Whether it’s the ambiance, celebrity sightings, exclusivity, cocktails or a combination of all of the above that attract consumers to nightclubs, it’s clear that the “cool factor” is a must-have for success.
By offering a wide variety of items such as food, beverages, health products and more, supermarkets have managed to remain relatively stable in terms of store performance during the last year, experts suggest.
According to IBISWorld’s July 2012 report, “Warehouse Clubs & Supercenters in the US,” supercenters are one of the fastest-growing industries in the retail sector and have shown consistent growth during the last five years.
Although it’s true that “there’s no place like home,” the on-premise segment strives to offer consumers something they cannot get at home, whether it’s the environment, the service or the drinks.
The drug store channel showed higher-than-average growth last year with unit sales increasing 2.2 percent versus a retail industry average decline of 0.6 percent in food, drug, convenience and mass merchandise stores, excluding Walmart, according to Susan Viamari, consumer insights expert at Chicago-based SymphonyIRI Group.
When it comes to category management, retail experts often agree that beverage manufacturers are on the leading edge of understanding assortment and placement of their products within retail outlets. Paul Weitzel, managing partner at Willard Bishop, Barrington, Ill., attributes part of the segment’s success to the direct store distribution (DSD) system used by many manufacturers.
Vending rolls out new payment options and interactive models
January 16, 2012
As the vending channel looks to grow its user base, beverage companies, suppliers and organizations such as the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) are seeking more ways to enhance the vending experience and increase consumer usage.
As non-traditional grocery retailers see more competition from dollar store formats and wholesale club stores, mass merchandisers and supercenters are enlisting new ways to grow their consumer bases.
More than 22,300 attendees visited the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show in Chicago from Oct. 1-4. This year’s event featured a record number of international attendees from 58 countries, the association said. The NACS Show featured a 387,000-plus net square foot exposition floor with 1,333 exhibiting companies, including 324 companies new to the show. The following is a highlight of beverage-related features during the show.