During the pandemic, farm shops and independents evolved to become a lifeline for many consumers, stepping up to the plate to provide a safer shopping experience a million miles from the traditional crowded supermarket and focusing on high quality products with a clear provenance.
Now that restrictions are ended, the outlets that were regularly regarded as pillars of the local community are now facing a new challenge – how to retain the loyal clientele that selected their store as the shopping destination of choice for food and drink purchases over the past two years.
The answer of course is to adapt and demonstrate an understanding of your customer’s needs. We at Noble House know a thing or two about the need to ‘pivot’. When the pandemic first hit, our established business delivering prestigious events and corporate dining for high-end clients was decimated. However, we adapted the proposition, bringing our chef prepared, fine food dining direct to the consumer – in a safe and healthy frozen format.
Now that independents more than ever are competing with the multiples, it’s important to nurture the relationship with customers by offering products and services which appeal to contemporary lifestyles and are in line with current consumer buying trends.
Health is the new wealth so stocking products which represent wholesome, healthy food choices featuring premium ingredients without the addition of preservatives and ‘fillers’ is a must. Provenance remains another key driver for consumers, as does environmentally friendly packaging and responsible operating practices.
Without a doubt, despite the appeal of ‘scratch cooking’, there is still a strong demand for convenient but wholesome premium prepared foods, especially for busy parents or stressed executives (whether working from home or at the office) and also for older relatives no longer interested in spending time in the kitchen. However, today’s ‘convenience’ food purchases need to reflect a very different proposition to the ready meals that we became accustomed to– convenience can no longer be at the expense of quality, provenance or flavour…
Consumers are increasingly looking to reduce their food waste, so providing access to portion controlled, frozen food with a long shelf life is another important consideration.
Finally, offering your customers an unrivalled taste experience, in line with a restaurant fine dining occasion will always be a winning choice.
So this is why Noble House is focusing on offering its award-winning portfolio of chef prepared meals to the farm shop and independent retailer sector, enabling consumers to purchase the range in an ever increasing number of stores around the country.
Isn’t it time your business adapted to meet the discerning buying criteria of today’s consumers?
To find out more, please get in touch with our team at sales@thenoblehousegroup.com