Merchandising Review

Tailgates Are a Major Eating Event

The deli can score with foods that add quality. Tailgates in parking lots outside football stadiums have become major social eating events. Hormel’s national survey of 5,000 consumers around the country found the optimal size […]

Feature

Holiday Dinners

While one may not immediately think of the supermarket deli as the place to stock up on food for holiday gatherings, the deli actually presents some great opportunities for holiday meals.  The deli is one […]

Feature

Getting Schooled

Like American’s 4 p.m. quandary of ‘What’s for Dinner?’, parents ponder ‘What’s for Lunch?’ when the hands on the seasonal clock hits fall. The sales potential of back-to-school lunchbox fare is huge. Consider that of […]

Cover Story

Succeeding in Sustainability

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 committed the United States to sustainability, declaring it a national policy “to create and maintain conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit […]

Cover Story

The Grab-and-Go Phenomenon

The grab-and-go segment has evolved over the years. As a result, supermarket delis are more diverse and have become more competitive with today’s restaurants. Its higher-end offerings providing convenient and fast pick up include everything […]

Feature

A Lunchtime Education

Packing lunches for back-to-school is nothing new. In fact, school lunch menus and tips for preparing these kid-friendly mobile meals first appeared in American cookbooks at the end of the 19th century, according to an […]

Procurement

Packaging During the Pandemic

Packaging for food has never been as scrutinized as it has been during the COVID-19 pandemic, as consumers want assurances that the food they eat is safe. During the pandemic, consumers reported using higher levels […]

Cover Story

The Prepared Food Pivot

Prepared food has been a juggernaut for supermarket delis in recent years. In 2019, prepared meals were a top selling category, generating close to $15 billion, according to New York-based Statistica. During the 52 weeks […]

Procurement

Benefits of Single-Use Plastic Packaging

In 2020, consumers see plastic packaging used in a variety of methods and functionalities within the supermarket delis, ranging from fresh cut fruit to sandwiches to convenient, ready-to-eat take home entrée meals. Mark Marinozzi, vice […]

Procurement

The Packaging Predicament

As deli department offerings have evolved, so has the packaging used to contain its food offerings. Much of this is in response to the current trends in prepared foods. For example, the meal kit market […]