Grow Center Store Sales With Healthy Better-For-You products

Consumers are always looking for solutions to improve their vitality and health.  You can't listen to the radio, turn on the TV, or read anything without seeing a story focused on improving our health.  While the majority of articles are focused on healthier trends, some of the focus on things we should avoid.  For example, lowering our sugar and sodium consumption.

Natural and organic solutions are driving these conversations and are at the heart of the trends growing sales of better-for-you products/natural. Loyal committed natural consumers carefully read labels and are better educated about nutrition than most shoppers.  Committed natural shoppers are happy to pay a premium for products that deliver exceptional value and fully meet their needs.

Natural retailer sales are growing at more than twice the pace of mainstream/conventional.

Natural organic product innovation comes from disruptive brands laser-focused on providing real solutions that exceed consumers wants and needs.  Disruptive natural organic products are responsible for developing entirely new categories like organic, vegan, gluten-free, clean label, bug protein, etc.  Shopper need-states (the needs that drive shopper behaviors and choices) fuel natural organic product innovation.

Natural organic products are responsible for driving sustainable sales in most every category in mainstream/conventional retail.

Integrating natural organic products alongside mainstream items encourages consumers to try new and different things, products that meet specific needs. For example, shoppers might consider a gluten-free pasta alternative like quinoa, rice, or chickpea noodles instead of processed pasta made with wheat flour.  This strategy is effective because it exploits natural/better-for-you healthy trends that drive incremental sales growth to the dry pasta category.  In addition, the retailer now has a richer selection that caters to consumers with specific requirements like food allergies.

Quality natural organic products support every meal occasion (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) and can be found in most every category.  One key aspect of natural/better-for-you products that is frequently overlooked is their true value.  While they are typically higher priced, they provide better nutrition and are often more satisfying.  Consumers tend to eat less as a result.  For example, a sandwich made of regular white bread can sustain you for a few of hours while the same sandwich made with high-quality whole-grain bread will fill you up for several hours as it better meets your body’s nutritional needs.  In addition, the whole-grain product provides better overall nourishment.  The better quality bread may be less expensive in the long run, in this example.

Retailers looking to compete more effectively in any economy and in any channel must remain laser-focused on meeting their shopper’s needs. Natural organic products provide an excellent way to drive shopper foot traffic and to grow sustainable sales at retail. There are a lot of untapped opportunities to grow center store sales and make shopping there an adventure.