Supermarkets hold the line on customer satisfaction

The editors of SFA News Daily spotted several new products and innovations on display on day 2 of the Winter Fancy Food Show, which has been running since Sunday, January 15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Following are some product examples:

• BelGioioso La Bottega Artigiano Blueberry. This new Artigiano cheese is produced in small batches and bathed in a tangy, sweet blueberry compote. Available in 5-ounce retail wedge, 3-pound wedge, and 11-pound wheel. Booth #2039

• Cotton Creations Vegan Honey Pecan Cornbread Mix. Consumers only add plant-based melted butter and milk to the mix. Package comes with candied pecans and vegan honey. Booth #3143

• Frangiosa Farms’ new line of adaptogenic Bee Shepherd Brand Honey with Lion’s Mane and Reishi mushrooms, which reportedly help the body positively respond to stress, anxiety, and fatigue. The raw honey product line from this veteran-owned company also includes herbal infused antioxidant-rich black elderberry, immune-boosting golden turmeric, and wildflower unfiltered varieties. Booth #604

• Miracle Noodle’s line of plant-based noodles, rice, and ready-to-eat meals. Miracle Noodle is made from the fiber of the konnayaku or konjac plant from Japan. Booth #1222

• Norseland Lotito Presto Cacio e Pepe Pasta Sauce Starter line, in Original and Black Truffle. Just add hot pasta water to create the classic Roman dish with a smooth sauce that customers can prepare in minutes. Booth #3304 

• Route to India better-for-you snacks made from Asian water lily seeds that are chef crafted and seasoned with bold flavors. Booth #3100B

• Two Fish Distribution ready to cook seafood boil in Shrimp and Snow Crab Legs. Booth #3128B

• Walker’s redesigned packaging and release of its updated Festive holiday products line in honor of the brand’s milestone 125th anniversary. A new detail in the redesigned logo is the inclusion of an apostrophe to emphasize pride in heritage and a stronger consumer association with founder Joseph Walker. Booth #901 

• Mindful Protein’s Tatu water infused with whey protein in flavors like Orange and Mango. Booth #3116

Related: Williams Discusses Keys to Effective Pitch; Livestream Coverage Focuses on What Buyers Want, Latest Trends.

Contextual commerce platform Chicory has released findings from its Omnichannel Grocery Shopper survey of over 1,000 U.S. consumers, providing insight into how today’s consumers are meal planning and grocery shopping.

Key findings include:

Multi-Channel and Online Shopping is the New Normal. 66 percent of consumers have purchased groceries online in the last 60 days. While shopping behaviors are similar across gender and age groups, women and consumers 30 to 40 years old express the highest overall preference for online shopping, while 44 percent of those who prefer to shop in-store still order groceries online.

Off-Site Channels are Key to the Path to Purchase. Food blogs and recipe publishers are the most popular sources of online meal inspiration, according to 64 percent of survey respondents. This is consistent across all age groups. In fact, food blogs and recipe publishers outperform TikTok among the youngest generation of grocery shoppers, those 18 to 29 years old.

Almost 50 percent of shoppers are likely (31 percent) or very likely (18 percent) to purchase groceries directly from online food content (e.g., digital recipes, social media posts), signaling that off-site grocery commerce is becoming increasingly common.

Shoppers Prioritize Price and Convenience. Price is the top consideration for purchasing a product again (71 percent). It’s also the factor most likely to drive someone to change preferred retailers (65 percent).

However, location/convenience is an important factor too according to 48 percent of survey respondents. This likely explains why grocery and food delivery apps, which deliver groceries right to shoppers’ doors, are nearly tied with Target as the third-most popular online grocery retailer.

“For the second year in a row, respondents identified food blogs and recipe sites as their go-to sources for meal inspiration online,” says Chicory CEO and co-founder Yuni Sameshima, in a statement. “If brands and retailers aren’t yet leveraging off-site content to acquire new customers, they need to start. Today, winning at the shelf requires meeting consumers in moments of inspiration, well before they hit the retailer’s store or site.”

Related: Study: Most Americans Concerned With Rising Food Prices; UNFI, Crisp Help Brands Mine Data, Insights;