FH0320
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GAINING<br />
G R O U N D<br />
THE EXPERIENCE FACTOR IS HELPING<br />
GROCERANT CONCEPTS STEAL SHARE BY NICK LAWS<br />
The Challenge |<br />
A decade ago, a ‘grocerant’ — a hybrid grocery/restaurant<br />
offering — was rare and the<br />
concept of grocery delivery and meal kits was<br />
almost unheard of. Today, the global meal-kit<br />
market is estimated at approximately $2.2<br />
billion, according to Time magazine, and grocerants<br />
represent approximately four per cent<br />
of total commercial foodservice dollars (six<br />
per cent of total visits) according to Torontobased<br />
NPD Group.<br />
Billy Arvanitis is vice-president of<br />
Operations at Foodtastic, but his industry<br />
experience spans decades. He says at the<br />
beginning of the food-retail uprising, there<br />
was a common concern.<br />
“Initially, when [grocery stores] introduced<br />
our core products, there was a lot of fear,<br />
wondering if the two would ever intersect or<br />
if would we cannibalize our own market.”<br />
iSTOCK.COM/TOMWANG112<br />
32 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH 2020 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM