New York: how food-to-go is evolving

We recently spent some time in a very cold New York. We learned a lot around the future of food-to-go and retail and a lot about the benefits of precise route planning in sub zero temperatures. Here are a selection of our food-to-go and retail learnings:

1. Erewhon style concepts are gaining a foothold

Los Angeles chain Erewhon has gained a strong global reputation as a trendsetter - in many ways it's a lifestyle brand that sells food & drink products. There's much for many operators to take from what they do, and we definitely see similarities between Erewhon and two recently opened New York concepts - Happier Grocery and Meadow Lane. Both trade from a single location, in fact not far from each other, Happier Grocery is on Canal Street while Meadow Lane is in Tribeca.

High quality fit outs and premium, sometimes super healthy, products come as standard in each. Both feel very much focused on creating lifestyle brands that sell food & drink items. This is more extreme at Happier Grocery, where a key stated goal is simply to get people into and using the space, which also includes a podcast studio and art exhibits (a members' club also forms part of the parent company's activities).

2. Wegmans and Wonder are growing evening share of stomach among New Yorkers but in contrasting ways

Wegmans has over 110 locations across nine US states, but it is not your average supermarket. The focus on prepared foods is extensive - in its Manhattan store on Astor Place, the whole ground level floor is dedicated to food-for-now and food-for-later solutions. Solution-focused messaging was stand out on my visit over SuperBowl weekend, and the breadth of the offer impressed.

Wonder is tackling the opportunity from a different angle. A digital first food hall concept, there is some opportunity to eat in, but with around 10 seats available, it's geared primarily

around take out and delivery. The model focuses on the hard work being done at a central kitchen in preparing the meal kits, before they're then finished to order on site. There have also been a number of collaborations with famous chefs along the way. It's been expanding fast, and now has a similar number of locations to Wegmans - around 110 - across the US. Expect however that number to significantly increase over the next 12 months - 200 locations are targeted by the year end.

3. Protein messaging is coming through loud and clear

Protein is a major focus in current customer focused messaging, and as much across mainstream operators as among premium players. Dunkin's use of protein milk in many of its drinks, Chipotle's menu leading with protein bites and Subway's protein pockets were just some of the executions across the market that stood out to us.

4. Long-established players Magnolia Bakery and Gregorys Coffee impressed us anew

Magnolia Bakery, famous for its cupcakes, has a great positioning around premium sweet bakery which it has also extended into 'puddings'. Meanwhile Gregorys coffee provides some great inspiration in how mainstream coffee shops can evolve, with protein, cold brew and matcha leading the menu comms. There's also a quirkiness to its brand positioning, which adds to its appeal.

5. Daily Provisions ticks many of our boxes for what successful food-to-go formats need to deliver

We often talk about how food-to-go missions are diverging between those that are value-led and those that are experience-led. Daily Provisions is definitely in the latter camp, A differentiated , design-led, environment underpins an elevated food & drink offer, including a rotating selection of cruller doughnuts - made with choux pastry.

Want to better understand global food-to-go evolution and opportunities, or need to see some of the world's leading concepts for yourself in one of our safaris? Get in touch gavin@foodfuturesinsights.com. 

Want us to bespoke design a food-to-go or retail safari in New York? Get in touch.