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acquisition of Whole Foods," says Erik Thoresen, Technomic principal,
in a recent analysis of the meal kit business.
Retailers from coast to coast have introduced meal kit solutions or partnerships, from Kroger's Prep+Pared line to Supervalu's Quick & Easy
chef-inspired kits. "Originally, a grocery store only needed to have the
components to make the meal," said Anne Dament, senior vice-president of retail, merchandising and marketing for Supervalu, at the time
of the line expansion. "Now, we need to have the full solution available
to time-starved customers at our stores or delivered to their homes,
whether it's ready to eat, heat and eat, or prepare at home."
Other grocery players currently on the fence are being urged to get in
the business. Karen Short, an analyst with Barclays, wrote to investors
earlier this fall that Kroger should consider buying a delivery company
or finding another way to tap into consumer interest in kits.
"Food retail is becoming increasingly competitive and fluid, partially a
result of new competitors entering the space and consumers changing
their consumption patterns," Short wrote.

So why are so many retailers getting into the game when some of the
big meal kit companies are struggling? The built-in customer base
enjoyed by supermarkets is a huge advantage.
"With retailers taking note of (e-commerce meal kit companies struggling), they can step in a little bit easier due to the fact that they have a
built-in customer base," Uetz says. "Customers are already coming into
their store. The customer is already there and purchasing and willing
to listen and looking for new and interesting opportunities. I think that
gives retailers a leg up in this whole realm as we move into the future."
That said, Uetz points out that an innate knowledge of a retailer's
customer base is necessary to identify which shoppers are likely
candidates for meal kits and how to best deliver something that will be
attractive to those specific customers. "This is not the type of program
that you're going to be able to put out here and have every one of your
customers attracted to it," he says. "It takes some study and creativity
and there is a tremendous amount of creativity and innovation going
on with retailers and how they're stepping into this arena and making it
a viable business alternative for themselves."

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