Progressive Grocer - March 2010 - (Page 56)

Fresh Food Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Seafood Operations Review Seafood Hits its Stride The tide is finally turning for favorable seafood category sales, which rose 10 percent in the past year among PG’s annual Seafood Operations Review participants. Analysis by Meg Major; Research by Debra Chanil lthough consumers continue to cling closely to their purse-strings when shopping for family meals, a convergent movement of more nutrition- and health-conscious shoppers is making its presence known in a good way at retail seafood counters and self-serve cases, according to the latest findings of exclusive research compiled in Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Annual Seafood Operations Review. As the only survey of its kind, the annual “state of the seafood case” is based on the direct input of senior meat and seafood officials from around the country who have “sole” responsibility for category procurement decisions for their supermarket(s). Obtained from results of a survey sent to a diverse cross-section of retail executives around the country, the annual retail seafood study evaluates need-to-know inforSeafood Operations mation pertaining to seafood sales and storeSeafood Sales Change, level issues, including performance and demand trends, comparable sales and profitability ratios, 2007-2008 operational and labor issues, and related supply-and-demand findings. Seafood Sales See Healthy Gains Stayed the Same Conversely, the level of retail seafood survey participants reporting sales decreases declined to 17 percent, with the remaining 36 percent estimating that their seafood sales remained unchanged from the previous year — perhaps reflective of an ongoing reluctance to showcase seafood more prominently in view of the high-shrink/labor-intensive nature of the category. While several controversial seafood-related issues continue to swirl in certain circles, a number of leading supermarkets are making major strides to lure shoppers to the department with more robust commitments to sustainable sourcing policies, aggressive features and enhanced consumer outreach. Further, for retailers that remain steadfast in maximizing the promising trend of consumers’ incorporation of healthier Seafood Sales Change, 2008-2009 Stayed the Same Seafood Sales Change, Same-Store 2009 Stayed the Same In a year when seafood sales appear to have finally come ashore in supermarkets, retail executives who participated in this year’s annual study tallied an impressive 10 percent net increase in overall department sales for 2009. Further, as the adjacent charts indicate, 47 percent of respondents reported increased seafood sales during 2009, which represents a healthy jump in the comparable tally from last year’s study.• Progressive Grocer • March 2010 40.6% Increased 36.6% Increased 30.0% Increased 40.6% Decreased Decreased 46.7% 16.7% Net Change 10.4% 23.3% 46.7% Decreased 18.8% Net Change 7.2% Net Change 10.2% Source: Progressive Grocer Market Research, 2010 A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - March 2010

Progressive Grocer - March 2010
Table of Contents
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/ Spotlight: Dairy/Yogurt
Green Grocer Awards 2010: Seeing Green
Multicultural Marketing: Use Your Common Census
Harold Lloyd on … “Making a Difference”: The Employee’s First 30 Days: It’s Now or Never
The Lempert Report: Enter the ‘Koodies’
Independent Retailing: Keep Cash Flowing With Trade Terms
Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Meat Operations Review: Value on a Platter
Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Seafood Operations Review: Seafood Hits its Stride
Executive Insight Series: Lasting Impressions: Forward Thinking
Produce: Tracking the Transition to Traceability
Meat: Heinen’s Freshens up Service Benchmarks
Natural/Organic: Nature’s Best on Ice: Natural and Organic Frozen Foods
Frozen/Dairy: Cold and Colder: Trends in Frozen and Dairy
Baby Food: Green to Grow On
Green Promotions: Along for the Ride
Foodservice: Loaded for Bar
Case Study: Clean Carts
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - March 2010