“Foodservice Opportunities,” a report from The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA), Madison, WI, indicates that more people visit supermarket delis for lunch than for dinner. This, the organization says, represents an unrealized opportunity during the dinner hours.
Further, the report notes, those who frequent delis most often are those who also frequent specialty grocery stores, club stores and sit-down restaurants. For example, consumers who visit specialty grocery stores such as Whole Foods at least twice per week report buying breakfast, lunch and dinner an average of four times as often as the general public. Increases are similar for frequent visitors of club stores and sit-down restaurants.
A range of factors can account for this, including a general disinclination to cook at home and greater exposure to desirable deli items, but IDDBA suggests it is most important to note that this group of consumers likely has more-developed tastes. As such, it is important for deli operators to offer choices that please these more-sophisticated palates.
When consumers were asked what would make them more likely to purchase from supermarket delis and/or hot food stations, more than 50% said “a greater variety of foods.” By offering a wider selection of convenient, interesting and dinner-appropriate items, IDDBA suggests, supermarket delis could target after-work shoppers, a group with high potential for purchasing their dinner at the deli.
