Think for a moment about all the common phrases we hear that include references to dairy products.
“Nothing hits the spot better than a cold ice cream treat on a hot summer day.”
“Everything tastes better with cheese on it.”
“Are you a skim, 1%, 2% or whole milk kind of person?”
Dairy, dairy and more dairy.
Adding healthy portions of dairy to a diet not only ramps up the flavor, it also provides several benefits to a person’s general health. Dairy products are notoriously good sources of essential nutrients like protein, calcium, vitamin D and potassium. They’re also integral parts of popular diets like keto, boost the health of your gums and teeth, and are versatile ingredients for an endless amount of recipes. Dairy, in general, is a key element in most diets.
Buying dairy in a pandemic
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, dairy sales have increased 16% as people consume most of their meals within the comfort of their homes. To account for this sudden boost in sales and to ensure they have enough dairy products to meet demand, many stores have instituted purchasing limits on certain dairy products.
Even with those limits, dairy aisles are quickly picked over and need to be restocked regularly so the next customers can find what they need. To combat potential disorganization or restocking messes, many grocers are using pusher display systems to keep dairy shelves organized, front-faced and ready for the constant flow of customers.
Keeping up with the times
“Dairy aisles have consistently seen the highest foot traffic for decades,” said Joe Crum, Director of Marketing and eCommerce. “And with so many options and so much demand, keeping dairy aisles stocked and organized makes the customer feel well taken care of when they leave the store.”
The convenience of packaged cheeses has contributed to its growing popularity. Tomas Rizo, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Modesto, Calif.-based Rizo-Lopez Foods told Dairy Foods, “I believe folks are seeking out convenient snackable cheeses [that do] not need to be prepared as part of a dish, including dips, and that [are] sold in an easy-to-open-and-enjoy format.”
The growing demand for packaged cheeses is also seen in the growing number of SKUs in the dairy aisle. But those peg-mounted packages of sliced and shredded cheese can also be the most labor-intensive from a stocking and conditioning perspective. That’s why many stores are converting their peg displays to 100% pusher systems with SpaceGrid II® on Magna-Bar™ from Retail Space Solutions.
SpaceGrid II on Magna-Bar is an alternative to pegs, providing continually front-faced packages, fast and easy restocking and all-day organization, each design to satisfy stocking requirements for the vast array of dairy products and their various shapes and sizes.
The system is designed to work with existing pegboard displays. Unique mounting brackets easily fit into a peg wall to quickly convert that display into an attractive, functional pusher system that maximizes display space and improves the shopping experience. Adding this cost-effective stocking system keeps the area looking organized and products front-faced, all while allowing packages to retain their shape.
The unique trays in SpaceGrid II on Magna-Bar are designed to allow a continual flow of cool air to pass through products, which helps keep them at temperatures that inhibit spoilage. The width of those trays is also easily adjustable, which allows them to handle everything from narrow to wider dairy packages.
SpaceGrid II on Magna-Bar delivers well-organized environments and reduces the time it takes to restock. And that’s important: when high-traffic areas like dairy aisles are well-kept and accessible, customers experience less stress during what has come to be a stressful time.
The grocery shopping experience may not be what it was in the past, but orderly displays help make shopping convenient and safe. And convenience and safety are what customers want.