instore - October 2017 - 10

merchandising

ON DISPLAY

Holiday party trays

As retailers plan and gear up for the holiday season, a shift in thinking
could be beneficial. Instead of trying to assemble the perfect pairings
and numerous options for party platters and trays, Carrie Walters,
corporate chef and culinary director for Dayton, Ohio-based Dorothy
Lane Markets, says focus on inspiration.
"Customers are mostly looking for convenience and ideas," Walters says.
"We have a lot of people who walk in and know that they can find what
they need here, they just don't really know how to put it all together. One
of the things I spend a lot of time writing about is that, even though we
have a catering menu and there are several areas in the store that highlight what each department does, customers still don't really get it."
And while a consumer might walk into a supermarket's prepared foods
department looking for ideas and that perfect addition to their event,
they also don't want it to look like someone else has done all the work
for them, especially around the holidays.

The same goes for hors d'oeuvres. Dorothy Lane kicks off the holiday
season with a large food and wine show that attracts more than 500
people. There, one of Walters' main jobs is to show customers how easy
it is to put together attractive hors d'oeuvres and appetizers. This year,
for example, the store is highlighting a new vanilla bourbon gouda
and showing consumers ways to utilize it besides just cubing it up and
putting it on a cheese board.

Sharing outside the store
Giving consumers ideas and inspiration doesn't just happen inside
the store. Carrie Walters regularly updates her blog on Dorothy Lane's
website, giving shoppers new ideas before they even get in their car for
a shopping trip.

"You can alter it or customize that look at home while not having to
use a lot of cooking skill," Walters says. "Consumers are just looking for
someone to walk them through it, an idea sheet if you will: come here
and buy this bread, this produce item and put it together on this."
10 * OCTOBER 2017 * instore

"When we first started the blog, I thought 'Nobody is going to read
this,'" Walters says. "But it has been successful, especially when we talk
about what wo do at home."
Instead of a post saying that prime rib is on sale and showing how to
prepare it, personalized posts can generate excitement and ideas.
"I'll make it more of a personal thing and say, 'This is what I did at home
and this is what I cooked for my daughter,'" Walters says. "That has
helped us a lot. We're sharing experiences instead of trying to flat-out
sell them something."

Dorothy Lane works around that by pairing ideas with options. For
example, one of the store's best-selling dips is its spinach dip. For the
holidays, the dip is paired with a spinach bed and a hollowed-out
Pumpernickel loaf. The spinach-dip-and-bread-bowl combo is packaged and ready to go. On the other hand, every component in that
package is available in the store. Consumers can buy the prepared tray
or use it for inspiration.

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