Understanding what is driving market changes for your CPG, foodservice and restaurant brand — from macro to micro data — informs everything we do. Please read these thoughtful perspectives from our insightful team.
As COVID-related restrictions are being eased and Americans slowly return to work in a more normal capacity, the hospitality industry is still battling labor shortages with the unemployment rate remaining several percentage points higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to the Q2 2021 U.S. Job Market Report. As a manufacturer in the foodservice industry, how can you help your customers navigate through their labor shortages?
As a supplier, understanding the needs of your self-op B&I customers can help you tailor selling strategies to set them up for success. While many corporate buildings have removed or streamlined in-house dining services to incorporate more targeted venues – grab and go, self-service and order-ahead options – many tenants in these office buildings are also concerned with keeping their in-office and remote workers happy while adapting to their needs.
Abraham Lincoln famously stated “the dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.” No more apt words could describe the current state of both our country and our industry.
The new year always ushers in fresh predictions for what foodservice trends are gaining momentum. With myriad industry sources weighing in, it can be cumbersome to navigate between trends that look promising and those that seem improbable. However, some macro themes have emerged that seem to indicate which forecasts will actually come to fruition in 2020.
Personas provide critical marketing insights that can prove invaluable to the efficacy of campaigns, content, customer affinity and conversion of sales leads. That said, successfully leveraging personas for foodservice requires additional steps to ensure they are accurate and useful.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept over the globe, individuals and industries alike have been challenged with rapidly adopting new technology to enable effective distance communication. For foodservice sales reps, video can play an important role in building meaningful interactions with their operator customers when face-to-face communication is not possible.
Many foodservice manufacturers utilize public relations efforts primarily to support new product launches — and often these efforts do not extend beyond writing and distributing press releases. However, without a sustained public relations strategy, today’s leading foodservice brands forfeit opportunities to promote their brand story meaningfully outside of paid or owned spaces.
While trending flavors or exceptional value will drive sales, the profitability of those sales is determined by commodity pricing, forecasting and supply chain data. When manufacturers pair this data with consumer trends to guide LTO ideation, they offer their operator customers a clear path forward.
It’s no secret that broadline distributors hold an influential place in the foodservice industry. However, due to wealth of product knowledge and ability to place orders provided by distributor online portals, the role of the DSR has dramatically changed.
As digital capabilities continue to permeate our industry, today’s foodservice manufacturer has more tools through which to reach, inform and attract customers. An often-overlooked manufacturer resource that informs the operator path to purchase is comprehensive and compelling GS1 data.
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