AMERICAN RETAIL
Retail and Decor news from around the country
compiled by the staff of Off The Wall
In a recent company released podcast, Trader Joe’s President Jon Basalone said a rumor that the quirky grocery chain was adding them was as “false as false can be.” He added: “We believe in people. We’re not trying to get rid of our crew members for efficiency’s sake.”
Basalone recalled a time when he had difficulty using a self-checkout kiosk and had to get an employee to help him. “I’m like, I do this for a living, and I can’t get this thing to work,” he said.
One thing that all retail outlets have in common is checkout areas near their exits. These areas are designed for the efficient processing of customer purchases.
Off The Wall knows that from a design point of view, the exit area of a supermarket must seamlessly tie in with the theme and colors and feeling that has been established in the rest of the store.
When you go to a grocery store or pharmacy, do you prefer the self-checkout lines that have become ubiquitous in the modern retail environment? Or do you dread them because you know you’re bound to have trouble scanning your items, paying for them, placing them in the bagging area and getting on your way?
This is a list of the most important retail trends in 2023.
In this guide, we'll outline how consumer behavior, technology and supply chains are impacting retail.
So whether you're a mom-and-pop shop or a big box retailer, these are the top retail trends to know.
McCaffrey's has just opened its eighth food store. The latest location is in Gladwyne, PA, in a new structure built from the ground up.
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The company is a family-owned and run business founded by Jim McCaffrey III in 1980. Half of its supermarkets are in Bucks County. Two are in New Jersey, and two, Gladwyne being the second, are in Montgomery County, PA.
From personalization and QR codes to audio advertising and conversational commerce, 2024 will see many enduring retail trends — and a few new ones as well.
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With over half of 2023 in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take a look at what’s trending in the retail world. I spoke to four retail thought leaders to get their take on what the future of retail holds as we head into 2024. Let’s start with where I see the retail industry taking a turn next year.
Latin American cuisine’s popularity has become universally mainstream across consumer demographics and geographies. While multicultural consumers are projected to drive America’s population growth, doubling over the next 40 years, regardless of background, more consumers across the U.S. are seeking ways to prepare authentic Latin American cuisine at home.
Latin cuisine at home is also being driven by Gen Z, the most ethnically diverse generation, which tends to be more flavor-forward and has high influence over what their households purchase at retail for in-home meals.
Serving and consuming freshly brewed coffee outside traditional coffee shops has been happening for decades. Beginning years ago in convenience marts and small specialty grocery stores as a "to-go" item, supermarkets soon realized the benefits of providing this courtesy to their customers as they shopped.
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Aside from studies suggesting that caffeine is linked to higher overall spending due to increased impulse buying, supermarkets are aware that customers appreciate access to a beverage as they stroll through a supermarket.
The world of food is growing, and restaurateurs need to make sure to not lose touch! The past two years have been nothing but a roller-coaster. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many norms and increased the number of challenges for everyone. But it also provided opportunities for people to reconnect with their kitchen and explore new tastes and ideas. Food trends come and go due to the ever-lasting loop of dynamic tastebuds. As 2022 is coming to an end, and the focus shifts to the new year, not only present the hottest food trends for 2023 to grow but also make way for a whole chapter of new ideas.
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The past few months of robust grocery store sales would suggest that shoppers aren’t stretched for cash. But that’s not the full story.
Food manufacturers like Kellogg (K), PepsiCo (PEP) and Nestlé all reported sales growth in the first quarter of the year.
But even though sales are up, people are buying less. Growth has been fueled by higher prices, which offset declining volumes.
Off The Wall gets its name from a play on words and because of where it hangs its signs. Although not as witty, it could have been called Off The Ceiling with equal accuracy.
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Through research, calculations, and the magic of Value Engineering, Off The Wall produces cost-effective and lightweight decor that looks like steel, stone, wood, or plaster
Color Psychology in Retail Design: From Establishing Brand Identity to Influencing Customer Behavior
In the world of retail, competition is fierce. Brands find themselves in pursuit of distinguishing their presence and developing intimate connections with their customers. Amidst the array of products they offer, thoughtful brands recognize the value of curating immersive retail environments that empathize with the core of consumers' sentiments and desires. In retail design, color stands as a powerful instrument that affords brands the means to articulate their values, evoke emotions, and carve memorable shopping experiences into the minds of their patrons.
You can’t have a party without cake! If you’re hosting a celebration, whether it’s for a birthday or something else, you’ll need a cake to cut. But that doesn’t mean you need to bake the cake yourself. (Although these homemade birthday cakes are pretty darned good.)
According to a Penn State University study, taste buds crave foods with contrasting textures, a phenomenon called "dynamic sensory contrast." This might explain why, even when inflation was at its highest and people were watching their food budgets, bakeries did not take as big a hit as one would expect of a department selling things that can taste and smell so richly extravagant.
The health and wellness trend has gone beyond nutrition and fad diets to encompass the whole person, reported IDDBA at its annual convention held June 4-6 in Anaheim, Calif. The organization laid out the top five trends it has seen shaping the supermarket perimeter in 2023: Whole health, heart and self; consumer-defined convenience; worth the value; ESG; and technology and innovation. The expansion of health and wellness combines nutrition and portion control with the importance of mental health.
Heather and Jonathan Maze discuss the competition between grocers and restaurants on the podcast, A DEEPER DIVE. We
They talk about the move grocers are making into restaurants’ territory, and how these companies plan to generate more of their business with prepared foods.
​Perimeter departments in supermarkets encompass sections such as produce, bakery, deli, meat, and seafood. They are strategically positioned to entice shoppers as soon as they enter the store and, ideally, are also ordered in such a way as to lead a customer around the store.
Grocery stores could give restaurants a run for their money through the continued growth of retail foodservice. That was a key theme of the inaugural keynote presentation Sunday of the 2023 International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) conference in Anaheim, California.
IDDBA kicked off its 2023 show with a presentation from IDDBA Vice President of Marketing Whitney Atkins and Heather Prach, the association's VP of education, which highlighted trends and areas of opportunity in the industry.