Company News
Differentiating Your Deli
by webmaster — February 18, 2010
Throughout your store you carry many nationally branded products sold at every one of your competitor’s stores. Do your customers prefer Hunt’s Ketchup or Heinz Ketchup? It really doesn’t matter to you which brand they buy, as long as they buy it at your store. You can’t help Hunt’s or Heinz differentiate their brands—the only way you can differentiate them is with your shelf price.
It’s a different story in your deli department.
When speaking with retailers about their differentiation programs, we often hear about their “branded deli” programs, and why their branded deli products are so superior to their competitors’. Unlike the ketchup example mentioned above, you are able to differentiate your branded deli products because (in most cases) your competitors don’t carry the same product lines, and your price isn’t the only attribute that can differentiate you. You need to inform your customers why your branded deli products are better.
Many supermarkets feature branded deli products with Boar’s Head, Black Bear, Kretschmar, Columbus, Thumann’s, Dietz & Watson or similar branded lines. All of these companies spend fortunes developing their brands, but you need to leverage them as “your brand” in order to really differentiate your store. Hanging the branded deli signage kits from these suppliers is fine, but you need to focus on your own branding and not depend solely on their branded materials. All branded deli product lines will promote their superior quality, so how can you explain why your deli products are better than your competitors’?
Forget about the standard “made from the finest ingredients” verbiage to explain how your branded deli is different. If you review your branded deli product supplier’s marketing materials, you’ll see that many of the qualities they describe don’t necessarily differentiate their brand from others.
You need to present your own case to your customers to explain why your deli products are superior. If you succeed, you’ll have loyal customers coming to your deli (assuming that you have an exclusive arrangement with your supplier).
If your branded deli products have any of the following attributes, it would be to your benefit to focus on how these attributes differentiate you.
- Exclusive to your store
- All Natural
- Minimal Processing
- No fillers or soy extenders
- No MSG
- Hand Trimmed Meats
- Low Fat
- Low sodium
- No Trans Fats
- Gluten Free
- Healthy Recipes
What are the most effective ways of promoting these qualities?
Basic
- Signage and materials supplied by your branded deli supplier. This is probably the easiest way to promote the brand, but the least effective way to reach your customers.
Good
- Store posters (22″ x 28″) work great, but you’re limited to a relatively small area to try and explain these attributes.
- Tri-fold informational booklets are great as well, but how many customers are interested in taking a booklet home to read about your deli products?
Better
- Offering samples outside of the deli area can help you educate shoppers, as long as the host/hostess knows the proper talking points.
- Full page, informational ads promoting your branded deli products, explaining the attributes as well as the exclusivity to your store.
Best
- In-store, digital signage with rotating digital messages (10 second clips) explaining the attributes and mentioning feature pricing available on select branded deli items.
Plan to meet with your branded deli supplier to discuss ways to enhance YOUR brand through a partnership with their branded product line, sold exclusively in your store. When customers understand why it’s important to come to your store to buy your branded deli products, it’s a win-win situation for both companies.
Filed Under: Company News
