Summer is ripe for high-volume sales

Graduation and camp season is coming. Supermarkets can heat up sales with targeted programs and merchandising.

When seasons transition from school to summertime freedom, supermarkets have new opportunities to sell food for high-volume occasions.

Think pre-prom and graduation parties, camp packages, and gatherings at the pool, beach, parks and backyards. The graduation parties aren’t just for high school or college anymore—kids who progress beyond nursery, elementary and middle schools also have their special events. 

And camp packages aren’t just for the send-off to sleep-away. Why not market a service to assemble and mail baskets weekly that keeps campers stocked with healthy snacks and favorite treats and augment the camp food they’re served. This could be a productive niche for supermarkets located near camps: parents could order and pay online and stores could make regular drop-offs at the camps.

With multipacks and club pricing, supermarkets can also tap into the beverage and post-game snack eating occasions for summer league competitors in baseball, soccer and lacrosse. People also want to fill up coolers for long car rides to vacation spots or mini-getaways.

Further, The Lempert Report suggests that grocers play up more foods packaged for consumption on the run (single-serves) because do more outside, as well as lighter, colorful, fun foods that conform to the relatively relaxed mindset of summer. These are also times to make sunscreens, first aid kits, pain relievers, batteries, sunglasses, water guns, beach balls, coolers and barbecue accessories highly visible for impulse buys.