The service deli and prepared foods department makes a strong statement to shoppers about a food retailer’s commitment to quality and freshness. However, it can also be an important ally to the produce department’s desire to sell more fresh potatoes!
The USPB focuses the bulk of our consumer and shopper research efforts on “Linda” – women 25-54 with children under 18 at home who account for nearly 40% of all fresh potato consumption. A recent USPB study of over 1,900 shoppers found Linda is slightly (+9%) more prone than other shoppers to purchase from the service deli, but even more likely to buy potato dishes from that department – 11% more likely to buy potato salad and 33% more likely to buy potato sides – than shoppers overall.
At the same time, this study revealed Linda’s biggest barrier to purchasing from the service deli more often is the “one size fits all” nature of the foods she encounters there. Linda likes to cook with fresh ingredients and put her own personal twist on the foods she makes for her family, so potato dishes purchased from the service deli are a compromise for her – usually in the interest of saving time. This is evident in several of the statements we heard from shoppers during our study:
To read the rest of the story, please go to: United States Potato Board