Supermarkets Invest In Fresh Prepared Foods To Meet Demand For Convenience

Supermarkets are achieving operational efficiencies in their stores by investing in the prepared foods that meet consumer demand for convenience and freshness, according to the Food Marketing Institute. Retail food stores are competing with restaurants and convenience stores in the fresh prepared foods arena, and are boosting their investment there as center store sales decline. A survey of 8,000 stores conducted for FMI by Technomic found that the $15 billion growth in prepared fresh foods over the last eight years was no accident. Sixty-two percent of surveyed supermarkets offer customers made-to-order stations along the store perimeter. Some stores offer limited service or full-service restaurants. A key finding: “supermarkets are catering to the changing preferences of shoppers and their demands for customization.”