Engaging with customers on food issues they care about builds trust, satisfaction and business. The key is to find out which issues matter most to your customers\u2014and then to address them on your menu and beyond. The old adage \u201cyou are what you eat\u201d has never meant more to consumers than it does today. For many, it\u2019s not enough to know the name and ingredients of a dish. <\/p>\n
\u201cPeople want to know what\u2019s in the food you serve, where it comes from, how it was processed and how it impacted the environment,\u201d says Gordon Food Service Healthcare Segment Manager Dana Fillmore, RD. \u201cSome are also interested in the culture and business practices of your organization. That\u2019s true of both customers and employees.\u201d<\/p>\n
In other words, customers and employees alike want you to be transparent\u2014meaning they want you to be open, honest and accountable about the food you serve and the procedures you employ.<\/p>\n
The challenge for operators is that different people are interested in different things. Gluten-free. Locally sourced. Heart-healthy. Non-GMO. Humanely raised. These are just a few of the many food attributes on consumers\u2019 radar these days.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to tap into your customer base to find out exactly what they\u2019re passionate about,\u201d Fillmore advises. \u201cSee what matters most to them and focus on addressing their top issues.\u201d <\/p>\n
Top-of-mind issues might be quite different between different operations and areas of the country. \u201cYou have to determine what is going to resonate the most with the people you serve,\u201d Fillmore says.<\/p>\n
\u201cSustainable\u201d and \u201cclean\u201d are two attributes that tend to resonate with consumers across regional and operational divides. <\/p>\n
The International Food Information Council Foundation reported in 2018 that 6 in 10 consumers say it is important to them that the food they purchase or consume is produced in a sustainable way. That\u2019s an increase from 50 percent who said the same in 2017. <\/p>\n
This study also found a preference for clean products, as least as defined by an absence of artificial ingredients. About 7 in 10 consumers would be willing to give up a familiar favourite product for one that did not contain artificial ingredients. <\/p>\n
Both sustainable and clean can mean different things to different people. Consumers may use clean to describe foods that are free from chemical preservatives, antibiotics, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, MSG or artificial ingredients. Clean can also apply to the way food is \u201cgrown,\u201d whether it\u2019s pasture-raised beef, crate-free pork or cage-free eggs. <\/p>\n
When it comes to sustainability, the most common interpretation revolves around ecology and the environment. But for many, it\u2019s about health and nutrition. Others equate it with social responsibility and support of local communities. <\/p>\n
The fact that there are no universal definitions or standards for these terms reinforces the need to talk to your customers. They will tell you what sustainable and clean mean to them\u2014and whether they consider these and other attributes important. <\/p>\n
No operator can build a menu that meets every possible definition for clean and sustainable. But, Fillmore notes, operators can offer selections that help customers feel good about their eating experience.<\/p>\n
When you are transparent about the things that are important to your customers, you help validate their perspectives and the food choices they make. It can also help educate less-informed customers about the value of healthy nutrition\u2014something healthcare providers are increasingly embracing as part of their mission.<\/p>\n
\u201cHealthcare foodservice directors tend to feel a sense of obligation to offer healthier foods,\u201d Fillmore says. Being transparent about what and why you put certain items on the menu can help raise awareness of the connection between food and health. <\/p>\n
Transparency also can help reinforce your trustworthiness as a source on food issues. Fillmore suggests that foodservice directors combine their expertise with that of physicians, dietitians and their own staffers to solidify the accuracy and relevance of information.<\/p>\n
\u201cFoodservice relies heavily on younger workers, and they are very cause-oriented,\u201d Fillmore says. \u201cTransparency is important to them because it helps them support causes they believe in, whether it\u2019s sustainable seafood, animal welfare, cleaner ingredients, gluten-free eating, halal compliance or healthy living\u2014whatever healthy might mean to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taste and price remain top drivers of food purchases for all ages, but the passion of informed consumers is making sustainable and healthfulness more important factors in dining choices. Healthcare employees who eat in their employers\u2019 retail settings every day may be even more likely to make decisions based on healthfulness or sustainability than when they\u2019re dining out for special occasions.<\/p>\n
Health is part of the mission for hospitals, senior living and other healthcare foodservice organizations, so it makes good sense to offer choices that meet customer definitions of healthy. Being transparent about those choices can help you forge more meaningful connections with customers.<\/p>\n
Operators that offer greater transparency can differentiate themselves in the marketplace and build customer loyalty\u2014for example, keeping hospital employees and visitors on campus rather than in a restaurant down the street. They may even find that transparency delivers a recruiting advantage, both inside and outside the foodservice department. <\/p>\n
Here are three key ways to establish transparency as a differentiator.<\/p>\n
1. Provide choices on your menu<\/strong> LTOs (Limited Time Offers) and specials are a great way to test customer appetite for cleaner, more sustainable foods. Remember, you\u2019re not just serving up a new dish\u2014you also must present information about its origins and preparation. And you\u2019re testing whether the information you\u2019re sharing is relevant, easy to understand and useful.<\/p>\n 2. Train staff in new ways to prepare and serve items<\/strong> 3. Communicate to your customer base<\/strong> For instance, what do you mean by \u201cclean\u201d on a specific item? Did you substitute organic chicken for conventional? Did you make your own marinade with fresh herbs rather than use a packaged marinade? Being able to speak directly to guests will further emphasize your commitment to transparency.<\/p>\n Promote and explore these issues in greater detail on your social media and web pages, and\/or on your company intranet. <\/p>\n The Clear Choice Program from Gordon Food Service can help operators become more transparent with their customers. It identifies products and describes their attributes in six categories:<\/p>\n The Clear Choice program allows customers to utilize Gordon Ordering to find and select from thousands of products across these six categories of claims and third-party certifications. Talk with your Sales Representative for more information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Taking a closer look at what sustainability messaging means to your customers and your business. Engaging with customers on food issues they care about builds trust, satisfaction and business. The key is to find out which issues matter most to your customers\u2014and then to address them on your menu and beyond. The old adage \u201cyou are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":26876,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[122,68,123,112,69,111,113],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-catering-small-business","category-culinary-ideas","category-hotels-hospitality","category-restaurant-bars","category-running-your-business","category-healthcare","category-university"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nSurvey your customers to find out what food issues matter to them\u2014and what exactly they mean by terms like sustainable and clean. Then introduce menu items that address their expectations. <\/p>\n
\nCertain lifestyle choices\u2014like gluten-free eating and kosher compliance\u2014require back-of-the-house and front-of-the-house employees to follow stringent procedures. You\u2019ll have to train staff and consistently reinforce the importance of following the rules. Customers won\u2019t accept slip-ups.<\/p>\n
\nIdentify clean and sustainable items on your menu and at the point-of-sale using those terms and\/or more specific ones like kosher and non-GMO. Train front-of-the-house staff to speak intelligently about these issues. <\/p>\nMaking Transparency Easier<\/h3>\n
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