December 17, 2012
The Rise of the Supermarket Concierge?
With chefs and other specialists seemingly becoming more prevalent across supermarkets, the Food Channel network declared the supermarket concierge to be one of the top food trends for the coming year.
In a statement, the Food Channel said of the potential trend, "Grocery stores have executive chefs, offer cooking classes, and have specialists who can direct you to the best cheese, best meats, and best baked goods. We began to see it a few years ago when we predicted the rise in butchers, and it’s gone beyond. Cooking classes are everywhere — sponsored by grocery stores, private caterers and restaurants of all sorts. The supermarket concierge is the next logical step in the progression."
The prediction comes as professional chefs have increasingly been taking more jobs at supermarkets to support the burgeoning ready-to-go meals side but also to offer cooking advice to customers.
"How nice to have an approachable chef that can answer questions on everything from proper cooking temperatures, particular ingredients, what side goes best with the entree they might be serving, wine pairings and advice on catering at home," John Szymanski, chef for Kroger in Atlanta, told The Post & Courier.
"Customers love to ask for advice, but they also love to give advice," added John Keller, a leader in the prepared foods department at the Whole Foods store in Mount Pleasant, SC. "We like that. I like to help them open up their minds and use their imagination about food and what they can make."
Advice and encouragement from chefs reportedly emboldens shoppers to tackle new recipes, including more exotic ingredients as well as overall healthier offerings. Their presence also lifts the stature of their prepared foods sections.
"Food is very ‘in’ right now," Jessica Hersh, a private chef and caterer, told College Foundation of North Carolina. "And people love to see a chef in a white coat."
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Discussion Questions
Should meal preparation and cooking advice from specialists receive greater emphasis at supermarkets? How should grocers be more fully capitalizing on in-store chefs? Do you see a spot for a conceierge role?
Poll
I like the idea of the supermarket concierge, but probably more for retailers like Whole Foods and Wegmans. Also, I would not want to see customer service in other parts of the store suffer if store associates in other areas of the store are depending upon the concierge to answer all of certain questions from shoppers. Merchants will need to figure out how to justify the expense by correlating it to increased sales in some way.
I remember when the grocer I worked for had a “Home Economist” in virtually every store. These people would offer advice on food selections, etc. They weren’t executive chefs, however, they did offer a personalized experience bordering on concierge service.
That was in the 1970s. What goes around comes around. I like the idea. It’s a point of personalization and therefore, hopefully, differentiation.
Affordability is the problem for most of us, so I guess it falls on me and my associates. Having a pro chef would be great, but unless you are a Wegmans or Ukrops, it isn’t going to happen.
However, I can cook with the best of them, with my pro training from both Italian grandmas and my mom as well. My deli crew are outstanding cooks, and bakers, plus our meat dept. knows how to answer any question about cooking roasts or other meat items as well. This is where training comes in, and also being a good listener as customers today need our help to cook their prime rib, which I have given out over 3,000 flyers on my goof proof recipe, and get rave reviews.
I am always creating new dishes, and desserts, because it is important to keep things new in our Deli. I watch the food channel constantly, and have learned a lot about new ideas, which can be recreated in my Deli.
Don’t forget about the wine pairings to compliment the food, as it is an extra profitable sale.
A supermarket concierge may make sense in smaller format, higher-end stores, but I don’t see them working in my local Dominick’s or Jewel. Generally there is someone in each of the departments where I expect most of the questions might arise, such as the bakery, deli, produce, or meat. Have also found knowledgeable people in wine departments.
If a supermarket were to employ a concierge and if the service were used, then I would expect that supermarkets would need more than one for several reasons. First, during busy times of the day the number of customers with questions could create longer wait times. The other is supermarkets are open extended hours and certainly would want to have someone fulfilling that role through most of the busier shopping hours—12 hours a day, seven days a week.
When the Baby Boomers started setting up households, many supermarkets offered cooking classes. At that time we had many who had never cooked. The success of the Food Channel has created many weekend gourmets. They cook to entertain and socialize while buying prepared food or eating out during the week.
All the generations since the Baby Boomers have little cooking experience until the Great Recession. Supermarkets have lost almost all the growth in food consumption to the Eating-Away-From-Home market. An in-store chef could make a big difference in sales for stores that target the under 40 crowd.
There is definitely a place for a concierge in supermarkets, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a chef. There are plenty of trained professionals in the food industry that can answer questions about cooking methods, recipe and ingredient suggestions as well as wine pairings. I believe that the “human touch” is a very important role in the retailer-customer relationship and a concierge will build that personal relationship with shoppers which could really lead to increased shopper loyalty.
First, very few mainstream, conventional supermarkets have a “Chef” role.
Secondly, here’s what Websters defines a concierge as: a person who has charge of the entrance of a building and is often the owner’s representative; doorkeeper.
Shouldn’t that be the role of every associate in the store? I remember hearing Norman Mayne from Dorothy Lane Market speak years ago and discussing his associates and hiring in general. A key question in that process was, “Do you love food?”
Do supermarket retailers think about that concept in their overall hiring process? My guess it that there may be a rare few, however, for most it may simply be filling an opening. It really shouldn’t be one person’s role. It really should be every associates role. If it were, of course, some would be better at it than others. Nevertheless, it could change the entire environment of the supermarket even at the most conventional level. Starting with that one question could change everything. I’d much rather have 150 or more filling that role, each helping each other grow at it, than only one.
It can begin with simply asking all associates to read the Sunday food section in their paper or online. Or, reporting back on one hour from the Food Channel. I’m not so sure that carrying the emphasis of “Food” down to that level is top of mind at leadership levels, let alone, store levels at most supermarkets. It may simply be about making next week’s number and a lost vision of how “Food” gets you to it in the first place.
This is all part of the customer experience. It is the evolution of finding more places to create value to what has been a very ordinary event; shopping at the grocery store.
For those that value this type of experience, it can be what gets the customer to come back—again and again.
Keep in mind that this is a great concept for a specific type of customers. The concierge concept and higher-end in-store chefs probably won’t work in a value priced retail concept.
Also, this concept allows the retailer to bring some personality into the experience. The chef and concierge can engage with the customer and create more personalized interactions with customers.
If the supermarket stresses take-home meals, offering meal preparation and cooking advice makes sense. Is there a spot for a concierge role in such a store? Maybe. It would work in a Wegmans, but not in most grocery stores.
It all comes down to the shopper. If that person is on a stock-up trip and/or is always getting in and getting out of the store quickly, a concierge is not appealing. If the shopper is a foodie with lots of time on his or her hands, sure, cooking classes, chef tips and a concierge is appealing.
I love this idea but also would have to question the cost as it may relate to up-selling. I personally don’t hesitate asking the pharmacists questions so why not the in-store chefs? I see this as a great boon for brands such as Whole Foods and even Trader Joe’s where customers expect great service and interaction with the brand.
I don’t think I’ve asked for advice on cooking or ingredient substitution in a large-scale retailer for many years. By contrast, I would be very happy to do so at a local butcher, fishmonger or deli, etc.
While this kind of service has been left behind, big retailers need to add this back in to the mix as they learn how to re-connect with individual customers in today’s world.
Well if the Food Channel says so….
Anyway I was pretty neutral on the idea until I got to the part “including more exotic ingredients as well as overall healthier offerings” and pictured a weekly meeting where a phrase like “really push the canned mushrooms this week, we’ve got a #$%&load!” is uttered.
Much as with the in-house “health” advice at drugstores, I think I’m always going to see a conflict-of-interest with these in-house “experts,” and intangible positions like this are always likely candidates for the chopping block when things get tight…which, if I understand the grocery business correctly, is pretty much always.
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I like the idea of the supermarket concierge, but probably more for retailers like Whole Foods and Wegmans. Also, I would not want to see customer service in other parts of the store suffer if store associates in other areas of the store are depending upon the concierge to answer all of certain questions from shoppers. Merchants will need to figure out how to justify the expense by correlating it to increased sales in some way.
I remember when the grocer I worked for had a “Home Economist” in virtually every store. These people would offer advice on food selections, etc. They weren’t executive chefs, however, they did offer a personalized experience bordering on concierge service.
That was in the 1970s. What goes around comes around. I like the idea. It’s a point of personalization and therefore, hopefully, differentiation.
Affordability is the problem for most of us, so I guess it falls on me and my associates. Having a pro chef would be great, but unless you are a Wegmans or Ukrops, it isn’t going to happen.
However, I can cook with the best of them, with my pro training from both Italian grandmas and my mom as well. My deli crew are outstanding cooks, and bakers, plus our meat dept. knows how to answer any question about cooking roasts or other meat items as well. This is where training comes in, and also being a good listener as customers today need our help to cook their prime rib, which I have given out over 3,000 flyers on my goof proof recipe, and get rave reviews.
I am always creating new dishes, and desserts, because it is important to keep things new in our Deli. I watch the food channel constantly, and have learned a lot about new ideas, which can be recreated in my Deli.
Don’t forget about the wine pairings to compliment the food, as it is an extra profitable sale.
A supermarket concierge may make sense in smaller format, higher-end stores, but I don’t see them working in my local Dominick’s or Jewel. Generally there is someone in each of the departments where I expect most of the questions might arise, such as the bakery, deli, produce, or meat. Have also found knowledgeable people in wine departments.
If a supermarket were to employ a concierge and if the service were used, then I would expect that supermarkets would need more than one for several reasons. First, during busy times of the day the number of customers with questions could create longer wait times. The other is supermarkets are open extended hours and certainly would want to have someone fulfilling that role through most of the busier shopping hours—12 hours a day, seven days a week.
When the Baby Boomers started setting up households, many supermarkets offered cooking classes. At that time we had many who had never cooked. The success of the Food Channel has created many weekend gourmets. They cook to entertain and socialize while buying prepared food or eating out during the week.
All the generations since the Baby Boomers have little cooking experience until the Great Recession. Supermarkets have lost almost all the growth in food consumption to the Eating-Away-From-Home market. An in-store chef could make a big difference in sales for stores that target the under 40 crowd.
There is definitely a place for a concierge in supermarkets, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a chef. There are plenty of trained professionals in the food industry that can answer questions about cooking methods, recipe and ingredient suggestions as well as wine pairings. I believe that the “human touch” is a very important role in the retailer-customer relationship and a concierge will build that personal relationship with shoppers which could really lead to increased shopper loyalty.
First, very few mainstream, conventional supermarkets have a “Chef” role.
Secondly, here’s what Websters defines a concierge as: a person who has charge of the entrance of a building and is often the owner’s representative; doorkeeper.
Shouldn’t that be the role of every associate in the store? I remember hearing Norman Mayne from Dorothy Lane Market speak years ago and discussing his associates and hiring in general. A key question in that process was, “Do you love food?”
Do supermarket retailers think about that concept in their overall hiring process? My guess it that there may be a rare few, however, for most it may simply be filling an opening. It really shouldn’t be one person’s role. It really should be every associates role. If it were, of course, some would be better at it than others. Nevertheless, it could change the entire environment of the supermarket even at the most conventional level. Starting with that one question could change everything. I’d much rather have 150 or more filling that role, each helping each other grow at it, than only one.
It can begin with simply asking all associates to read the Sunday food section in their paper or online. Or, reporting back on one hour from the Food Channel. I’m not so sure that carrying the emphasis of “Food” down to that level is top of mind at leadership levels, let alone, store levels at most supermarkets. It may simply be about making next week’s number and a lost vision of how “Food” gets you to it in the first place.
This is all part of the customer experience. It is the evolution of finding more places to create value to what has been a very ordinary event; shopping at the grocery store.
For those that value this type of experience, it can be what gets the customer to come back—again and again.
Keep in mind that this is a great concept for a specific type of customers. The concierge concept and higher-end in-store chefs probably won’t work in a value priced retail concept.
Also, this concept allows the retailer to bring some personality into the experience. The chef and concierge can engage with the customer and create more personalized interactions with customers.
If the supermarket stresses take-home meals, offering meal preparation and cooking advice makes sense. Is there a spot for a concierge role in such a store? Maybe. It would work in a Wegmans, but not in most grocery stores.
It all comes down to the shopper. If that person is on a stock-up trip and/or is always getting in and getting out of the store quickly, a concierge is not appealing. If the shopper is a foodie with lots of time on his or her hands, sure, cooking classes, chef tips and a concierge is appealing.
I love this idea but also would have to question the cost as it may relate to up-selling. I personally don’t hesitate asking the pharmacists questions so why not the in-store chefs? I see this as a great boon for brands such as Whole Foods and even Trader Joe’s where customers expect great service and interaction with the brand.
I don’t think I’ve asked for advice on cooking or ingredient substitution in a large-scale retailer for many years. By contrast, I would be very happy to do so at a local butcher, fishmonger or deli, etc.
While this kind of service has been left behind, big retailers need to add this back in to the mix as they learn how to re-connect with individual customers in today’s world.
Well if the Food Channel says so….
Anyway I was pretty neutral on the idea until I got to the part “including more exotic ingredients as well as overall healthier offerings” and pictured a weekly meeting where a phrase like “really push the canned mushrooms this week, we’ve got a #$%&load!” is uttered.
Much as with the in-house “health” advice at drugstores, I think I’m always going to see a conflict-of-interest with these in-house “experts,” and intangible positions like this are always likely candidates for the chopping block when things get tight…which, if I understand the grocery business correctly, is pretty much always.