CATEGORY MANAGEMENT | DELI
Retailers will ignite additional activity by getting shoppers to perceive the deli as a solution center and not just a fresh depart - ment, he said. “Position offerings to solve specific needs, such as quick weeknight din - ners, entertaining solutions, healthy lunches and protein options for health-conscious shoppers,” Del Valle said. “The deli that wins makes the customer’s life easier while deliv - ering on the quality they are seeking.” Supermarket delis are already winning by “offering better quality and more interesting products that are approaching restaurant quality but at a far lower price than restau - rants,” said Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters, an Arlington, Vt.-based food industry consulting firm. “But delis will have major issues if they are not hitting the freshness and quality that is appropriate for the stores’ price points.” ASSESS THE SITUATION Merchandisers should analyze shopper behavior along with their competitors to determine the most appropriate selections to offer in each location, she said. That includes using loyalty card data to study buying pat - terns; interviewing associates to learn about common shopper inquiries; and researching the selections that other delis and restau - rants are offering, Webster said. “Retailers are wasting incredibly import - ant resources if they aren’t using available data to better position the deli and its prod - ucts,” she said. “It is not about offering the same things as competitors but identifying what is popular while creating a more own - able and defensible position or product.” Prepared delis also require a distinct operational approach as they are more like restaurants than other fresh departments, such as produce or meat, Brown said. “It can be a game-changer for food retailers when their mindset changes from stocking assort - ment and variety to catering to a dining experience,” he said. In addition, strong deli foodservice pro - grams must have the necessary staffing to support a freshly prepared initiative, Brown said, noting that it is a labor-intensive busi - ness and adding more items to produce, monitor and sell can be challenging but is essential to succeed. “Those that dedicate the resources will win in the long run,” he said.
Grab-and-go deli salads are a key option for convenience-oriented shoppers.
Offering large assortments of prepared foods enable supermarket delis to better compete with restaurants.
charcuterie or family meal solution, and make sure those items are consistently excellent,” he said. Offering signature foodservice selections can help operators make their delis top of mind for consumers, Brown agreed, noting that about 40% of shoppers indicate that their grocery outlet already has a signature offering, up from 33% in 2024. “Merchandising a signature item can be counterintuitive to retailers, but removing
decision fatigue is very helpful to consumers who are strapped for time and looking for a quick meal,” he said. “It helps bring focus to the department and enables retailers to meet such important factors as taste and quality.” Sampling can be a powerful sales driver as well, Del Valle said, noting that it “dra - matically increases conversion when shoppers can taste the quality, especially with premium items.”
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