Looks Interesting, But How Do I Eat That? 

Empower your shoppers with the confidence to try new foods.

Think about a time when you’ve avoided ordering, buying or eating a dish, because you weren’t sure about the proper way to eat that food. And as an array of culturally diverse foods grow in popularity and the American palate becomes more adventurous, there’s an opportunity for you to help empower your shoppers with knowledge of new foods. 

Food halls are popping up all around the country, featuring stations that specialize in different types of cuisine. Maybe there’s a deli, a coffee bar, a French bistro, an oyster bar, a sushi bar, or an Italian market. And like these food halls, some retailers and grocerants are finding creative ways to design store concepts that achieve something similar. These little pockets of your store offer a world of opportunity to showcase items.

Building your shoppers’ confidence can be as simples as a demonstration at your store sushi station. Not only can shoppers watch your chef prepare the sushi, but what if this was accompanied by a tip on how to eat the different types of sushi? Chop sticks or fingers? Or explain how to use the wasabi, ginger and soy sauce. 

Or here’s something your fishmonger could do to help shoppers not shy away from whole round fish, which can be less expensive and is still the freshest option. Show your shoppers how to serve and carve with the assurance it won’t turn into a sloppy disaster. And don’t just show them, let them try right there in the store.

And how about crawfish? Those who have never actually experienced an authentic crawfish experience may be missing out on enjoying a fun food because they just have no idea what to do with it. Spring is a great time to set up a demonstration outside of your store, giving customers lessons on how  to eat like a true Cajun.

You’ve probably noticed how popular the Vietnamese dish pho has become. But anyone trying this for the first time may need a lesson in assembly, so they can maximize the flavor and experience.

And if you want to go the digital route, produce short 30 second videos of the same demonstrations to put on your Facebook page or website. BuzzFeed’s Tasty Facebook videos which are short a simple, have racked up over 84 million likes proving these types of video are of high interest.

Just think of how a whole new world a shopping choices will open up for your customers with a little guidance. And you’ll bring some creativity and fun to your store!