April 9, 2019
4 Changes to Watch in the Grocery Business Right Now
Many years ago, I spent a summer working construction. One day the crew boss told me to pick up all the nails that had been dropped on the site (I was clearly unskilled labor) before quitting time. By 1:30 it was obvious to me there was no way I was…
February 12, 2019
The Snacking Trend is Over
That’s right, snacking should no longer be considered a food trend. It’s now the new normal and it's here to stay. In fact, 50% of all eating occasions are now snacks. A December Mintel report states that 94% of adults snack daily, which raises the question, what are those other…
January 9, 2019
5 Food Retailer Forecasts for 2019
Have you ever waited in line at Starbucks for your order to be ready, then watched someone waltz in the door and go straight to the pick-up counter, where their drink was ready waiting for them? After I had this happen a few times I asked my daughter (a serious…
November 7, 2018
Monumental Shifts in the Grocery Supply Chain Will Blow Your Mind
Some years ago, I worked on the advertising for a ballot initiative in California. The Proposition was a good one, and it would help improve the health of all Californians, especially children. The initiative was started by a well-known actor. We produced several commercials in support of the Proposition, including…
September 6, 2018
7 Winning Grocers Right Now in the Supermarket War
It’s been a year since Amazon bought Whole Foods and turned the grocery industry on its ear. This seems like a good time to get a read on the impact this has had, to take stock of the dizzying acceleration in the rate of change in the industry, and to…
June 19, 2018
The Future of the Supermarket is Here
Every supermarket chain has a weekly ad meeting where the items and prices for the next week’s circular are decided. When I worked on the Vons ad account (before they were acquired by Safeway) I used to attend these meetings, every Tuesday at 7am. I am not a morning person.…
March 14, 2018
Grocers Scramble in the New World of Amazon
Just one year ago the Food Marketing Institute estimated that online shopping for food and beverages would reach $100 Billion by 2025. Now they predict that number could be reached by 2022. There has been such a flood of activity that the tipping point has been reached.
December 13, 2017
The Food Industry and Amazon: Who’s Fighting Back…and Winning
There was nothing short of an avalanche of press surrounding Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods. And, although Amazon claims 18% of all online grocery sales, the vast majority of food and beverage sales are still offline, leaving plenty of room for growth…for everybody. In fact, a good case can be…
June 6, 2017
How Grocery Retailers Capitalize on Convenience
‘Convenience food’ was once a pejorative, but not anymore. Today, it’s practically a requirement for food brands to provide convenient products, even when delivering “clean”, gourmet or vegan options. As A. Elizabeth Stone stated in the Institute of Food Technologists’ “Top 10 Food Trends” report in April 2017, “Despite the recent media…
