As the landscape of fresh foods continues to evolve, two executives with Jacksonville, Florida-based Acosta Group shared some of their insights with The Shelby Report of the Southeast.
Kathy Risch, SVP of shopper insights and thought leadership, and John DuBois, VP of fresh foods, were presenters at the recent IDDBA Show and talked about key trends, challenges and opportunities within the sector.
Fresh is key
Risch highlighted the growing importance of fresh prepared foods in consumers’ daily lives.
With the effect of inflation on consumer budgets, she said shoppers are cutting back on dining out but are looking to grocers for that “restaurant-quality fresh food and convenience … The retailers are really stepping up, trying to gain that share of stomach.”
DuBois said Acosta’s partners, both on the customer and the manufacturer sides, are asking for help in offering solutions they can deliver to customers “to consume food whenever they want it, wherever they want it.”
He emphasized Acosta Group’s service-oriented approach. “There’s never a one-size-fits-all model for any brand or retailer,” he said. “We believe our unique set of services built by the people we have within our organization to drive solutions for our partners across the fresh food landscape is unparalleled and unrivaled.”
Technology, innovation
Risch underscored the role of technology in the industry. She mentioned Acosta Group’s focus on data automation, dashboarding and AI to deliver greater value to clients.
“More and more companies are looking for that return on investment, and having data is more meaningful in conversations with retailers,” she said.
Innovation is another key theme. Risch observed a surge in flavor variety and experimentation at the IDDBA Show.
“Shoppers are really looking for that variety,” she said. “It’s part of the quality and taste experience.”
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Consumer-centric approach
When asked about the biggest challenges facing retailers, Risch pointed to labor shortages.
She said while retailers have a vision of what they want to achieve, if they can’t maintain labor to execute that vision with excellence, it can break down.
DuBois emphasized the importance of collaboration between retailers and manufacturers in driving units and volume.
“The key is absolute collaboration,” he said. “Partnerships are going to create the win-win for a retailer and that retailer partner, and that’s where I think you’ll see value in terms of building the business.”
Both Risch and DuBois agreed that a consumer-centric approach is essential for success.
“It’s more important now than ever to be shopper-centric in everything you’re doing in order to win,” Risch said. “If you have the right understanding, the right data, the right business partners … it is easy to win if you ultimately keep in mind that it really is all about solving consumer needs.”
DuBois added, “Grounded in the idea of the shopper at the center of all we do, it’s all about collaborative partnership. More so than ever, where you have collaborative partnerships among true business partners, grounded in consumer, anything can be solved … You can overcome anything if you keep the consumer at the center of everything you do.”
