poppi’s Post

#TriviaFriday Did you know? The very first product ever scanned with a barcode was a pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum at a supermarket in Ohio on June 26, 1974. #RetailInnovation #GroceryShopping #CheckoutEfficiency #ShoppingConvenience #RetailTech #GroceryHistory #1974Innovation #InventoryManagement #RetailPioneers #ShoppingRevolution #CustomerExperience #RetailMilestones #ShoppingFacts

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As consumers cut back on expenditures, premium brands face an existential question: Should they shift their differentiated position to a low-price message or focus on their unique value and distinctive benefits? For example, should BMW shed its hundred-year-old image of being known for producing high-quality, meticulously crafted cars—"The Ultimate Driving Machine"—to become low price? Would that approach even work? When premium brands try to increase market share by going downmarket while retaining their reputation for quality, they often confuse customers, dilute brand meaning, and allow competitors to claim the title. Steve Jobs knew this challenge when he returned to Apple for his second stint at the helm. Apple was in bad financial shape, and Jobs faced intense pressure to lower prices to compete with cheaper mass-market products. His response to investors: “There are some customers which we chose not to serve." Many years later, Apple tried to go downmarket with a cheaper iPhone, it failed because it was antithetical to what the brand stood for. When Harley-Davidson made cheaper products, it nearly bankrupted the company and destroyed one of America's greatest brands. I empathize with Whole Foods's challenge to address the "Whole Paycheck" perception, but instead of trying to erase this clever, sticky, and indelible cultural meme, I suggest leaning into this perception and owning it in a way that turns it into a brand advantage. Target did this for a while with "Tarjay," the faux French accent meme that reminded customers their products were decidedly chic but affordably worth it, distinguishing them from other mass-merchants.  Some will say food is different, but if Wegmans decided overnight to become a low-priced brand, it would erode the incredible market value they've established over many decades. Secondly, it would fail because there's too much perceptual equity in being a deliciously differentiated brand. Instead, Wegmans continually reminds its loyal customers why the brand is worth the slight premium, particularly in tough times when other sacrifices have to be made. Our society is obsessed with living longer, eating healthier and knowing where its food comes from and how it is made. Instead of trying to become just another ordinary grocery store, I wish Whole Foods reminded customers why good, healthy, sustainable food should cost slightly more than low-price options. #grocerystores #supermarkets #foodretail #food #health #organic #natural #branding #strategy #business #retail #business #sustainability #stores

A SIP DOWN MEMORY LANE! SZZL A 120Z TIME MACHINE We need a simple option that tastes like the good ole’ days.  SZZL is a 12 oz. time machine that transports you with just one sip. We capture the essence of your favorite classic beverages, with just 6g of sugar per can, real ingredients, and no alternative sweeteners. The result is a unique hybrid between soda and seltzer that is refreshingly simple. Just a simple drink bringing back simple times. FAMILIAR FLAVORS MADE BETTER! CONTACT CASCADIA MANAGING BRANDS  FOR MORE INFORMATION AND SAMPLES! #grocery #groceryretail #groceryshopping #groceryindustry #distributors #distributorswanted #distributor #distributors #soda #lowsugar #seltzer #sparkling #sparklingbeverage #sparklingbeverages #wegmans #bigy #topsmarket #walmart #amazon #target #cvs #riteaid #marketbasket #new #newbeverage #newbeverages #vending #ahold #hannaford #shaws

The EG Group own Asda and Leon, and this photo was taken inside an Asda store. I just can't see why you would do this (even if you do own Leon's)?. Firstly, your average Asda shopper would be completely unaware of the Leon brand. Its primarily about plant based foods and all 'natural ingredients ', with a high price point and coffee is way down their overall brand credentials. So you are starting with a lack of brand awareness, and in this case, followed by poor execution. The unit isn't functioning properly, which will be down to staff training within the store who are unfamiliar with it. The digital screen is 'down loading media' which presumably would carry the pricing, so you have no idea of the cost, and the automatic milk well hasn't been filled, hence the 500ml milk container placed on the side. That would indicate you can only pour a black coffee. All together a bit of a pickle I think? #asda #Leon #coffee #shopping

In my latest video, I share what’s new on store shelves for the spring:

Industry friends... what are your thoughts on this? Whole Foods Market is introducing smaller-format stores with a smaller product assortment emphasizing the Whole Foods 365 brand as well as fresh produce, pre-packaged meals, alcohol, frozen foods, meat and seafood, and “local specialties." What does this news mean for your brand? Are smaller footprints the future of grocery retail?

You know you have an iconic product when you can stir up huge amounts of backlash anytime you change it. Costco Wholesale arguably has the most iconic food product in America with its $4.99 rotisserie chicken. They sold 137 MILLION rostisserie chickens in 2023. Therein lies the dilemma: the product is defined by price. The iconic “$4.99 rotisserie chicken” can’t just suddenly become the $5.99 rotisserie chicken without some huge repercussions. So for Costco, the lesser of two evils was to save some money on packaging by switching from Clamshells to Bags. The only other alternative would be to raise the retail, eventually. Now they have a PR “situation” on their hands. Food For Thought: 👉Having an iconic brand is fantastic, but if the defining attribute is its SRP, that can be a ticking time bomb. 👉Imagine if Toyota had the iconic “$10,000 car” 20 years ago and they were trapped into holding that price. 👉If you are so lucky to develop an iconic product, make sure you’ve optimized your packaging for price/performance ratio BEFORE you hit the big time 👉When you have legions of devoted fans, that devotion can be a double-edged sword that blocks you from being able to innovate. For some products, ANY changes at all meet fierce resistance. 👉Is it better to be at 10/10 level of devotion for a few years, or an 8/10 for decades? Pod Foods Anna Ison💥 Lizz Ingrassia Turner Goodwin Clint Chao RangeMe Flowspace Total Quality Logistics Caroline Grace #innovation #cpg #costcochicken #packaging #kirkland

Change is afoot and venerable Market Hall Foods is, sadly, not immune as they close their Berkeley location while keeping Rockridge in Oakland open. These are tough but necessary choices that reflect the push and pull of increasing cost and uncertain demand. This follows recent closures across the country including Foxtrot and Dom's Kitchen & Market. Folks often lament these closures and posit what they believe to be the issues driving the moves, but the below article lays in stark relief some of the commonalities that thread through the industry as it hits some inevitable bumps. Contrary to what we have all long believed, more and bigger is not always better, and there is no shame in taking three stores to two, or two to one, if it means that the core business model and consumer value proposition can remain viable and healthy, if not compelling. Let's patronize our specialty retailers and be intentional about supporting not only them, but the smaller producers they feature that are vital to our food and beverage ecosphere! #retail #retailclosing #specialtyfood #retailtrends #supportsmallbusiness

It can be very interesting watching how culture shapes retail. Currently, small convenience-style stores providing ready-to-go meals, like the section at H-E-B, are the new investment that grocers such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are investing in. I would think they ought to be a big hit! We shall soon see. #conveniencestore #GroceryTrends #RetailTrends https://lnkd.in/gRxDyFiN