FOOD INDUSTRY FFooooddsseerrvviiccee aandnd RReettaailil CCononttiinnueue ttoo CCononvveerrggee By Ron Margulis vocado bread. Robots that make and serve co昀昀ee. Ideas for Menu Innovation and And lots and lots of plant-based food of all types, Development including several varieties of faux seafood. 吀栀at’s nnovation and menu development is next, balancing traditional I saw at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago Hispanic dishes with trendy, health-conscious options. this spring. AEating my way through more than 2,000 booths Consider o昀昀ering a variety of portion sizes and packaging options serving the latest food o昀昀erings, I saw dozens of traditional grocery to cater to di昀昀erent dining occasions. retailers, including many ethnic-focused stores trying to get new Seasons and Hispanic festivals, such as Día de los Muertos, ideas on how to engage with their shoppers. Christmas, and Cinco de Mayo are opportunities to create I was very interested to see dozens of vendors speci昀椀cally catering limited-time o昀昀erings to generate excitement and urgency among to retail, both those with physical or digital stores and restaurants customers.. that have a portion of their locations devoted to merchandising products. Promotion is Essential One of the attendees I talked with was Desiree Mimlitsch, senior 吀栀en comes promotion of the foodservice items in the store and brand manager of foodservice at MegaMex Foods, a joint venture the use of attractive, culturally themed displays and signage to draw between Hormel Foods & Herdez del Fuerte, which was showcasing attention. new salsas and mole. O昀昀er meal deals and family packs that provide convenience and She said they are seeing an emerging trend of consumers bringing value for customers looking for quick meal solutions. both traditional 昀氀avors, like Birria, to the forefront while also Hold tasting events and cooking demonstrations to engage pairing unexpected 昀氀avors. customers and showcase the quality and flavor of your prepared foods. The Fusion with Food Services Also consider using digital menus, loyalty apps and social media Returning from the show, I thought about the best ways for to keep customers informed about new o昀昀erings and events. Hispanic food retailers to meet evolving consumer demands by incorporating foodservice programs into their merchandising Two Final Points strategies. Invest in training programs to ensure sta昀昀 are knowledgeable To start, retailers need to conduct surveys, focus groups and about the cultural signi昀椀cance and preparation techniques of analyze purchasing data to understand the speci昀椀c preferences of Hispanic foods and maintain high standards of quality and their customer base and then segment customers based on factors consistency in the foodservice items sold. such as age, dietary preferences and cultural backgrounds to tailor If there is one thing I learned from this year’s restaurant show o昀昀erings accordingly. it’s that by integrating foodservice programs o昀昀erings into their Retailers should focus on authentic Hispanic dishes that resonate merchandising strategies, food retailers can not only enhance their with their communities, incorporating regional specialties that competitive edge but also create a vibrant, culturally rich shopping re昀氀ect the diverse culinary traditions within the Hispanic culture. experience that resonates with their shoppers. 3232 JJUULLYY//AAUUGGUUSST 2T 200224 4 AABBAASSTOTO..CCOOMM