Home > Back to Publisher > Report Information

Innovation Trends, Attitudes, and Opportunities

International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association
August 1, 2011
110 Pages - SKU: DDB6784712

Abstract Table of Contents Related Reports

Innovation Trends, Attitudes, and Opportunities

Innovative ideas from all aspects of business are of interest to supermarkets, food manufacturers, brokers, distributors, and others. The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association commissioned Datassentials to study innovation in relation to new shopper technologies, social media, new food trends, nutrition, and a host of other areas.

Consumers were asked to provide feedback on more than 190 innovative concepts, products, and ideas. We used three primary data sources as the basis for the study:

1. Over 3,000 consumer surveys
2. Interviews with 20 experts from various categories (technology, food, etc.) with insights on potential innovations for the deli / store
3. A review of notable food / flavor trends via Datassential's MenuTrends system-which tracks over 1 million items from more than 6,000 distinct North American restaurant concepts

A Few Key Insights:

Appearances matter-For today's grocery shoppers, it's less about the specific, individual items or technological perks and more about the total collective experience. While the components of innovation are often incremental, true innovation tends to be more transformative; it's important to consider how those various pieces work together.

Consumers are more aware of where their food comes from and they want more from their grocer than a simple seller-to-buyer relationship. They want to know the where, when, and how's of the foods that they buy. The time is ripe for grocery retailers to expand their roles in shoppers' lives by presenting themselves as stewards of their communities and conduits between food sources and end consumers.

"Healthy" and "convenient" are still major themes in food and foodservice. However, both terms have evolved to mean widely different things to different people. Where "healthy" used to mean low-fat, low-sugar, or low-sodium foods, survey results indicate that "healthy" means simply fresh or local to many consumers today. "Convenient" once meant microwaveable or ready-to-eat. Now, it can mean elimination of the wearying parts of making scratch meals or the ability to bypass lines by ordering from kiosks. New, innovative retailer approaches to both of these persisting issues need to be developed in order to better suit changing consumer attitudes.

Couponing is in, thanks to sites like Groupon.com, LivingSocial.com, and Restaurant.com. Consumers consistently indicated high interest in a variety of coupon / discounting mechanisms. Delis with more progressive prepared food offerings-and which seek to compete for a larger share of the away-from-home meal dollar-can use couponing to draw in bargain-minded customers who might otherwise visit a restaurant.

Chapter 1. Executive Summary: 1.1 Appearances Matter; 1.2 Consumers Want Depth; 1.3 Technology: Means to an End; 1.4 Not Your Grandmother’s Coupons; 1.5 “Healthy” is Many Things to Many People; 1.6 A New Approach to “Hot” Category Trends; 1.7 What’s Really in a Label?; 1.8 The Meaning of “Convenience” (like “Healthy”) Has Evolved Tand Broadened
Chapter 2. Research Overview: 2.1 Study Purpose; 2.2 Methodology
Chapter 3. Appearances Matter: 3.1 Trader Joe’s: A Case Study; 3.2 The Effects of Color, Light and Layout; 3.3 Relevant & Informative Signage; 3.4 Back to Basics; 3.5 Packaging Innovations
Chapter 4. Beyond the Store Walls: 4.1 Building a Relationship; 4.2 Connecting Locals Locally
Chapter 5. Technology: Smart Implementation: 5.1 Loss of the Human Connection; 5.2 Mobile Marketing & Social Media; 5.3 Enhancing Employees; 5.4 Other Technologies on the Horizon
Chapter 6. Promotions & Private Labels: Communicating Value: 6.1 The Restaurant Wars; 6.2 Competing With Traditional Foodservice; 6.3 Competing for the Home; 6.4 Coupon Innovations; 6.5 Beyond Coupons; 6.6 Private Label Brands
Chapter 7. Balancing Convenience: 7.1 Humans and Robots United; 7.2 Self-Service—Convenient or Cumbersome?; 7.3 Keep it Simple; 7.4 Self-Serve Food Stations
Chapter 8. The New Healthy: 8.1 “Healthy” Defined; 8.2 Challenges to Implementation; 8.3 Nutritional Disclosure; 8.4 What They Want; 8.5 Food Science & Technology
Chapter 9. Category Trends: 9.1 Social Responsibility & Food; 9.2 Gourmet Food Products; 9.3 Ethnic Products; 9.4 Implementation
Chapter 10. The Role of Food Safety: 10.1 Packaging You Can Trust; 10.2 Germs; 10.3 Implementation
Chapter 11. Appendix: 11.1 Interest Ratings (all concepts, by theme); 11.2 Interest Ratings by Demographic Segments (Top 50); 11.3 Interest Ratings by Psychographic Factors (Top 50); 11.4 Interest Ratings by Frequent Deli and Bakery Shoppers (Top 50); 11.5 In Their Own Words: Deli and Bakery Standouts 107
Tables and Figures: Figure 1. T.U.R.F Coupon Types; Figure 2. T.U.R.F. French Charcuterie; Figure 3. T.U.R.F. Italian Salumi; Figure 4. T.U.R.F. Ethnic Foods and Flavors; Table 1. Consumer Perception of Uniqueness, Trendiness, and Innovation; Table 2. Which of the following best describes your behavior when you experience supermarket delis that feature newer/trendier food items that you wouldn’t normally find at a typical supermarket?; Table 3. Respondent Demographics; Table 4. LEED Certification Familiarity and Impact; Table 5. Which of the following would improve your experience of shopping at the grocery store?; Table 6. In-store Seating Areas; Table 7. Which of the following would improve your experience of shopping at the grocery store?; Table 8. Importance of Packaging; Table 9. How interested would you be in each of the following types of packaging if they were available for products that you normally purchase at your regular grocery store?; Table 10. Percent of consumers who would be VERY interested in the following types of events if they were offered by their grocery stores; Table 11. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in the following types of events; Table 12. Consumer Awareness / Attitudes on Food Trucks; Table 13. Consumer Perception of Farmer’s Markets; Table 14. If your grocery store were to sponsor or co-host a CSA program, would you...?; Table 15. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in the following types of grocery store sponsored community programs; Table 16. Consumer Attitude Toward Ordering Kiosks; Table 17. Consumer Attitude on Customer Pagers; Table 18. Which of the following features do you think you would actually make use of in a smartphone application from your regular grocery store? (asked only of consumers who own smartphones); Table 19. Which types of smartphone applications do you currently use? (asked only of consumers who own smartphones); Table 20. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in the following types of smartphone applications (asked only of consumers who own smartphones); Table 21. Which specific smartphone applications do you currently use for grocery shopping? This can be apps for preparing to go grocery shopping, while you’re shopping, or after you’ve finished shopping. (asked only of consumers who own smartphones); Table 22. Which of the following best describes you?; Table 23. Which of the following best describes your participation in daily deal / social buying websites?; Table 24. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in receiving coupons / notification of special contests / weekly specials for their grocery store from each of the following sources; Table 25. Consumer Attitude on Digital Coupons; Table 26. Consumer Attitude on Smart Websites; Table 27. Consumer Attitude on Online Ordering with Nutritional Calculator; Table 28. Consumer Attitudes on QR Codes; Table 29. Over the past year, would you say that you are purchasing from the fresh deli, bakery, and prepared food areas more or less often today? (among consumers who purchase food at the deli at least 75% of the time when they grocery shop); Table 30. Changes in Eating Behavior; Table 31. Generally speaking, how would you rate the QUALITY of products in each of the following areas of the store compared to those found in the regular aisles?; Table 32. If your grocery store were to add a seating area WITH FREE WI-FI / INTERNET ACCESS where you can sit and eat; your fresh deli, bakery, and prepared food purchases, would you…? (among all consumers except those who said they would not sit & eat at a grocery store); Table 33. Consumer Interest in Advance Ordering; Table 34. How valuable to you are each of the following things that you get from buying a hot, prepared meal from the fresh deli section of the grocery store that you don’t get from cooking your meal otherwise?; Table 35. Consumer Interest/Attitudes Toward Instructional Videos; Table 36. Consumer Interest in Meal Solution Ideas; Table 37. Types of Coupon/Usage; Table 38. Shopping Innovations; Table 39. For each of the following brands, regarding QUALITY, please indicate if you think it is...? (asked only of consumers who are familiar with each brand); Table 40. Percent of consumers who agree the QUALITY of private label products has INCREASED over the past few years; Table 41. Consumer Attitudes Toward Private Label; Table 42. Private Label Brands, Attitudes and Preferences; Table 43. Consumer Interest in Ordering Innovations; Table 44. Consumer Attitudes on Fingerprint Payment Technology; Table 45. Consumer Attitudes on Uncooked Meal Kits; Table 46. Do you purchase groceries online and have them delivered to your home?; Table 47. Consumer Interest in ONline Deli/Bakery Ordering; Table 48. Consumer Awareness of Various Self-serve and Service Stations; Table 49. Which of the following statements about self-serve stations in the fresh deli, bakery, and prepared food areas of your grocery store do you agree with?; Table 50. Consumer Interest in Service Areas, Food Bars, etc.; Table 51. Regarding food, what does “healthy” mean? In other words, what attributes does a food item need to have in order for you to consider it “healthy”?; Table 52. How important to you are each of the following when you think about “eating healthy”?; Table 53. Health and Nutrition Attitudes; Table 54. With regard to the foods that you consume, please indicate for each of the following statements if you:; Table 55. Which of the following types of HEALTH & WELLNESS items would you be interested in purchasing at the grocery store?; Table 56. Nutrition Info on Menus; Table 57. Nutritional Info on Innovations; Table 58. “Healthy Food” Innovations; Table 59. Interest in Nutritional Innovations; Table 60. Interest in Antioxidants; Table 61. Interest in Nanotechnology; Table 62. Interest in Phytochemicals; Table 63. Awareness / Interest in GMOs; Table 64. Interest in GMOs; Table 65. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in seeing food science concepts called out at the fresh deli, bakery, and prepared food areas of the grocery store; Table 66. Interest in Natural / Organic; Table 67. Attitudes Toward Natural / Organic; Table 68. Sustainable Foods; Table 69. Carbon Footprints; Table 70. Fair Trade Products; Table 71. Which of the following types of meats or meat preparations have you ever heard of or tried?; Table 72. Percent of consumers who would be VERY interested in purchasing each type of meat or meat preparation if they were available in the fresh deli / prepared food areas of the grocery store; Table 73. Which specific types of wild game would you like to see more of in the fresh deli area of your grocery store? (among interested consumers); Table 74. Which of the following types of breads or sandwich holders have you ever heard of or tried?; Table 75. Percent of consumers who would be VERY interested in purchasing each type of bread or sandwich type if they were available in the fresh deli / prepared food areas of the grocery store; Table 76. Which of the following sweet or dessert items have you ever heard of or tried?; Table 77. Percent of consumers who would be VERY interested in purchasing each type of sweet or dessert item from the fresh bakery area of the grocery store; Table 78. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in purchasing individual-portioned desserts (mini-cakes, cupcakes, etc.) from the fresh bakery area of the grocery store; Table 79. Which of the following foods and flavors have you ever heard of or tried?; Table 80. Frequent Shoppers (at least once per week); Table 81. Which of the following ethnic foods and flavors have you ever heard of or tried?; Table 82. Percent of consumers who would be VERY interested in purchasing each type of ethnic food or flavor from the fresh deli / prepared foods area of the grocery store; Table 83. Which specific types of ethnic meats would you like to see more of in the fresh deli / prepared foods areas of your grocery store? (among interested consumers); Table 84. Which specific types of ethnic breads would you like to see more of in the fresh deli / prepared foods areas of your grocery store? (among interested consumers); Table 85. Where do you normally shop for ethnic foods or ingredients?; Table 86. Which of the following are reasons why you would NOT buy ethnic foods or ingredients from your regular grocery store even if they were made available to you there? (among consumers who would not purchase ethnic foods from the regular grocery store); Table 87. Color Changing Freshness Seal; Table 88. Visible Expiration Dates; Table 89. Part A—Interest Ratings Sorted by Percentage; Table 89. Part B—Interest Ratings Sorted by Theme; Table 90. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in each concept (TOP 50 shown); Table 91. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in each concept (TOP 50 shown); Table 92. Percent of consumers who are VERY interested in each concept (TOP 50 shown)

Innovation Trends, Attitudes, and Opportunities

Share this report

Other tasks

Research Assistance

Related Markets

Grocers Reports

Free Alert Me service