Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2023 - 30

flex spaces
BY BRIAN JACKOWSKI
THE HEALTHCARE RETAIL SPACE
has experienced a dramatic change.
What once was a place you only visited
when a loved one was in the hospital
has since become a thriving spot
for community members, staff, and
visitors to grab a quality meal. As a
result, the customer base has changed,
with consumers actively seeking more
trendy, customized concepts that meet
their regional preferences.
What does this mean for operators?
Operators must stay ahead of the
trends, reevaluate current operations,
and elevate flex spaces to improve
profits.
But this doesn't have to cost a fortune.
You have the tools you need right
within reach. Here are three ways
to use current resources with little
overhead to elevate your flex spaces
and drive sales.
INNOVATE WHAT WORKS
When seeing the word " innovation, "
the first thing many think of is
technology. While technological
advancements drive multiple
developments, the heart of innovation
encompasses much more. It also
HOW TO ELEVATE
DRIVE SALES WITH LITTLE
UPFRONT INVESTMENT
includes our ability to take current
processes or systems that work well
and repackage them in different, more
approachable ways.
As you look at adapting current
concepts, determine what is working
first. Then, reinvent how to make it
stand out in your retail flex space.
Here are tips to get started:
* Identify customers' needs. What
are customers wanting? Are there
any gaps in service?
* Develop a plan. How can customers'
needs be addressed? i.e., healthier
options, more plant-based meals,
comfort foods, etc.
* Experiment. Switch up ingredients
and source locally when possible.
* Foster innovation. Encourage staff
and customers to provide feedback
and share ideas.
An example of how this worked for
HHS is with our Chef's Table. We
honed in on this because it requires
little investment to implement and
operate. Our primary approach to
reinventing Chef's Table was investing
in the team we hired. We recruited
chefs with a wealth of knowledge from
high-end restaurants, resorts, and
30 NUTRITION & F OOD SER VICE EDGE | JULY-AUGUST 2023
country clubs, giving them the creative
freedom to display their culinary skills
daily. We made Chef's Table into a
live-action cooking station that offers
made-to-order entrees that guests
can customize in real-time while our
executive chefs prepare their meals
right in front of them.
What HHS chefs are creating at Chef's
Table:
* In Marquette, Wisc., our chef sourced
local trout from Lake Superior and
paired it with in-season blueberries,
creating a made-to-order Blueberry
Fields Salad-a spin-off from one of
our grab-n-go recipes.
* In the central region of the U.S., our
chef sourced crate-free pork from a
partnership with Joyce Farms. Using
the pork, he prepared an Italian
porchetta paired with jumbo white
asparagus from a local vendor -
sliced to order.
* At one of our northeast accounts,
our chef sourced chicken trimmings,
sauteed them to order with locallysourced
onions and peppers, and
turned them into a delicious grilled
chicken kabob.
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2023
