Five ways to turn the deli into a 10-month back-to-school meal destination.
Back-to-school isn’t a one-day holiday or even solely a fall theme. Instead, it’s a 10-month selling occasion, from September to June, where the goal is week-in and week-out repeat sales. Lunch box fixings are an incredibly huge opportunity.
Consider that while 28.6 million students, ages 6 to 17, receive a free, reduced-price, or full-price school lunch each day, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture FY 2023 data, there’s another 21.6 million kids, or 43% of this total age group, according to the U.S. Census Bureau statistics, that get their noon meal another way, such as brown bagging or lunch boxing from home.
Supermarket delis that can answer parents’ question, “what’s for lunch?” can score an A+ in shopper loyalty and sales. An excellent example of a retailer that rates at the top of its class when it comes to the 3 R’s — the right items, ready-to-eat choices, and resourceful displays and events that provide parents with education and inspiration, is Hy-Vee, a 285-plus store chain headquartered in West Des Moines, IA, operating across eight Midwestern states.
“Our delicatessen department is an excellent destination for back-to-school lunches because of its convenience, variety and quality. This section offers quick and easy options for busy families, from ready-made sandwiches and wraps to portion-sized snacking cheeses, meat snacks, hummus and guacamole,” says Abby Byers, vice president of delicatessen operations.
“These visually appealing displays make it quick and easy for parents to prepare wholesome lunches without adding to their hectic schedules. Plus, the deli is next to our expansive produce area, where parents can find fruits, vegetables, and crackers to create a nutritious lunch,” she says.
Here are five ways deli operators can cash in on back-to-school kid’s lunches.
1. HIT THE FOOD & FLAVOR TRENDS
Generation Alpha, born between 2010 and 2024, doesn’t share the same food preferences as their grandparents or parents. The top 10 fastest-growing dishes for these kids are, in descending order, beef fajitas, boneless wings, mini quesadillas, white rice, pho, sweet tea, tater tots, chicken quesadillas, seasoned fries and mini pancakes, according to the ABCs of Gen Alpha, released in November 2023 by Chicago, IL-based Datassential. Meanwhile, kids’ fastest-growing ingredients and sauces/flavors are plant-based chicken, wagyu, lemon pepper, sriracha, honey barbecue, chipotle, chickpea, vegan, Buffalo and feta.
“For bold flavor snack lovers, earlier this year we launched two incredible collaborations: Sabra Buffalo Hummus made with Frank’s RedHot with Tostitos Tortilla Chips & Sabra BBQ Hummus Inspired by Stubb’s with Fritos Corn Chips,” says Dan Tirol, vice president of brand marketing, for the Sabra Dipping Company, LLC, headquartered in White Plains, NY. Each comes in 2.4-ounce portions that are easy to pack in a lunch box.
Dips are No. 1 on the top 10 food trends for kids in 2024, according to Chartwells K12, a UK-based Compass Group PLC division that provides school dining services.
“America has gone dip crazy,” says Carl Cappelli, senior vice president of sales and business development for Don’s Prepared Foods, in Schwenksville, PA. The company’s dip flavors include kid-favorite Buffalo Chicken Dip. At the same time, its Chipotle Cheddar cheese spread pairs well with nachos or as an ingredient in a quesadilla or spicy macaroni and cheese.
Gen Alpha favors feta cheese. Président, a French dairy brand owned by Lactalis in France, with U.S. offices in Buffalo, NY, offers convenient usage products such as crumbled feta in regular, fat-free, and Mediterranean-herb versions in a shaker tub with a resealable top. This makes it easy for parents to top salads, wraps, pizza, bowls, and tacos for lunch boxes.
2. DELIVER GOOD FOR YOU & TASTES GOOD TOO
Parents want to provide healthy and nostalgic lunch foods for their kids, according to Don’s Prepared Foods’ Cappelli. In May, the company launched four new pasta salads that meet these needs: Classic Tuna Pasta Salad, White Meat Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, White Meat Chicken Pasta Salad with Bacon & BBQ Sauce and Greek Style Orzo Salad. “Introduce these behind the glass, sell by the pound, and show ways they can be used in lunches,” says Cappelli.
Plant-based, high-protein options are trendy as parents look to balance taste with health benefits, says Laura Morris, marketing director of Kayco Beyond Division, the parent company of Mighty Sesame, which sells its branded Organic Squeeze Tahini in a 10.9-ounce bottle. “Our tahini provides 8 grams of protein per 2-tablespoon serving and is dairy-free, peanut-free, gluten-free, and vegan. The squeeze bottle design makes adding tahini to sandwiches, wraps, or salads easy, replacing traditional condiments like mayo with a healthier alternative. It can also be used as a dip for veggies or a spread for crackers.”
Some 5.8% of U.S. children, aged 6-11, and 7.1%, aged 12-17, have food allergies, according to 2023 data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
“Many schools have nut-free zones, and other allergies such as sesame, eggs, and soy are becoming more prevalent. Because of this, parents are looking for foods with shorter ingredient lists and that are free of allergens but still tasty,” says Shani Seidman, chief marketing officer of Kayco Kosher, the Bayonne, NJ-based parent company of Tuscanini and Manischewitz. The company has introduced 1-ounce pouch packages of pitted olives in original, garlic and spicy flavors. The products are gluten-free, dairy-free and kosher-certified.
3. STOCK SINGLE-SERVE CONVENIENCE
Fresh, high-quality meats and cheeses are a mainstay of the supermarket deli. Product innovation aimed at creating single-serve, grab-and-go snack portions has made these staples perfect for kids’ lunchboxes.
Olli Salumeria, in Oceanside, CA, recently launched a line of snack packs that combines its slow-cured, preservative-free Italian meat products with cheese and a That’s It brand fruit bar. The four-item line offers Soppressata and Asiago Cheese with an Apple + Mango Bar, Genoa Salami and Mozzarella Cheese with an Apple + Cherry Bar, Calabrese Salami and Fontina Cheese with an Apple + Fig Bar, and Pepperoni and Cheddar Cheese with an Apple + Blueberry Bar. Each comes in a single-serve, 2.3-ounce pack.
“Because these snack packs are shelf-stable, parents don’t have to worry about packing them with an ice pack,” says Enrico Porrino, master salumiere and vice president of research and development. “These bright red snack packs are visually appealing, so they will look great displayed front and center in the deli. A sampling station is another fun option for delis with a bit more space.”
Veroni USA, in Swedesboro, NJ, has also created a dedicated snack line.
“This line is designed with unique three-compartment packaging that combines a variety of balanced components: carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins from cold cuts, breadsticks, vegetables and fruit,” says Emanuela Bigi, marketing manager. “We initially featured only salami in various combinations, but expanded last year by introducing Italian Prosciutto.”
As for cheeses, “Our Royal Hollandia Gouda Snacks are in prepacked 20-gram portions and are the perfect addition to school snacks and lunches,” says John Rosen, brand manager for FrieslandCampina Consumer Dairy North America, in Paramus, NJ.
Président’s spreadable Wee Brie comes with eight wrapped wedges in a 4.9-ounce pack and is also a perfect on-the-go snack size.
The popularity of dips has come to single-serve packaging, too.
“Encourage shoppers to stock up on ready-to-eat foods like Sabra Snackers in Hummus and Guacamole and Sabra Hummus Singles and Sabra Guacamole Singles,” says Sabra’s Tirol. “Seventy-five percent of consumers in a March 2024 survey told us they consume these products one to two days after purchasing, so stocking up can make life easier daily.”
¡Yo Quiero! brand 2-ounce mini cups, in mashed avocado, avocado salsa, and original, chunky, and chunky spicy guacamole varieties sold in a four-pack, can be frozen, suggests Tara Murray, vice president of marketing for Fresh Innovations LLC, headquartered in Rhome, TX. “They make great little ‘ice packs’ to keep lunches chilled until it is time to eat. We recommend pairing them with cheese and/or meat cubes, pretzels, or crackers to make for lunches or an after-school snack.”
Delis that want to create signature single-serve snacks or single-meal lunches can use a recent addition to Inline Plastics’ 7-inch rounds family, which offers a three-compartment or four-compartment option, says Carrie Cline, senior brand manager for the Shelton, CT, company. “It can be difficult to decide on one thing to have for lunch, especially for children, but the compartments in this product provide retailers with the ability to satisfy the consumer demand for various options. Additionally, our Safe-T-Fresh Squares have several other snack box options that can handle chicken and macaroni and smaller packaging for single-serve deli salads to bring on the go.”
4. BUILD A LUNCH BOX DESTINATION & THEY WILL COME
It’s one thing to stock kid-friendly lunch ingredients. However, the key to success is calling these out and creating displays that are easy to shop.
“Our deli and prepared food departments utilize thematic displays, advertisements, and many other additional promotional tools to help make school lunches easy for families. One example is vibrant, eye-catching signage highlighting daily specials or popular items to grab shoppers’ attention and entice them to purchase. Another is sampling stations or offering samples of deli items or prepared foods to encourage shoppers to try new products and increase their likelihood of purchasing a new food item,” says Hy-Vee’s Byers.
Byers says Hy-Vee collaborates with vendors to showcase top-quality products and engages their dietitians to present convenient and nutritious options for packed lunches.
Erin Good, Registered Dietitian for Hy-Vee, adds, “Our dietitian team hosts special events, especially around the back-to-school season. We inspire and educate families about healthy lunch and snack options for kids. Events include trying samples of new food items, receiving coupons for featured items, and gaining valuable nutrition insights to ensure lunches are both wholesome and enjoyable.”
5. THINK BEYOND THE LUNCH BOX
Parents shopping for lunch box fixings are also searching for ingredients for the two other essential meals of the day: breakfast and dinner. This is a ripe opportunity for the deli to score multiple rings across dayparts.
Fresh Innovations LLC introduced Avocado & Egg for breakfast last winter under its ¡Yo Quiero! brands. The line features Hass avocados, hard-boiled eggs, and three choices of spices — everything seasoning, crushed red pepper and spinach, onion and tomato — packaged in 2-ounce cups, enough to cover a slice of toast or half a bagel.
“We have found the best display is in the refrigerated grab-and-go section and with bread from the bakery. One retailer we worked with saw triple-digit bakery bread sales when merchandised with the Avocado & Egg. It also makes a great anchor for brunch displays featuring the Avocado & Egg, berries, fresh bread and juices,” says Murray.
There’s the prepared foods deli for dinner and lunch fixings for the next day.
“Families look for more convenience when it’s back-to-school time, when time is limited already, plus the addition of sports and activities, and it’s a time crunch every day, says David Cingari, executive chef for Cingari Family Markets, a 12-store based in Norwalk, CT, that recently rebranded from Cingari Family ShopRites. The company completed an extensive renovation of its Stamford, CT, store earlier this year, which included the addition of 75 new restaurant-quality entrees and sides. “These prepared meals make the evening meal a breeze. The fact that our chefs make them fresh daily makes them attractive at our price point.”
“Families look for more convenience when it’s back-to-school time, when time is limited already, plus the addition of sports and activities, and it’s a time crunch every day.”
– David Cingari, Cingari Family Markets, Norwalk, CTChicken pot pie, chicken parmesan, eggplant parmesan, and slow-braised beef stew are a sampling of entrees. Cingari says the chipotle chicken quesadilla is popular with kids, as is the menu of a dozen leaf salads like chicken Caesar, BLT Ranch and Greek with chicken, which are dinner or lunch favorites.
The Manischewitz Company has introduced a new line of frozen prepared meals that make dinner decisions a no-brainer, says Seidman of Kayco, which is also the parent company of Manischewitz. “Classic Jewish Deli dishes that are a family favorite like Cheese Blintzes, K’nishes, Franks ‘n Blanks, Egg Rolls, and a ‘party assortment’ of hors d’oeuvres are a great way for a family to come together and take part in delicious, comforting dishes.”
