instore - February 2018 - 46

merchandising

ON DISPLAY

Destination centers

If you're looking for the latest trends in creating destination centers,
you should be looking at what's trending in retail foodservice in
general.
Destination centers - strategically planned locations with retail
selling areas designed to attract shoppers through an integrated
product mix, merchandising techniques and shopper engagement -
can result in a unique shopping experience. But destination centers
are fully utilized when they're designed around current shopping
and consumption trends.
One huge example: meal kits.
"Grocery customers are looking for convenience when it comes to
meal planning and preparation and they want those meals to be fresh
and healthy options," says Cheryl Beach, marketing communications
manager for Bridgeton, Missouri-based Hussmann Corporation. "With
more home delivery options such as Blue Apron, HelloFresh, Plated
and others, brick and mortar stores can replicate the meal kit solution
by merchandising all the meal components together conveniently
accessible for their customer."

3 K EYS
TO CREATING
A SUCCESSFUL
DESTINATION CENTER,
FROM HUSSMANN'S
CHERYL BEACH

Beach also suggests that destination centers can be created to take
advantage of new food trends that shoppers are willing to pay for. Fresh
juice and smoothie bars, indulgences - like popcorn, gelato, chocolates
and candy - gourmet sandwiches and salad bars can help shoppers
personalize and customize their own foods.
And not focusing on that customer experience can lead to the creation
of a doomed destination center.
"One of the bigger mistakes that can occur when creating a destination center is that you lose sight of the customer experience," Beach
says. "This is an opportunity for the brick-and-mortar retailers to build
loyalty and differentiate their store from their competition, but in order
to be successful, the customer must receive a value for their loyalty."
Beach says Hussmann helps retailers ensure that with a mix of experience and expertise to help with store layout, shopper flow and product
mix that will attract shoppers to the store.
Recent advancements in technology are also helping with destination
centers. The digitizing of food retail stores continues to become more
integrated into the store environment.

46 * FEBRUARY 2018 * instore

Use lighting and signage. "Create ambiance to attract the
shopper's attention by highlighting your special feature areas
throughout the store."
Utilize digital technologies. "Digital signages enables retailers to
share information with the shopper, such as special promotions,
offers and events occurring instore. A shopper engagement
technology like Darius for Retail allows the retailer to personalize
their promotions to their shoppers before, during and after their
shopping journey."

HUSSMANN

"The destination centers will include self-service ordering kiosks, webbased payment alternatives, self-checkout systems and on-premise
click and collect storage," Beach says. "All these technologies will
enhance the shoppers' instore experience and provide them the convenience they demand when making their meal decisions."

Cross-merchandise refrigerated and non-refrigerated products
together. "Shoppers can easily fill their baskets with one stop.
For example, add some frozen vegetables into the fresh produce
department, or add pasta, bread and cheese to the fresh meat
department. Bring together the products that engage the five senses
and elevate the shopping experience."

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - February 2018