Supplies/Equipment/Transportation continued Business Machines Company Robert Bauer ............................................... (517) 485-1732
Supplies/Equipment/Transportation continued
Wholesaler/Distributor
continued
TOMRA - Michigan Steve Parker ........(616) 302-1484......steve.parker@tomra.com
SpartanNash Jim Gohsman (616) 878-8088 ........................Jim.Gohsman@spartannash.com
UBCR LLC Nick Kronsbein............................................(248) 529-2605
SUPERVALU Mike Schiffli.................................................(260) 480-7268
Consumers Energy Danielle Mackey ..........................................(517) 778-1215 Envirochemical Inc. Brian Fox .........(440) 287-2200 ........BFox@envirochemical.com
Wholesaler/Distributor
GMR of Grand Rapids Rae Ann Elliott..................................(616) 454-0481 x 203
Hilco Fixture Finders Tanner Yager ...............................................(616) 272-4906 Associated Whole Grocers Inc. Wayne Hall (608) 347-7318
International Game Technology (IGT) Rick Sherrer ................................................ (517) 272-3375 Kent Butchers’ Supply Co. Ben DeMots .................................................(616) 534-4050 Nichols Tina Saunders ..............................................(419) 419-1998
Foster Blue Water Oil Dan Wynn ....................................................(810) 650-9081
Novolex Phil Rozenski ...............................................(616) 402-4244
Great Lakes Foods Gene Mylener ..............................................(800) 800-7492
Star Truck Rentals Inc. Brent Larson ............ (616) 243-7033 ....... brentl@starlease.com
Great North Foods Jim Kent .......................................................(989) 356-2281 H.T. Hackney Co. Craig Diepenhorst (616) 261-6600 ..................... craig.diepenhorst@hthackney.com
Thermo King Michigan Jim Hostler ..................................................(616) 878-4900
Survey Reveals Shoppers’ Preferences for Grocery Store of the Future continued from page 5
Temperature Control/Safety/Environment 92% say it’s important that there is consistent temperature control for all cold products. 74% say grocery stores should do a better job of letting consumers know that the refrigerated and/or frozen foods have been kept at a consistent temperature. 63% sometimes worry that the food they buy may not be safe and/or clean. 78% say there’s nothing worse than getting what they think is a cold beverage, but it’s not cold enough or it’s too cold or frozen. 82% say it’s important that the store is environmentally friendly and supports local growers/producers. RETAIL EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS
Industry Partners
In part two of the study, Phononic surveyed more than 200 grocery executives to see how their current actions and future plans align with shopper expectations. Interesting trends emerged. For instance, 70% of grocery executives said if grocery stores don’t enter the modern age, more people will look for other ways to get their food. This sentiment aligns with consumer views; 56% of shoppers expressed the same sentiment. In-store Technology 60% of executives say their organization does invest enough in in-store technology. 70% say, when it comes to implementing new technologies to improve customer experiences, their organization is proactive. Despite a view of proactiveness, almost half of food retail executives (49%) say grocery stores haven’t yet figured out how to use technology like other retailers have. Half of consumers agreed with this statement. Optimizing Store Layouts 87% of executives say they have worked a great deal to create an optimized store layout; 72% say they are changing the grocery store layout to accommodate micro-visits. Over half of executives say they are offering more prepared grab-and-go meals at checkout. These executive views align with consumers wanting a faster and more convenient shopping experience. And, 92% of consumers said it’s important that the store layout make it easy to find things. Grocery Shopping in 2023 Looking ahead five years, 85% of grocery executives say it is likely that more physical stores will be offering ways to auto-replenish basics. 81% say there will be pop-up supermarkets in urban and rural areas to make it easier to shop. Almost two-thirds (64%) say supermarkets will become more of a community social gathering place with in-store bars and restaurants, and that the majority of supermarkets will be checkout free. 53% of executives say it’s likely frozen and refrigerated items will be distributed throughout stores, rather than just at the back of the store. 74% believe sales of frozen foods will continue to rise in popularity. “[C]ooling innovation will realize distributed solutions that feature healthier food options at checkout, more efficient store layouts, and additional impulse purchases,” Atti says.
MSU Food Industry Management Larry Zink .................................................... (517) 432-2170 WMU Food & CPG Marketing Program Frank Gambino ........................................... (269) 387-6119
Bills Would Require Stores to Post Details for Food Labeled Halal or Kosher
House Bills 6119 and 6120, introduced by Reps Robert Wittenberg (D-Huntington Woods) and Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn), require that stores post the basis upon which food items are represented as Halal or Kosher. The bills also prohibit the sale of food not conforming to the posting. The bills include fines of $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for secondary or subsequent offenses for failing to post the required information. They also make it a misdemeanor and allow for civil lawsuits for selling food labeled as Halal or Kosher that does not meet the specified basis upon which that representation is made as it is posted. The bills were introduced in response to issues with foods being represented as Kosher or Halal but not being prepared properly to meet those standards. “MRA opposes bills that mandate new posting requirements, including HB 6119-6120, but is open to discussing other means to prevent false advertising,” says MRA Vice President of Government Affairs Amy Drumm.
FDA to Modernize Standards for Dairy Products
The FDA announced it will modernize its standards of identity for dairy products. “Food labels – including the name of food – inform consumers about what they’re buying, and standards of identity are used to ensure that foods have the characteristics expected by consumers,” says Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. “The information provided through food labeling must be truthful and not misleading.” One area that needs greater clarity is the wide variety of plant-based foods that are being positioned in the marketplace as substitutes for standardized dairy products. Many of these plant-based foods use traditional dairy terms (milk, yogurt, cheese) in the name. “For instance, we’ve seen a proliferation of products made from soy, almond, or rice calling themselves milk,” explains Gottlieb. “However, these alternative products are not the food that has been standardized under the name ‘milk’ and which has been known to the public as ‘milk’ long before the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was established.” Over the next year, the agency will look at next steps which will likely include issuing guidance for industry and a new compliance policy outlining the FDA’s enforcement approach. August 2018 Michigan Food News 7