Food is needed in quantity and quality for its adequate consumption and biological use to ensure a state of general well-being and allow people’s healthy development. But a plate of food does not only serve to satisfy these basic needs or to satiate the appetite. For many consumers who have developed a health consciousness, a good diet has become a way to repair vital processes, seek energy, and prevent or control diseases. Basically, looking for superfoods that promote good health.
According to Global Data, «42% of consumers worldwide take a proactive approach to their health and wellness.»
Post-pandemic, a healthy diet and fitness are a priority for many people, especially those who suffer from a physical condition or have a vulnerable immune system. Therefore, supermarkets that show real concern for the good health of their consumers become purposeful businesses, as they do not pursue profit as their sole objective but become agents of change to support their customers to «feel good, eating healthy.»
Healthy lifestyles drive sales of foods rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. For example, in 2019, 18% of global vitamins and supplements launched on the market had a functional claim focused on the immune system.
Therefore, there is a great opportunity to educate shoppers in supermarkets about the benefits of foods that promote good health.
After watching Zac Efron’s «Beneath the Earth» series on Nexflix, episode 8, about Iquitos in Peru, inspired me to understand more about so-called «Superfoods,» which are nothing more than nothing foods with functional properties that can improve health.
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The demand for more natural products without so many additives and highly healthy foods is growing because they can prevent diseases and offer healthier diets, especially among vegetarians looking for energy sources, pregnant women, and the elderly.
In the United States, much of the assortment of supermarket chains, such as Wholefoods, Sprouts, Aldi, and Trader Joe’s, is geared toward highly healthy products, allowing them to grow in sales volume. Retail Insight figures indicate that the average total sales for these stores across all channels grew 13.25%, and sales per square foot were $610.17 in 2019.
These numbers represent an opportunity for Hispanic supermarkets to offer a health food category and allocate space within the store other than the ethnic section.
The idea is to create a section called «To Good Health» (A la Buena Salud) dedicated to low-sugar, gluten-free, natural, high-protein foods.
What I consider most important is to include an educational service to achieve good health, from offering courses about the benefits of food to employees, especially to marketers who have contact with buyers. It could be offering free talks to educate young people and re-educate «senior» adults. One example is teaching how to read labels and understand the nutritional panel.
Among the benefits that can be obtained with this type of health-oriented commercial strategy are: impacting sales, as marketers such as dietitians, can boost product promotion, improve the supermarket’s image and social responsibility in the community, and increase customer satisfaction shield loyalty.
For investment, you could get sponsorships from suppliers, recruit volunteers who need community hours, or professionals interested in making themselves known in the marketplace.
If you want to learn more about how to manage the «A la Buena Salud» strategy, our team researched the healthy habits of Hispanics, which serves as a starting point for defining a customer-centric program. Contact us: [email protected]