin large part because they do not practice brand protectionism. RecentlyMcDonald’s Corp. Chief Financial Officer said that balancing local relevantproducts with its core brands has proven a key benefit.
Chicken is the leading global retail protein. Leveraging “Chicken”provides “better for you” consumer perceptions for McDonald’s.  While Bensen stated that McDonald’s five corebrands are Big Mac, French Fries, Hamburger, Cheeseburger and Chicken McNuggetswhich account for more than 25% of total sales. Those core menu items will remaincenter in terms of promotion.  It’s clearthe global acceptance of chicken provides not only a halo of “better for you”McDonalds but a platform or continued LTO introductions and on-going brandrelevance.
With the focus on the consumer and “consumer permission” McCafe’shot and cold specialty drinks is another great example of leveraging universalbeverage commonalities into consumer relevance around the globe.  For more on McDonald’s success by abandoningbrand protectionism here is a link to one of our previous blogs: http://grocerants.blogspot.com/2012/02/mcdonalds-abandoned-brand-protectionism.html
Outside eyes can deliver top line salesand bottom line profits.  Invite FoodserviceSolutions® to complete a grocerant program assessment, brand, product placementor positioning assistance.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA hasbeen the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/StevenJohnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant ortwitter.com/grocerant

My Week Long Home Improvement Project

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I have always wanted an art studio.
Being an artist who really dabbles in many different mediums, I have always wanted an art studio of my own.  Somewhere I could keep all of my paints, canvas, jewelry making supplies, scrap booking supplies and other art supplies.  Actually, when I was in grade school & high school, I actually tried to separate my room into two sections; a bed room and an art section.  Sure it cluttered my room since I had so much in there, but it sort of looked like what I want.  However, growing up, having kids and moving upstairs didn't help any.  I was further strapped for space and really couldn't section my room like that anymore.
This past summer, when I was working from home, I tried to make our extra bedroom into an office.  That made it easier for me to work from home and actually have a place to myself.  I thought that I could possibly also do crafts in there, but my kids toys slowly started to sneak in there.  I don't know why, but I feel like it's impossible to actually organize that room.  The ugly carpet, strange closet placement and lack of space altogether was just a problem.  Because of the question of where to put my supplies and where to do my crafts/art, I actually had moved all my supplies to the attic and took a break from crafting.  It really stressed me out when I couldn't do my artwork and made me pretty depressed.  After all, art and crafting -- anything creative -- was an emotional outlet for me.  It was calming.
Last week my mom and I went into my grandfather's old "workshop" for something and I had the best idea; trying to use that space as an art studio.  It wasn't too big, it was cozy.  It already had plenty of built in tables over two walls and the space had plenty of built in shelving under the tables for what I needed. The only problem was, two walls were completely concrete and two walls were the ugliest patched together wood I have ever seen in my entire life.  I knew it was going to be a horribly difficult room to fix up just because of the way the walls were.  I decided that I had to use paneling to get the walls to look at least semi decent.
Paneling in Progress
The project was actually very inexpensive and took just 4 days to complete. (Mostly because I had to work and take care of my kids in between doing this!)  The ending result is just awesome and I'm so happy that I chose to do this.  Actually, I'm writing this from my studio right now!  I just need to finish some finishing touches such as a blind on my window. (Being in the basement, it's scary not having a blind or curtain on your window.)
Here are some photos!
Nevermind the unfinished ceiling and the junk on the bottom shelves.  That's my grandfather's junk. Still have to clean that.
This is before I added my craft stuff to it. :)
I got this basket from Ikea and it organizes my ribbons perfectly! I need to make another Ikea trip!
Any suggestions for the room?