Tips for turning your department into a destination

About 50% of shoppers who visit the prepared foods section of a supermarket make a purchase. Keep reading to find engaging and insightful ways to drive traffic, increase repeat visits and turn your department into a destination.

Source: Datassential Supermarket Keynote, 2016

More than 30% of shoppers say they don’t decide what to buy from the prepared foods department until they’re in the supermarket, and nearly 50% make an unplanned purchase while they’re there.

In addition, four of the five top reasons shoppers go to the prepared foods section are impulse driven:

• Hunger
• Curiosity
• Visual impact
• Appetizing smell
   

Increase impulse purchases by appealing to the senses. Capitalize on shopper hunger and curiosity with attractive visual presentation of foods and appealing aromas.

Source: Datassential Supermarket Keynote, 2016

Experiences are memorable—create more of them in your department to boost perception and encourage repeat visits. Here’s how:

1. Set up a sampling program to engage with shoppers and give them the opportunity to taste your offerings—43% of shoppers say a free sample would motivate them to try a new prepared food.
2. Offer signature services, such as in-store bread baking, in-store cookie baking or customization bars, to entice shoppers.
    

Source: Datassential Supermarket Keynote, 2016

Shoppers want the extras. It might not be feasible to provide seating, free Wi-Fi and alcoholic beverages to complement your prepared foods program, but it’s important to maintain a restaurant mindset. Consider these tips:

• Use menu boards to let shoppers see and understand your offerings
• Provide excellent customer service—staff training to improve customer service grew by 34% from 2013 to 2016 as a reason shoppers said they’d be motivated to buy more prepared foods
• Menu a standard set of items, but offer rotating LTOs to increase variety
  • The number of consumers motivated to try new prepared foods LTOs grew by 34% from 2013 to 2016

Source: Datassential Supermarket Keynote, 2016

Craveability drives prepared foods purchases. That’s why it’s important to know what shoppers are seeking and to ensure you have delicious dishes to match. Today, global cuisines such as Middle Eastern, Latin American and Asian continue to drive flavor trends.

• Add growing flavors to your everyday dishes:
  • Za’atar
  • Sumac
  • Korean BBQ
  • Gochujang
  • Poblano

Source: Datassential Supermarket Keynote, 2016

With Nestlé Professional, you can make your department a destination. Because we’re your partner in making lives better through convenient, great-tasting meals. We’re your partner in helping shoppers live life well fed.