Hy-Vee's Food Hall

Talking about retailers, Hy-Vee has decided to go after dinner. Ryan Robertson, executive Vice President for Parishables, is quoted in Supermarket News by saying 70% of our customers say they have no idea what they're going to make for dinner at four o'clock. Their concept of food halls is ready to provide very high quality products and a variety. Now their food halls are a little different than your typical grocery. They offer six restaurants in their food halls HyChi & Hibachi, Nori Sushi, Market Grille, Wahlburgers at Hy-Vee, Long Island Deli, and Mia Italian. What they're really focused on is a family being able to come sit down in Hy-Vee. Go to these different stands if you would. So everybody, if you want pizza, you can have pizza. If Tony wants sushi, he can have sushi. If I want Chinese food, i can have Chinese food, but we can all sit together as well. So it's really a smart idea. What they've also talked about is they're now in their convenience store, which is called Fast and Fresh. They're focused on meal replacement stores versus your typical candy gum, cigarettes, gasoline and so on. And they really want to do. What Sheetz has done for years is make their convenience store a destination for food.

Sally: I absolutely love this and I am one of those 70% that, at four o'clock, cannot think of what to have for dinner, so I really would love to see this in my neighborhood. In fact, Hy-Vee, I just read this morning is it's going to be opening up in Tennessee in three different locations. So yay for us. But yes, this fast and free fresh convenience store caught my eye too, and that that being a place for for meal solutions, and particularly what we're gonna talk about in a minute about about hybrid workers. You know hybrid workers are on our ordering food online and they're ordering prepared meals and they want these easy takeout options.

Phil: So I can see this fast and fresh convenience store really, really working out.