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Posts Tagged grocers

A More Careful Fish Selection

Mar 2

Posted by admin in dining out, Environment, food universe

Following on the heels of environmentally unfriendly containers, it’s time to have a good news story about a company that has taken the plunge. I’m talking Costco. They have decided to join the ranks of purveyors of socially acceptable fish. No longer will they sell those varieties that have been listed as overfished. They will instead continue to grow their farmed fish purveyor program and offer customers fish that meets the guidelines set forth by the World Wildlife Fund. Their further involvement with sustainability in the seafood arena will benefit us all.

The specifics are important. First of all they will stop selling (yes, first they have to finish their stock and commitment orders) the wild species they call at the greatest risk of being overfished. That list includes Atlantic cod and halibut, Chilean sea bass, halibut from Greenland, grouper, monkfish, orange roughy, redfish, shark, skates and rays, swordfish and bluefin tuna. They do not plan to reintroduce these fish into their lineup unless the sources are certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The Council identifies itself as “the world’s leading certification  and ecolabelling program for sustainable seafood.”image_small

Secondly, Costco has expanded its relationship with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a non-governmental organization that works closely on sustainable aquaculture issues. Costco has charged them with determining how well the Thailand-based companies that supply farmed shrimp are working to meet the defined standards for shrimp farming. That same approach is being studied with farmed Atlantic salmon. As any Costco shopper knows, Atlantic salmon is a majoone who visits a Costco knows is a major fish product for the company. Again Costco is working with suppliers and making certain that standards are being adhered.

What does this all mean for consumers? Maybe the first step is to applaud Costco’s decision (and other companies that are taking these bold steps) and follow that strategy into our own shopping, regardless of the marketplace. Similarly, when we dine out and find these overfished varietiess on menus, we need to question the establishment. Chefs have plenty of fish to work with that meet sustainability standards and can become beautiful center-of-the plate entrees.

Let’s applaud companies that have solid sustainability programs and likewise recognize restaurants that demonstrate responsible, sustainable performance.

We will all be better off with these actions!

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Plant-Based Universe

Feb 28

Posted by admin in gluten-free, healthy eating, lifestyle, news

It has been an interesting year in the food world to watch grocers and some restaurants take a liking, a reality-based liking, to providing gluten-free foods. The strategy was as much about marketing as it was about honoring requests as more individuals began to understand how gluten-based products were affecting their digestive tract. Now that many have called G-F marketing a mainstream approach, step aside and watch a new darling unfold: Plant-based Diets.

Instead of shrugging me off or giving me the weirdo look, stop and listen. The old world word of choice was VEGAN, but through smart analysis the baggage that term carried with it was replaced with a phrase that seemed to have greater appeal. Yes, there are still plenty of items with the easily tagged V on the label, but the term getting much greater attention is that of plant-based. People who espoused vegetarianism for their whole life seem to have gradually moved in this direction. Anyway, many vegetarians defined their diet with different proteins as in “I’m a vegetarian, but I eat dairy and fish or sometimes, chicken.” It seemed personalized. That seems less true for those who follow the plant-based approach which eliminates dairy all together and strict adherents cut out all animal-based products. Yet, as with vegetarianism, there are numerous products that simulate taste for those who still, for example, want that cream cheese (tofu-based) on their morning bagel.

As we watched the product expansion in the G-F line, so will this particular food emergence continue to grow. When a small, non-chain restaurant readily understands you want your burrito without cheese and answers, “no problem, vegan, right,” you know the impact will spread. When you talk to former vegetarians who switched to the complete elimination of animal byproducts, the one sentence you hear repeatedly is “I feel healthier.” Anecdotal, for sure, but if it works, it works. 

Oprah ran a week of shows about eliminating all animal-based products from your diet. Those who follow what former President Bill Clinton is up to will note that his weight loss has been significant. It is about more than weight-loss that proves to be an attractive factor. The well-recognized book, The China Study spells it out as does research from numerous doctors and medical facilities in terms of helping people lower cholesterol, lessen the likelihood of various diseases,  and be able to live a healthier life.

Will you lose weight or generally be a healthier person without all the additives that regularly get added to food? A note of importance: As with all food selections, look for those with the purest, fewest ingredients. When you can, the rule of five–that’s a good ingredient maximum. No matter your approach, you know what the vitamin and mineral rituals you need to follow. President Clinton begins his day with a protein supplement. Know what you need. prod_full-tofu-silken-chocolate

In the meantime, watch the shelves fill with improved selections as plant-based living becomes this year’s G-F darling. No one denies that some diseases command G-F products or that health reasons dictate becoming a Vegan, but those who follow trends will notice an increase in shelf-space for those with a “V.”

Overall, a healthier society with the less is more approach.

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Salad Daze: Study the Seeds

Feb 18

Posted by admin in gardening, healthy eating

Time to start thinking about your spring and summer garden plot as food prices continue to climb. Reports are out from all over the country that indicate the weather extremes have caused major shortages in some of the standards. When was the last time you studied a salad bar and noticed the abysmal slim pickings in terms of celery, cucumbers, and tomatoes? No difficulty in understanding the phenomena when you see what a head of lettuce or a single cucumber costs in the supermarket.

The fixings change as prices keep climbing. If a cucumber costs over a dollar in a market, the likelihood of seeing the item in any recognizable form on a salad bar or as a chopped topping becomes ever more doubtful. What is the consumer left with? High prices and alternative foods. Or,

Time to fulfill the promise of last year with the sprouting ritual of seeds. This is the time of year to do some in-house planting so that when the ground is ready for digging, you have sturdier roots than a last minute approach to resolving a personal promise. Make this the year of the garden.

Seeds can be frustrating or relatively easy; depends who you ask. Make certain that the package contains the magic phrase: For the 2011 planting season. Last year’s seeds may not be the best solution, especially for the first time gardener.Celebrity_Cucumbers_Seeds

Plenty of catalogs to dream along with or to invest in. Whichever company you select, remember the simple gardening maxim: Less is more. Nothing tastes better than just picked especially when it’s coming from your little plot.

Snub the high prices and create your own salad bowl.

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The Numbers Fill the Shelves

Feb 8

Posted by admin in gluten-free, news

We’ve talked frequently about the growing popularity of gluten-free foods with grocers of all sizes and specialty arenas jumping on board. Well, the numbers in the latest research from the Packaged Facts folks bear out the decision. Their recently released 3rd Edition analysis of the gluten-free market attests to the growing popularity. Marketing G-F foods has become an industry staple, something that now can be called mainstream, not specialty. The consumer market research firm expects continued growth over the next five years.

It’s not just those who must have G-F foods, those with celiac disease, who are driving the numbers, but a larger group of purchasers are making the production and stocking of this food group vital. Other medical conditions seem to respond to a reduction in gluten products, too. This discovery for many purchasers has lead to a spiraling growth curve with the G-F foods and beverage market in 2010 reaching an estimated $2.6 billion in sales, according to Packaged Facts. That’s a lot of bread, or dough! One area where the change is most visible is in the dessert section. More manufacturers and bakers are entering the space in recognition that a sweet tooth is not limited to those who can tolerate gluten.gluten_free_pie_chart.ashx

General Mills (they claim to have over 250 G-F products, that’s a sizable representation) itself has become a major point player with their remixing of the Chex product line and making them gluten-free and announcing the category quite visibly on the packages. They took out the molasses and substituted a barley-based sweetener. Interesting that the taste has not changed at all!

However a company gets there and strives to answer the G-F need, taste cannot be ignored. Too many original products had a cardboardy consistency. Thankfully, those days are pretty much ancient history. Health beckons, but products get repurchased because they fulfill the taste test or the taste memory.

Keep rolling out the G-F foods.

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Thank You, Oil Companies

Jan 24

Posted by admin in coffee, dining out, food universe, news

I’m not talking olive oil, safflower, or canola, but the big guys. The oil companies as in Exxon, BP, and their kindred spirits. I’m sure you’re well aware how much money that fill-up is costing, but the spillover effects are even more noticeable. Have you watched your grocery bill start its skyrocket spiral? How about your daily extra special coffee treat? Or, your restaurant meal? Everything food-related is going for the stratosphere and predictions are that whatever we are experiencing now will only continue to escalate. Swell.

Yes, few people will notice the difference between a 5 or a 6 oz serving of a chicken breast, but will notice that the plate is filled with an assortment of other foods so the main protein does not look so lonely. A handful of lettuce, although its price has gone up handsomely, too, is still less expensive for a restaurant than sticking with the larger ounced protein.

Portion sizes are not the only items shrinking. At the grocery store, many companies have left a product’s price the same, but reduced its size. Tricky, eh! Add 10 minutes for additional label-reading.

Maybe food delivery services will continue to thrive (Amazon is planning a major new national program roll-out) as consumers  feel more secure trying to make that $4 a gallon gas last longer and take advantage of delivery specials! The program worked in Washington state so why not Washington, DC? The East Coast awaits.41IodTSAjVL._SL160__SS120__SS100_

Some of the obvious jumps are in foods from Florida or California and the end result, as in orange juice. Way up. Grain prices are way up so bread costs are higher which means your favorite sandwich will be a more precious commodity.

Every business is struggling to figure out how to make money and not raise prices too much. It’s kind of a good news-bad news scenario. As in hotels which have been holding prices down and offering lots of sales, but now that consumers are traveling more again, you guessed it: Prices are up.

The consumer is at the other end of the equation trying to figure out what to buy and what needs to be shelved. This equation has few easy answers. As some would say, time will tell or it’s time to make lemonade!

In the meantime, watch how the price of gas, the cost of products, and the sheer energy involved in production affect our bottom line! Not pretty.

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Promotions to Fill the Carts

Oct 5

Posted by admin in Economy, lifestyle, shopping

Sure lots of people want us to believe that the good times are back, but we know better. There are plenty of ways to measure the economy: How about the approach those in the food business are taking? Grocery chains seem to have figured it out as the promotions keep on coming. Regardless of where you live in this great, vast nation your local chain, as part of a national roll-out, has a deal for you.

This past week solidified the reality of shopping. Chicago area chain Dominick’s (aka, Safeway) fired a missile into the competitive marketplace with their recent roll out of personalized deals: Just for You. They do not have the exclusive handle on this strategy as most of the majors have figured out they need to get into our grocery baskets to help us earn savings for our regular purchases. Not invasive; just cost-saving as most of these grocery programs are limited to car-carrying loyalists!

On the East Coast, Giant Food (Stop & Shop) has been running a promotion with Shell gasoline. (Kroger, and its many affiliate names throughout the country, has a similar tie-in.)  Giant just upped the ante and tied specific purchases to higher gasoline discounts. The promotion was supposed to expire over the summer. Now that it’s October, the program seems to have moved into overdrive with numerous new promotions that come with high rewards: 200 points, for example, equals 20 cents off a gallon of gas. Simple math or a two-fer: grocery promos and gas savings! We may have to start watching Shell Oil to see if its sales climb, too, or see if Costco’s gas prices are impacted?

Not only businesses that call themselves grocers are in on the act. Look at Dollar General, Target, Costco, and target78543_P2009_2380_PFRESH_PRODUCE_WIDESHOT-thmbWal-Mart and you see an expansionary trend: Consumers buy what they can afford, and these companies want to be at the top of the list. Target plans to open stores with full-fledged food departments. If you think I’m making a small point, check out their 10/10/10 strategy; they’ll  open 10 new stores, all with a major emphasis on the grocery part of the business. That’ll be a date the company will remember!

Lest you forget, the big box guys as in Costco and Wal-Mart already realize the impact food purchases have on the bottom line. Neither is standing still and both plan major expansions and an increased emphasis on private labels and upscale goods. It’s tough out there as the consumer does the math and heads for the bottom line; no one wants the sidelines.

Even though the economy has not dealt us all a fair deck, grocers continue to fight with a vast array of new promotions.

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Going Mainstream: Gluten-Free

Sep 21

Posted by admin in food universe, gluten-free

So much has been written and talked about recently how the G-F lifestyle is the new approach to eating or dieting. The dieting claim was quickly dismissed, but there are still those talking about the energy boost from eliminating gluten from one’s diet. Of course, there are those who need to eliminate gluten, those with Celiac Disease and some with other auto-immune issues. Their needs are not trendy nor lifestyle driven, but medically sound responses to health issues.

G-F as a mainstream discussion! Whew, who woulda figured that! For some, substituting G-F bread/starch products does the trick, and the new energy high and stomach relief are accurate signals that a simple food-driven switch proves valuable. If you study the grocery aisles, you’ll quickly realize that markets, even small ones, have figured out they need to stock at least some of the newly-found bounty of product choices. Product growth has clearly been documented, and seems to be prevalent throughout the shopping experience and no longer limited to a small section of an aisle. Some stores make it easy either by tag identification (Whole Foods) or by providing a master list (Trader Joe’s) of these products. Just wait as the product numbers continue to grow and more people find relief from G-F foods.

Every once in a while a book finds its way to my desk and is so chock full of information that it needs a major mention. From the author of the 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes comes a more manageable tome entitled 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes. Carol Fenster’s latest book makes the switch over to G-F an easy, understandable transition. For those already following this approach, the recipes and alternate suggestions make cooking fun again. No longer does an adherent have to skip pies, cakes, or pizza. All the details are well-written and easy-to-follow. For those new to a gluten-free existence or those looking to substitute parts of their meals, they have an almost immediate understanding of how to make changes. Challenges can quickly be eliminated and become solutions.9780470475836.pdf

BTW, have you noticed the increase in restaurants serving G-F dishes? How about the pizza parlor getting in on the bandwagon! That makes dining out an ever more approachable existence.

For those who have struggled with recipes or finding the right foods, so much has changed. The growth in the industry has proven itself a mainstream contender.

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Musings Along the Food Trail

Aug 10

Posted by admin in restaurants

It’s always fun to find a new farm market and sample the fresh-picked produce or try a meat or fish from a protein vendor! Yet, price often remains a little difficult to swallow as fresh-picked corn at the farm market at 50 cents an ear seems a little stiff when compared to the nearby grocer whose signs tout “local” and whose price states 5 for a dollar, i.e. 20 cents an ear! Go figure or try to distinguish which fresh taste matches your wallet’s outlay. Sometimes math calculations outweigh devotion.

Sure the tomatoes are lush and mouth-watering, but a table filled with baby squash varieties has no equal. Price seldom enters that equation as the beauty of squash blossoms with the mini zucchini attached far outweighs any price anxiety. Anyway the blossoms are feather weights and barely tip the scale. Even if your local market managed to have these beauties, you would favor the 2-hour farm stand. No contest.

As for the grocer, everyone wants my number or wants to give me a number. They want my business; my loyalty. Grocers have been in this game a long time, but I’ve noticed we’re moving away from the two-price tier of shopping. If you have a card, you get one price and those who have not given away their lifestyle purchasing info are charged higher. Never really liked this system and much prefer the one I am seeing more of: Everybody gets charged the same price and those with reward cards get a little kickback for future purchases. No more confusion about the tagged price and what you have to give away to save the 40 cents. Reward those who have the “special card.” That’s OK.

More restaurants want to sign me up, too. Restaurant loyalty cards are nothing new as Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You demonstrated over a decade ago. Reward the repeat diners; that’s not rocket science, but good business. The Palm has had its 857 Club for years, and now other restaurants at the full range of price points want to get in on the action. Not a bad move as the economy is still a laggard affecting restaurant sales.rewards

Specials will continue if not increase during these confusing times. This year we’ve seen a growing number of restaurants move into the happy hour space. Expect that concept to proliferate as it drives business at an otherwise slow period and for many spots extends their volume into a strong bar business.

As for good decisions, think it took Starbucks a long time to join the free Wi-Fi brigade. Irony there is that I’ve been seeing smaller coffee shops move out of that space. Yes, it’s a space issue as all day computer campers scout out the perfect area for their work. Not an easy problem to fix anywhere regardless of size of the establishment. Certainly helps when the weather is nice and outdoor access expands the arena.

My mantra today is quite simple: Let me buy the freshest foods I can afford and reward me for loyalty that involves a simple question not a long form!

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Food Blues

Jun 24

Posted by admin in alcohol, dining out, Economy, news

On the positive side of “Food Blues,” we could be talking about the freshest crop of blueberries. (Yes, they are beautiful). Instead, we are looking at the latest reports that indicate consumers are not yet believing they are out of the woods on their finances. They exercise caution in their grocery shopping and their restaurant expenses.blueberry

Meal planning, according to the NPD Group study, will remain on the thrifty side. Consumers have learned how to make better meals with less and are not ready to jump from the calm ship and break out the foie gras. The study reports that consumers do not see their situation improving over the next 12 months and plan to continue strategies they employed during the earliest days of the Recession. This information is almost in direct contrast to several economic market indicators pointing in a more positive, upward trajectory.

Examples of thriftier behavior from the report include decreasing spending on groceries, using coupons for food and beverage items, and stocking up on foods when they are on sale. The list also includes shopping for less expensive brands and making use of online coupons.

These are all consumer behavioral strategies that grocers can address to make shopping a better, more positive experience. Matching coupons, doubling or tripling those from circulars, and offering good, solid sale prices on a large variety of products will keep customers loyal returnees. It sounds as if little has changed for the consumer no matter how hopeful everyone wants to remain.

Restaurants have a lot to learn from this report and from the Nielsen Company’s latest research. Some of these findings could spell doom for a number of restaurants that have been hanging on and waiting for customers to increase their dining out events and cash outlays. After surveying 7,500 alcohol beverage consumers, they found almost 60% reducing their trips to casual restaurants and a similar number reported they were going less frequently to more expensive restaurants (fine-dining). An additional find was that 47% said they frequent bars and clubs less often. This translates into changed behavior patterns across the age demographics. The report underlies the belief that consumers learned new ways of entertaining and continue to exhibit uncertainty about the extent of the recovery.

Another interesting tell-all concerns alcoholic beverage purchases. More than 75% of those interviewed said they have not changed their beverage purchases because of price, but 25% of those say they are making fewer purchases. So even in this category, consumers have adjusted their behavior, and they are more conscious of their decisions.

Yes, these reports do NOT put a smile on the face of anyone in the food and beverage universe. They give great pause and increase the likelihood of more promotions rather than assuming that the diner of yore, as in 2-3 years ago, is lining up to get in the door.

Free-wheeling dining and shopping has not returned, and it appears to be stuck in fear. Hopefully, someone is listening.

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Grocery Shopping: A Two-Tiered Approach

May 20

Posted by admin in food universe, healthy eating, news

Just the sound of that phrase makes some people quiver, but there can be fun ways to fill the larder. After touring a new Whole Foods store, I now understand how the company survived so handsomely during this past, difficult year. They signed onto the sale and coupon philosophy and figured out how to communicate their new strategy. Customers no longer needed to quake at the mere thought of entering a store; instead, they have learned how to shop and what to buy with each visit.wholefoods

Basically, Whole Foods learned how to offer sizable price reductions in each of the major departments. For the consumer, the translation is quite simple: Buy strawberries when they are on sale; not when they are back to their old prices. A basic example. You can plan your menus easily around the sales. This week you’ll buy one type of fish and next week it may be a whole different flavor profile. This type of  shopping’s much easier: You buy the freshest foods with the biggest reductions and you leave the store a much wiser, healthier individual. Those are the products you want to plan your meals around. Nothing foreign about this concept. This is how chefs shop for restaurants. What looks good, what just came in, and what about the price point are considerations when they tour the markets.

At this new store, there was a product innovation that is sure to interest the curious and captivate the regulars. Some shoppers will continue to create their own salad/main course meal from the cold and hot selections which are sold by the pound, and then there are the newbies. Individuals who will want the $7.99 box with 3 compartments of items stuffed to the gilder-sterns as long as the lid closes: One price, one huge possibility!

The healthy focus has certainly helped drive their business as more consumers are focused on purchasing healthy foods for their families. Combine that strategy with the emphasis on finding producers of local foods, and you have a pretty good understanding of how the company has made such major strides across the grocery aisle.

Innovations are great as long as the price point stays in the center of the radar. Competition will remain strong, as at the other end of the spectrum is major competition in the form of Wal-Mart. Here’s a company that has made significant strides in its food line this year and just announced plans to continue to increase the depth of possibilities–they call it the aggressive Rollbacks program. We are talking about a major retailer that has reworked its aisles and departments to limit some selections in favor of increasing the overall breadth of food selections. This is where to shop for the basics that every household needs: It’s a win-win situation: You fill your house with great price-point savings on pantry essentials.

Everybody else in between plans to continue its coupon-driven enticements. The consumer has become a more savvy shopper after this past year of economic upheaval and has learned how to save shopping dollars. Markets cannot return to their old ways.

Shopping need not be Guerrilla warfare. I am more a believer than ever.

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