instore - October 2017 - 11

merchandising

One option highlighted is using private label apricot preserves and a
high-quality bread for a grilled cheese that is much more upscale and
exciting than expected.
"Those are the things that kind of float my boat over the holidays,"
Walters says. "I love showing people the stuff that we carry is not
complicated. You can taste how good it is and the quality of it, and it's
relatively simple to do in your kitchen. Everything is available here.
With some altering you can take a lot of the credit for things that maybe
we provide and you can customize at home."

Catering to convenience
The other half of the holiday equation is convenience. While many
consumers are looking for ideas, just as many are in a last-minute rush
and need the convenience of grab-and-go options that still taste highend for their holiday guests. Walters says in recent years that has meant
doing much larger quantities of dips, spreads and chicken salads.
"Instead of customers having to wait in line at the deli counter, we're
packaging them up in 3- or 5-pound increments and putting them near
the entrance. They don't have to wait in the line and they can get a
much larger quantity for their party. It has gone much better than we
thought it would."

they can't get anywhere else,"
Walters says. "For us, that's our
chicken salad. It's a great opportunity to get them the classic taste
of what they've been missing and
then kind of up-scale it a little bit."
The store also sees an increase
in consumers looking for prepackaged party trays instead
of customized and pre-ordered
trays.

'Customers are
mostly looking
for convenience
and ideas.'
Carrie Walters, Dorothy Lane Markets

"We're doing much more pre-packing than we ever have," Walters says.
"Customers can get online and look at our catering menu and order
a tray online, but we're actually making space for the pre-done party
trays so you don't have to order them. The frantic customer can come
in and get it immediately."

Thinking outside the box
The classics will always sell during
the holiday season. Consumers
will always look for prime rib, filet
mignon, turkey and ham. Using
different cuts in your prepared
departments can be a value to your
consumers and can boost sales.
"We spend a lot of time creating
some other beef roasts that are
just as centerpiece-worthy as
prime rib, but are a better value
for our customers," says Dorothy
Lane's Carrie Walters. "Demand is
high and prices go up when you're
looking for prime rib."

Dorothy Lane offers a New York
Strip as a whole roast. It still offers
the ability to feed eight to 12
people and the centerpiece carving
experience, but with a different cut
than expected.
"That's one of my favorites,"
Walters says. "You're still getting
that meat and potatoes customer,
but you're showing them
something else besides what you
usually see on the holiday table."

This has also helped when catering to consumers who have family
members coming back home for the holidays.
"If families are coming home, or kids are coming home from college,
they always want to have those tried-and-true favorites that they feel

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