As the food landscape continues to evolve, the demand for healthier, sustainable and locally sourced options grows — as does the popularity of open kitchens and interactive food experiences in grocery stores.
At Cayuga Displays, we keep an eye on current trends and use our expertise to create innovative displays to help grocers cash in on those trends, specifically the rise in sampling stations and food demonstrations.
The growing need to connect with our food
In today's world, there is a growing desire among consumers to understand more about the origins and production methods of the food they buy for their families. People are seeking transparency and authenticity, wanting to make informed choices that align with their values.
But it’s not enough to simply know where their food comes from. They care about ethical farming practices, sustainability efforts and the impact food choices have on their community. By connecting with their food at such a fundamental level, consumers are more in tune with their food choices, and more trusting of stores that prioritize their values.
Meeting consumer demand for transparency and sustainability
The rise of food consciousness has led consumers to prioritize transparency and sustainability in their purchasing decisions. They want to support brands that share their values and actively contribute to a healthier, more sustainable future.
With Cayuga Displays' expertise, grocery stores can enhance transparency and sustainability in a variety of ways.
- By incorporating display units that showcase clear labelling grocers can effectively communicate information about product origins, certifications and sustainable practices.
- Use displays to highlight local and organic options and draw attention to these products. Our flexible displays, such as our market table or bins, make it easy to showcase local and seasonal products.
- Promote partnerships with sustainable suppliers by creating eye-catching displays for products from these suppliers to showcase their commitment to supporting environmentally responsible practices. A good example of this is the display we made to promote Freson Bros’ store-made honey.
How grocery stores are responding
Grocery stores have recognized the importance of engaging customers in meaningful ways that foster a connection with their food. They are transforming their spaces by incorporating displays that are theatrical, artistic and creative in a bid to make shopping more entertaining.
This can manifest itself in a variety of ways:
- Incorporating interactive food experiences, such as sushi/food prep stations to create opportunities for customers to engage with the products. This helps enhance the shopping experience and deepen the connection between customers and the food they buy.
- Providing sampling stations to engage customers and allow them to taste new flavors, explore different cuisines and discover unique products. They entice customers with delicious bites while creating a sense of community and excitement within the store… and psychologically speaking, they are more likely to buy the product after receiving a free sample, based on the principle of reciprocity.
- Offering convenient meal solutions by adding hot and cold food bars and self-service displays featuring ready-made fare and meal kits. By having these options close to the kitchen staff, grocery stores can ensure hot dishes remain hot and cold dishes stay chilled, preserving their flavors and textures. This proximity also makes it easy for shoppers to communicate with the kitchen staff, improving customer service.
- Giving shoppers a “behind-the-curtain” experience by showing employees preparing baked goods, deli trays, prepared meals and other offerings. This builds trust by emphasizing the cleanliness of the store and the freshness of the ingredients.
Flexibility is key
One thing that is certain in life is that change is constant, so it’s important to be flexible so you can pivot when necessary — and that includes your grocery displays. A perfect example of this is what happened to our client, Farm Boy in 2020.
Their business model relied heavily on fresh and prepared foods, along with in-store dining. Just as we were awarded the contract to supply them with hot and cold food bars, everything was shut down due to the pandemic. Fortunately, because our products are flexible, we were able to rework them, changing from a back-to-back self-service model to an island serviced by staff.
We also developed a convertible sneezeguard, so the food bars can easily be converted from a service configuration back to self-service.
Longos, a family-run, 39-store supermarket chain serving Toronto/Hamilton area shoppers, had a similar dilemma. For their food service areas, we settled on a hot/cold/soup set-up that is in-line and closer to the food preparation/kitchen area.
They also decided to go with the special adjustable sneezeguard, allowing them to easily pivot from a full-service to self-service model. They also added plans for sushi/poke stations, self-service olive bars, cheese islands, refrigerated floral cases and updated bakery displays.
We’re more than a supplier. We’re a partner.
At Cayuga, we care about your success as a grocer, and we dedicate our time and expertise to create innovative designs to help elevate your products.
We’re excited by the possibilities created by the customer’s need to connect with the source of their food, and spend a great deal of time and effort creating innovative new products — which is why we had to expand our facilities!
Here at Cayuga, we see evolution as a challenge. By joining forces with us, you can create an immersive and inspiring environment that encourages your customers to connect with their food — and with your store — on a deeper level. To learn more, book a consultation or give us a call. We’re always happy to “talk shop” and answer your questions.
