Gluten-Free Stores - Wisconsin Grocers Association

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Ptacek’s calls their one-day meat sale their “Super Bowl” since they go all out to give the store a celebratory type of atmosphere. “On the day of the sale we have balloons and flowers decorating the store. The floors are waxed and we have about ten different demos going on—the store looks great,” he says. “It’s our way of ‘wining and dining’ our customers.” If you aren’t using famed musical artists like Bon Jovi or Michael Jackson to help create a buzz at your sale, you’re missing a marketing opportunity. “We call it our ‘Power Hour,’” says Ptacek. “We’ve found shoppers like the upbeat rotating background music that gives the store a something special, party-like atmosphere.” Ptacek says studies show about half of all grocery shoppers would rather be somewhere else other than shopping. “We try to lower those figures to about 25 percent by making the overall shopping experience enjoyable especially on the oneday meat sale.” Super-sized Super Bowl sale Have you ever wondered how much volume a one-day meat sale might generate at your store? Kevin Mey, co-owner of Piggly Wiggly Plymouth, offers some perspective. The store has been running a one-day meat sale once a year on the Thursday before Super Bowl Sunday for the past 13 years. They chose Thursday because it’s not usually as busy as weekend days and the date before the Super Bowl, when people gather for cooking and celebrating, is a great time to sell meat products. On a good sale day (when weather cooperates), the store has done 33 times what they typically do on a Thursday. A lot of work goes into making it happen starting with studying the buying and traffic patterns, even the weather, from year to year. They keep good records and put everything on a spread sheet. The weather notation for the store’s enormous 2010 sale which resulted in the 33 times normal volume and 3,000 shoppers was this: “Partly cloudy, mid 20s, perfect day for a sale.” The 2011 sale was a success but was impacted by the largest snowstorm of the winter on February 2, the day before the big event. Mey explains, “We had the sale ads in the local newspaper, but it didn’t get delivered because of the snowstorm.” Tracking the details associated with the yearly sale is something Mey enjoys. “It’s fun in a way that is not unlike playing a winning game.” Over the years the Plymouth Piggly Wiggly has come up with a formula for getting the word out about the event. They put a big ad in the local newspapers, use bag stuffers two weeks before the sale, and print posters. “I usually have about 15 posters printed up from the bag stuffers, and then I stop by local businesses and hand them out,” notes Mey. The one-day meat sale runs 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. “Every year we see the sale as an opportunity to improve the sale from the previous year,” says Mey. “That’s why we recently tried opening earlier in the morning. Last year, we found shoppers were lined up at the door at 5:30 a.m. It was one factor that resulted in last year being a high volume sale.” In advance of the big event, the grocery checks with their warehouse as well as vendors for good buys. “Then we bring in a semi-trailer full of meat,” notes Mey. “At the end of the day at a good sale, the trailer is empty. What are some of the other elements that have helped make the event a success? They’ve offered good quality cuts of meat such as rib eye, pork tenderloin beef tenderloin, and New York strip steak cut to customers’ specifications. “Last year we had 18 meat cutters at three cutting stations in the store,” he says. At the end of the day, Mey says his store’s single-day meat sales have been great, but the profit margin is typically low. Still, Mey adds, “It gives us an opportunity to bring in new shoppers who may not have been in One-day meat sales can be an important way to reach people who might not be shopping at your store.” the store before. It also challenges us to make every sale a successful venture.” Connect with your customers’ tastes “A successful one-day meat sale has to be priced right in order to attract current and new customers,” said Ron Krantz, Executive Vice President and co-owner of UW Provisions, Inc. He’s been with the company since 1965, but grew up on a farm where he remembers enjoying great rib eye and T-bone steaks. He started working at UW Provisions when he was in college on the plant sanitation crew. Krantz says that one-day meat sales are more prevalent today than they were several years ago but you have to carefully define your guidelines as to what you’re going to sell and when. He points out, “Whenever meat prices are high, people tend to go with less expensive items. That’s especially true during a down economy so one-day meat sales can be an important way to reach people who might not be shopping at your store.” But Krantz adds, “A one-day meat sale should feature quality meat selections that your customers want. It can be a great way to connect with your regular shoppers, add new customers, and build loyalty for your grocery.” If you don’t know what draws people to your meat department, or encourages them to shop at a formidable competitor, a oneday meat sale may lead to learning more about the buying tastes of your customers and what your changing consumer base may want. Krantz cautions, though, that you need to offer quality meat items that appeal to your locale and the eating habits of your area. “Out-of-state big chains may dictate what you can offer at a big one-day meat sale. But people want to buy meat that they’re used to enjoying. If you offer a sale on brisket, which is popular for Bar-B-Qs in 16 WISCONSIN GROCER www.wisconsingrocers.com
places like southern Indiana, it may be a winner there, but not so much in Milwaukee,” he explains. While one-day meat sales can build staying power, Krantz points out that hosting more than one or two a year probably isn’t economical for most grocers. Still, it’s a good way to draw attention to your store and build customer loyalty when you do put on a one-day meat sale. Krantz offers these tips for making your annual or twice-yearly meat sale a success: “First, make sure you offer the same quality meat items that your customers have come to expect from you. Don’t succumb to buying inexpensive meat to turn a greater profit. Stick to your standards. Offer quality and your customers’ loyalty will be returned to you.” Q&A TAP BEER SOLD IN TAKE-HOME JUG ILLEGAL IN WISCONSIN Q. I read in a trade magazine about how some stores in other states are beginning to have tap beer available to be sold to consumers in a jug to take home for consumption at home. An example would be that we have say Spotted Cow Beer in a refrigerated tap and we sell people half-gallon jugs to fill and take home to drink. They fill it, put the cover on the jug, go to the check lane, pay for it, and go home and drink it. Is this legal in Wisconsin? INDUSTRY A. No, Class A license is for sale in original container, so this would not be allowed under Wisconsin law. Roger B. Johnson, Wisconsin Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement Section Wisconsin Department of Revenue•(608) 266-6757• rjohnso2@dor.state.wi.us Look to us to achieve the highest sales and profits in your cheese category. • Dairy, Deli, and Meat Department Cheese Programs • Refrigerated Distribution Systems • Cross Dock Programs • Retail Support Services • Consulting • Licensed Wisconsin Graders and Cheese Makers on Staff • Full Promotional Programs to Drive Sales • Private Label Design and Support • Professional Display Case Management From our farms, to our factories, to your store, Shullsburg Creamery brings you the finest Wisconsin cheeses in the industry. Sales • Service • Installation • Parts 1-866-783-9999 Serving ALL of Wisconsin www.AdvantageRefrigeration.com (262) 654-4896 (608) 347-7318 www.afmidwest.com 2011 Summer WISCONSIN GROCER 17
Page 1 and 2: Three Wisconsin Grocers Certified G
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Page 5 and 6: WGA Officers Chairman Brad Brooks A
Page 7 and 8: From the PRESIDENT Another One Day
Page 9 and 10: Legislative Special REVIEW GROCERS
Page 13 and 14: T H E G R E E N G R O C E R P R O G
Page 15: Efficient, professional distributio
Page 21 and 22: AROUND THE STATE Around the State s
Page 23 and 24: simply grab just anything on the ru
Page 25 and 26: P R O F E S S I O N A L C A R D S C
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Gluten-Free Stores - Wisconsin Grocers Association

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