The Art of Display
By Michael Lorden
Foodservice retailers have long realized the value of an appealing presentation and the sales-building ability of strategically placed product display units. An efficiently merchandised display unit containing hot or cold products can generate tremendous impulse sales and boost the bottom line.
But it takes painstaking planning to create a complete and efficient retail display system that can stand the test of time and provide the flexibility that is essential to the foodservice business. With seemingly endless options, configurations and pricing levels for display equipment, it can be difficult for retailers to evaluate which pieces will perform best in their operations. The challenge is keeping costs in check while forecasting potential growth in both business volume and product expansion.
“The evaluation process and criteria used in making these hot and cold display unit choices is really a moving target based on your existing or planned menu,” said Donny Ginn of Holt Equipment Co. LLC, based in Goldsboro, N.C. However, that process is getting much more efficient thanks to advances in the quality of food product and the equipment available to prepare and display the products.
“It’s most important to clearly understand the menu and the operators’ vision for growth as a first step in the evaluation process” in order to build the highest-performing display system, he added.
Ginn routinely collects and coordinates this information, utilizing both in-house and outside resources –– such as food brokers and manufacturers’ reps –– to understand the requirements of various menu items and how they can best be merchandised; with this knowledge, he can make specific equipment recommendations to the foodservice operator. According to Ginn, one growing trend is the widespread use of rapid-cook technology paired with higher-quality food products.
And, of course, a retailer’s operation and organization have a great deal to do with determining the criteria for equipment evaluation and selection, according to Rick Anger, a certified foodservice professional and director of special accounts for Hatco Corp., based in Milwaukee.
“Space consideration and equipment footprint are major priorities for the vast majority of our customers and we continually strive to adapt both our existing product lines and items under development to reflect the most efficient size, while providing the dependability and functionality our customers expect,” he said. “Our job as suppliers and manufacturers is not simply to supply a piece of equipment, but to be more like consultants and resources to the retailer to grow their business.” For example, Anger is currently working with Wawa Inc., a 570-unit convenience store chain, to increase hot holding capacity for its breakfast program without increasing the display unit footprint.
“Here’s a customer that has a very well-defined and successful program that is being hampered by space limitations,” Anger said. “Our objective is to produce cost-effective options and engineering possibilities to solve the problem.” The collaborative exchange between the customer, sales rep and engineering staff enables all parties to make equipment updates and upgrades efficiently. Furthermore, the open communication and exchange of ideas aids the manufacturer in developing new products.
Small Footprint, Big Impact
Space and footprint size are top priorities for many foodservice customers, and combination merchandisers –– or Hybrid Merchandisers, as Federal Industries has branded its product line –– are the answer for some, according to Carolina Marketing’s Benji Berry, who is a manufacturer’s rep for Federal Industries, among others. In his role, Berry provides a full spectrum of hot and cold holding units to food retailing facilities ranging from convenience stores and supermarkets to school cafeterias and airport installations.
These combination display units are engineered to include a space-saving, stacked system of foodservice display. The configurations vary from refrigerated on bottom with heated space on top to any number of options allowing for ambient, frozen refrigerated and heated display in one footprint. As a result, hybrid merchandisers provide customers with the flexibility and display options they demand in an efficient format for a small footprint.
Sanford, N.C.-based The Pantry Inc., operator of 1,650 convenience stores, is currently upgrading a number of sites utilizing the Hybrid line of space-saving merchandisers. In addition to allowing for more product in a smaller footprint, a good piece of display equipment allows for the highest product exposure possible. “It’s all about displaying the food, not the fixture,” Berry said.
Recognizing the rapid growth of foodservice at retail and retailers’ growing desire to offer more prepared food, Bridgeton, Mo.-based Hussmann Corp. recently introduced its new Q3 line of food-holding equipment. The platform supports a wide range of menu items and offers hot and cold modular units, both full-service and self-service, that can be configured in a variety of ways. The product launched in California and is making its way east, with Safeway and Whole Foods adopting it for use, said Robert Mullen, marketing director of specialty products at Hussmann’s plant in Chino, Calif.
Mullen added that retailers were demanding a flexible platform that could be outfitted to fit a wide range of applications, designs and volume demands. Q3, however, was primarily designed for the supermarket industry and may not suitable for lower-volume applications, such as convenience stores, Mullen warned.
Most foodservice equipment companies agree that to make the best decisions about their purchses of holding and display equipment, retailers must consider their ever-expanding menus and product offering. They should avoid the pitfall of purchasing equipment by price to the detriment of their own program, manufacturers warn. Being overly price-conscious typically limits the flexibility of the equipment to serve or display and, in many cases, compromises the energy efficiency of the unit.
Equipment Selection Criteria
Before deciding what type of equipment is best suited to your foodservice program, industry experts recommend taking the following steps.
Food program review: Assess any weak links in the existing system and note any product and equipment deficiencies.
Program expansion: Build one-, three- and five-year forecasts outlining scope, volume and growth potential of all new food programs/menus under consideration.
Menu review: Analyze the performance and efficiencies of the existing menu, including employee and customer recommendations and suggestions.
Labor requirements: Assess the existing labor pool, opportunity for new hires, training cycles and costs, turnover rates and operational difficulty levels for future programs.
Space limitations: Coordinate menu, display, functionality, efficiency and sales volume into the design, taking into account any space limitations.
Sales volume: Be sure existing systems are working at top efficiency and capacity before replacing; evaluate potential sales volume to best judge return on investment.
Fixture adaptability: Choose products that can grow and adapt to changing menus, volumes and programs. Aviod single-use fixtures.
Minimum/maximum capacity: Understand the capacity and operational ranges of equipment under consideration; survey examples in service to evaluate performance.
Pricing: Consider all aspects of your program and required performance levels when comparing pricing.
Utility usage: Include utility usage, efficiency and fixture performance in comparing models, sizes and capacity.