Fascinating Food Trends

This week I'm signing on to talk about a pivotal element in the grocery business: food trends. For me, this is one of the most fascinating aspects of our business because it is something that constantly changes. There's always something new and exciting to explore. Whether it be a new health trend or an intriguing overseas food phenomenon, its fun attempting to dissect what and why people are buying.

For example, have you noticed the abundance of products related to pomegranates that have appeared on the market over the last year? Research shows that more than 150 new products (up from approximately 30 at the end of 2003) appeared in the first nine months 2005! Wow! In addition to adding a new flavor to their lifestyles, consumers are of course interested in the many health benefits which this fascinating fruit possesses, such as a high antioxidant count, which aids in the breakdown of fatty deposits on artery walls. Even just two years ago it was difficult to imagine the sort of success such an obscure product could have in our marketplace, and now it is an integral part of our product repertoire. We're proud to be able to showcase this fruit in many forms and varieties, from juice to jelly to lip gloss.

On the flip side, we've watched food trends die, and die hard. The Lo-Carb craze which dominated much of 2003 and 2004 has had its last gasp, as shoppers have tired of the high prices and poor quality of the products. Correspondingly, they've branched out more and more into other cuisines which offer them excellent flavor, a nutritional balance, and a sense of excitement, such as Asian and Mediterranean cuisines. Many people have come to realize that they can experience exceptional tastes with minimal guilt, and we strive to provide our shoppers with that very thing, introducing new products such as Shirataki Tofu Noodles, which provide the desired texture of a noodle and combine superbly with the traditional Asian flavors. They're really an exciting product, and we feel great about them.

As researchers continue to explore new and better ways of pleasing shoppers, using scientific evidence in the hopes of discovering a way to keep people both satisfied and healthy, so do we do our best to stay on top of what our customers want. We think that providing fun and healthy alternatives to traditional cuisines is a cornerstone of our business, and we're always on the lookout for something new and intriguing. So check back with me from time to time, and let me know what food experiences you've had. I'd really love to hear from you.

Jim Hiller

The Steak, not the Sizzle

Hello everyone, and welcome to my new online journal. I'm looking forward to this opportunity to share with you my thoughts, ambitions, and (gasp!) an insight or two about how our company's doing, and what I feel is its role in an ever-expanding food industry. While the prospect of growth and success is exciting to me, as it is to all of us, nevertheless I'm a small businessman at heart. Communicating with and servicing my customers is and always will be my main objective, so I am hopeful that this journal will allow me to do just that. So, as Hiller's explores this new frontier of customer service, I hope you'll all take a few minutes and check in with me from time to time, so that we can make this journal a fun and exciting way to communicate.

Before I sign off and put this first entry to bed, however, I’d like to express a thought I have about the role of Hiller’s Markets in the grocery industry. Every year, when I reflect back on the trends and changes I notice in our business, I notice more and more how markets nationwide, from mom-and-pop operations to large mass-market retailers, have scurried to promote the "quality" of their products, spending millions if not billions of dollars to convince shoppers that they sell what is most desirable. So I ask myself: “What exactly is going on? Have these retailers really improved the quality of their products? Have they all of a sudden shifted their focus from a buy-cheap, sell-cheap mentality to one where the quality of the product speaks for itself?”

Every time I think about it, I conclude that no, that is not what they’ve done. What they have done, I think, is refocus their efforts to make their customers believe this is what they've done. Using flashy store displays, state-of-the-art computer graphics, and the most researched marketing strategies, these retailers have focused all of their energies, and all of their dollars, at establishing the perception that quality is the name of the game. All they’ve really done, however, is regurgitate the same old thing in a newer more glamorous package. The way I look at it, they’re selling the sizzle, with no concern whatsoever for the quality of the steak.

As discerning shoppers, it's up to us to see through the smoke and mirrors and find the best quality for ourselves and for our family. It’s up to us to find the steak; let everyone else “ooh” and “aah” about the sizzle. So I say: "Take a closer look!" At Hiller's, we sell the steak, not the sizzle, because that's what we think our customers want the most, and that's what we want most for our own families. Therefore, I encourage you to come and see us, take a closer look, and see what the steak is really all about. We'll trim it to your liking, of course.

Jim Hiller