Mihika Bharathan’s Post

New Post: McDonald’s sales fall for the first time in years - https://lnkd.in/gjDau-rG - Fast food giant McDonald's reported its first fall in sales since the Covid pandemic, falling short of growth estimates and reminding everyone that there's really no need to pay exorbitant prices for some of the worst food made available to mankind. — Read the rest The post McDonald's sales fall for the first time in years appeared first on Boing Boing. - #news #business #world -------------------------------------------------- Download: #Google #Font #Tester - https://lnkd.in/gKAZYbVN

Wegmans Food Markets Inc. as one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2024. The grocer ranked No. 6, way ahead of the other food retailers on this year’s list. #FoodRetailer Great Place To Work selected the list using rigorous analytics and confidential employee feedback from more than 1.3 million U.S. employees. Companies are considered for the list only if they are Great Place To Work Certified organizations with 1,000 or more employees in the United States. #GreatPlacesToWork Other food retailers to make the list include Sheetz Inc., at No. 60; Target, at No. 65; Publix Super Markets, at No. 81; Walmart Inc., at No. 97; and Nugget Market Inc., at No. 99. Wegmans Food Markets #6 Publix Super Markets #65 Walmart #97 Nugget Market, Inc. #99 Gregory Esslinger Larry Finis Ryan Gomes Tara Oliviere Pamela Ford Holly Newberry Shawn Berg Stephen Brown Lauren Handel Darryl Davis Michael J. O'Donnell #nynjfoodguru https://lnkd.in/ez3kp7gz

McDonald's missed quarterly profit estimates for the first time in two years on Tuesday as budget-conscious consumers looked past its offers and the Middle East conflict weighed on the burger chain's international sales. Like its fast-food peers, the company has raised prices by mid- to high-single-digit percentages over the past year, even as lower-income budgets remain stretched. Its CEO said on the earnings call that the company's relative superiority on affordability declined in some markets and called out consumer spending pressures across the quick-service industry to persist for the rest of 2024. In contrast, Burger King-owner Restaurant Brands and Domino's Pizza reported strong results, benefitting from offers on their pizzas and burgers. For Reuters

Retail Landscape Evolving: Jacksons Food Stores and Others Expand Footprint Jacksons Food Stores is making a strategic expansion into Washington's Tri-Cities, marking a significant step in their growth. This is part of a larger acquisition by PacWest Energy, signaling a strong commitment to community development. Additionally, The Spinx Company is enhancing its presence in South Carolina, Enmarket is collaborating with Bethesda Academy in Georgia for a new store, TravelCenters of America is expanding in North Dakota, and Stewart’s Shops has opened a new location in New York. These expansions reflect the dynamic nature of the retail industry and its role in driving economic growth in various communities. Keep up with the latest in retail expansion: https://hubs.li/Q02cZxl90 #RetailGrowth #JacksonsFoodStores #EconomicDevelopment #IndustryExpansion

As mentioned in a previous post, Chipotle's sales have been increasing as steadily as its prices. McD's? Not so much. The reason is simple: BRANDING. Chipotle's brand is built on fresh, quality ingredients. That's their value proposition. McDonald's value proposition is...well, the price/value of their fast food. It's a good place to take your kids & fam when you want a fast, cheap meal. But when input costs start inflating...and those costs are passed along to McD's customers...look out below!

WHSmith Ventures into Café Culture: Smart Move or Overreach? WHSmith has launched its first own-brand café, Smith’s Kitchen, at Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton. This 26-seat café offers a variety of beverages, hot breakfast options, fresh pastries, and cakes, expanding the retailer's food and drink offering just months after introducing its Smith Family Kitchen food-to-go range. This move is part of WHSmith's strategy to enhance its UK travel business by catering to customer demands for quality food and drink options. Is this a wise move for WHSmith? Should they focus on their core retail business, or is this a smart expansion into the competitive food and drink market? With a market already saturated, success may hinge on the quality of their offerings, competitive pricing, and overall customer experience. Other UK brands have ventured into the food and drink space with mixed results. Marks and Spencer & Spencer found success with its in-store cafes, becoming a staple for many shoppers. Meanwhile, Sainsbury's struggled with its "Fresh Kitchen" initiative, which ultimately closed due to poor performance. Is WHSmith taking on too much, or could this be the innovation they need? What do you think? #RetailStrategy #FoodAndDrink #WHSmith #CustomerExperience #Innovation #UKRetail #RetailSavvy #SavvyInsights

𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫s 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 Playing with a low-price slogan is quite tricky and challenging because it's an easily replicated strategy that competitors can adopt. Altering prices within the system is swift and simple, leading to the disappearance of your competitive advantages. The question then arises: how long can you and your competitors engage in a price war? This is why retailers, preparing for price wars, are exploring new channels and tools to enhance profitability, such as expanding services and introducing new non-retail assortments.

As a food entrepreneur and closet marketeer, I see challenges with this partnership: 1. Krispy Kreme donuts are best served warm. Their red neon light created a cult like following. But when they over expanded years ago into gas stations and c stores the light wasn’t shining anymore. At that point they became just another donut and cheapend their brand. 2. It will be a gargantuan, if not impossible task to service all 13,000+ McDonald's restaurants with a “fresh” donut. I watch it everyday here in the Northeast as they try to supply local supermarkets with fresh donuts. Nobody is thinking about donuts in the afternoon or at dinner time - the window is 7am to 9am. This means a “thaw and sell” donut will have to be developed for this partnership to even have a chance of survival. But again, it goes against what KK is known for. 3. McDonald's is arguably one of the most recognized brands in the world. However, they’ve come under fire recently for their pricing and customer service. I’d double down my resources right there. Focus on making the customers feel special when they walk in the door and give them a meal that provides value - as they created the “value meal” concept. The introduction of donuts might grow their TikTok followers, but it won’t add to the bottom line. Save that dough. PIE THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER®️ #qsr #cpg #fastfood #dessert #marketing #mrtods #entrepreneurship

Liquor account leads and category specialists: Be clear how Coles Liquor shoppers say the retailer’s doing. Why? Because that’s how you put the most compelling plans on the table to support them in 2024. CEO Michael Courtney highlights sales growth, store transformation, and partnerships in The Drinks Association today. As an account lead or category expert working with Coles, you need to know what their shoppers are saying. Here’s a quick comparison between Liquorland & BWS shoppers: ⚠ Liquorland overall satisfaction = -2.5% v. BWS Within that, biggest differentials in… ⚠ Assortment factors = -4% v. BWS ⚠ Product factors = -3% v. BWS Broken down further, key factors to address: Assortment: ⭐ “There are often appealing new ideas in the category” = -5% v. BWS Product: ⭐ “When I buy premium prods, I really notice the difference” = -6% v. BWS ⭐ “The retailer helps me drink responsibly” = -5% v. BWS This is how you get from the elevator pitch to the granular detail. Next step – overlay your specific category, brand, and segment shopper insights to demonstrate the opportunities where you can make a difference to Liquorland’s performance. Show me a buyer that would say no to that… #shopperinsights #proofpoint #collaboration #growth

The benefits of prioritizing #GoodGrowth are increasingly clear to us. At a time when consumers are seeking innovative and affordable products and have an increased expectation for companies to do good, Yum! Brands employees and franchisees stepped up to deliver. Our Good Growth strategy is grounded in the idea that our growth and brand relevance will only endure if our brands are inclusive, sustainable and reflective of evolving employee, franchisee and stakeholder needs. In our latest Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report, we show the progress we’re making across our People, Food and Planet pillars. From our community impact work that supports education and employment to investments in more sustainable restaurants – we’re making great strides. I’m incredibly proud of our progress and the people who made it possible at KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill, along with the partnership of our world-class franchisees and suppliers. https://lnkd.in/eC7BkY5D