From premium offerings to product education, there are many ways in which a retailer can deliver a convenient and engaging smallgoods category.
Greg Wooller, Head of Grocery Sales at Don, says communication is a key opportunity for the smallgoods category in both the deli and dairy case.
“Whether it is around signalling the key elements of the category (ie, breakfast, sandwich, snacking or entertaining) or helping shoppers navigate the different types of cuts and sources of meat, communication will continue to play an important role,” says Mr Wooller.
“The best delis across the market are engaging and provide real theatre. The staff’s knowledge of their products and ability to up-sell and/or cross-sell are crucial in delivering the experience. With a higher cost to serve (labour, electricity, refrigeration) the deli needs to deliver a higher $/kg return than the dairy case.”
To improve the shopability of the pre-pack smallgoods catgeory, says Mr Wooller, understanding the key occasions of the category are important.
“The category is dominated by the breakfast (bacon) and sandwich fillers (sliced ham/salami) occasions,” he says.
“Bacon is the traffic driver of the category due to its high household penetration and with its versatility in cooking usage it should be blocked together and positioned adjacent to meal makers (diced bacon, shredded ham, pancetta, chorizo).
“Everyday sliced meats encompasses sliced ham, poultry, beef & pork. These should be positioned next to sliced salami as they are also used in sandwiches, which then flows into snacking/entertaining (salami sticks, prosciutto and platters).
“POS signage at shelf supporting the occasion-based layout encourages usage versatility of the category and can therefore drive growth to the category.”
Read more in the latest issue of Retail World magazine, here.