Kitchen to Shelf: How to Get Your Food Product in Stores

Updated: September 2024

The key to how to get your food product in stores can be a complicated journey. After all, it’s an extremely competitive industry where you have to stand out from the hundreds of choices available to consumers at their local supermarkets. Customized displays are an important part of your success, whether you’re trying to get your frozen food display in stores, or you’re working toward POP displays for convenience stores. 

We’ll examine the many steps you have to go through and explain how to get your food product in store, and then answer the question of how do displays help to sell food?

But first, join us on the journey from kitchen to shelf…

How to Get Your Food Products in Retail Grocery Stores

Like so many things, an idea starts with inspiration, and then you have to roll up your sleeves to make it a reality. While there are a lot of details involved in this process, we’ll give a quick review of the highlights of this process:

Product Development

Before you can approach stores, you have to be sure that you are offering something unique in the marketplace. This is called your UVP or unique value proposition. Remember: this is an extremely competitive environment, and highlighting what sets your product apart is crucial. This will also help you garner a loyal customer base and secure what makes your brand special.

Market Research

Market research is about much more than sizing up your competition. This step helps you identify your target audience, their preferences, and where they typically shop. Understand the current trends in the food industry and align your product with the demands of the market.

Packaging and Branding

Packaging is a major step in getting your product noticed. The packaging should clearly communicate the UVP of your product in a way that resonates with your target audience. Successful packaging works together with a stellar display to bring your message home.

But you don’t want a generic display–you need a customized display that not only captures attention, but also conveys the messaging and essence of your brand story. 

After all, the best packaging in the world is useless until you can create an eye-catching display that brings your food product center stage. This is a key element in how to get your food product in stores. 

Compliance and Safety

Of course, your product will not be allowed in stores unless it meets all the legal and regulatory requirements. This means your product needs:

• Nutritional information
• Accurate labeling
• Compliance with food safety standards

Any non-compliance issues can lead to setbacks and road blocks.

Production Scaling

Before approaching stores, ensure that your production process can meet the potential demand. You want to be sure you have a company that is ready to meet any increases in the number of products needed without sacrificing quality. You’ll also need to plan for warehousing, fulfillment and distribution  

At McIntyre Displays, we offer warehousing, fulfillment and distribution–meaning you can count on us to meet any scale of production you need. As an added bonus, we do all of our design in house by leading creative graphic artists. By taking ownership of the project from start to finish, we can help ensure you have a quality project that perfectly matches your vision. 

Build Relationships

Develop relationships with potential retailers. Attend trade shows, industry events, and networking functions to connect with store buyers and decision-makers. Building a personal rapport can greatly improve your chances of getting a foot in the door.

At McIntyre Displays, we’re interested in developing long-term relationships with our clients. This dedication to your success is why we have so many loyal customers. Want to know more? Look no further than our award-winning portfolio to see the brands we’ve worked with. 

 Create a Compelling Pitch

Craft a compelling pitch that clearly outlines the benefits of your product to the retailer. This means being fully prepared to:

• Highlight your UVP points
• Provide information about your target audience
• Provide sales projections
• Outline marketing strategies
• Discuss profit margins and pricing
• Offer promotional support

Demonstrations and Sampling

Positive feedback from customers can encourage retailers to give your product a chance.

Therefore, if your product / environment allows for a tasting, sampling event or even a demonstration, a customized display ensemble is a wise choice. This will bring both functionality and branding into one unit–creating an even more compelling message.

Negotiation and Distribution

Once a retailer expresses interest, negotiate terms and conditions. This will typically include everything from pricing to shelf placement and distribution. Be realistic about the terms you can offer, and be prepared to negotiate. 

Marketing and Promotion

Here’s where a customized brand display can make a huge difference. Effective marketing strategies can fall flat without a dedicated design team behind your product. 

At McIntyre Displays, we not only have the manufacturing and distribution capabilities to make it possible, but our award-winning design team is the perfect combination of creativity and practicality. We’re proud of our designers who have earned several accolades.

Support your product’s presence in stores with effective marketing strategies. This can include social media campaigns, and collaborations with influencers, which will perfectly complement our eye-catching in-store displays.

Monitor and Adjust

Regularly monitor your product’s performance on store shelves. Analyze sales data and customer feedback to identify any areas for improvement. Be open to making adjustments based on the feedback you receive.

Getting your food product into stores is a long journey that requires a dedication to persistence, coupled by a detailed strategy.  

We’ve outlined these useful steps to help you develop an approach that is both proactive and adaptable. The more you plan, the more likely you are to get your product on the shelves and into the kitchens of your customers. 

How Do Custom Designed Retail Displays Help Increase Product Sell Through?

Have you ever seen a mouth-watering frozen food display in a store? Did you ever make an “impulse purchase” based upon the perfect, strategic placement of grocery store produce displays? And let’s not forget the POP displays for convenience stores that make it so easy to pick up a few extra items when you’re at the checkout counter.

A well-organized display can increase product sell through by improving visibility, enhancing your brand, and assisting in cross promotion.

Customized Convenience & Grocery Store Displays Tap Into Impulse Purchases

Grocery store pop displays are instrumental in securing sales—even for items customers didn’t realize they needed. After all, have you ever  gone into a grocery store for only three things and left with a shopping cart full of items that weren’t even on your list? After all, that ice cream point of purchase display makes that delicious dessert too difficult to pass up. 

According to customer surveys, you’re not alone.

Market Force, a customer service management company, conducted a survey that indicated:

• 90 percent of consumers make one stock-up of groceries every week.
• 70 percent of customers make return, shorter visits to pick up any unplanned items.
• Consumers preferred to go to their favorite grocery store rather than smaller convenience stores to pick up smaller items.

You can’t overestimate the effect of a valuable POP display in a grocery store—it’s a vital tool to drive sales and solidify customer loyalty. We’ll take a closer look at how displays help to sell food?

Insights on How Custom Retail Displays Help Sell More Food Products

To help you rise above the competition, we’ve compiled some of the following insights to help you with your grocery store POP displays and how they can work to your advantage.

Visual Appeal and Attention

Eye-catching displays immediately capture the attention of shoppers. Vibrant colors, creative designs, and unique arrangements draw consumers in, making them more likely to stop and explore the featured products. In the case of food, appetizing imagery and enticing packaging showcased on displays can evoke cravings and spark interest.

Our design team has the gift of creating customized POP displays that are not only visually appealing and eye-catching, but are also practical. Because we do manufacturing on-site, this saves you the headache of working with multiple vendors—and eliminates the likelihood of something going wrong along the way. 

Product Visibility

A key element of how to get your food product in stores and make it noticeable is product visibility. 

Displays elevate the visibility of specific food products that might otherwise get lost on regular store shelves. By positioning products at eye level or in high-traffic areas, displays ensure that potential customers can easily spot and engage with them. This is particularly advantageous for new or niche food items trying to make a mark in a crowded market.

Storytelling and Branding

Displays provide an opportunity to tell a story and convey a brand’s identity. Engaging narratives, whether about the origin of the product, its unique features, or the values of the brand, create a connection with consumers. Such emotional resonance can lead to increased loyalty and repeat purchases.

Our design team is able to perfectly match your logo colors and all visual elements of your brand. Consistency is so important to maintain a positive perception and tell your brand’s story. 

Sampling and Engagement

Interactive displays, such as those offering product samples, invite customers to experience the product firsthand. Sampling allows shoppers to taste the food, thereby removing the barrier of uncertainty and encouraging them to make a purchase. Engaging displays that encourage interaction, like touch screens or QR code scanning, can provide additional information and enhance the overall shopping experience.

Seasonal and Promotional Campaigns

Highlighting seasonal product displays or promotional items is particularly effective during holidays. For instance, themed displays can create a sense of urgency and tap into festive sentiments. Limited-time offers and bundled deals showcased on displays encourage impulse purchases and can drive sales spikes.

Cross-Promotion and Upselling

Displays facilitate cross-promotion by featuring complementary products together. For instance, a display featuring pasta might also showcase pasta sauces and grated cheese. This encourages shoppers to consider purchasing related items, ultimately boosting the value of each transaction.

We’ve completed a useful guide to help you understand the details on how to boost cross-selling and upselling to net bigger profits.

Immediacy and Convenience

Well-placed displays reduce the effort needed for consumers to find what they’re looking for. This convenience can sway purchasing decisions, especially when shoppers are pressed for time. Grab-and-go displays for ready-to-eat meals or snacks capitalize on this need for quick solutions.

Emotional Triggers

There’s a reason they call it “comfort food.”

Displays can tap into consumers’ emotions, reminding them of comfort foods, childhood favorites, or indulgent treats. Emotional connections often lead to impulse purchases driven by nostalgia or the desire for a rewarding experience.

Grocery Store POP Displays Can Give Customers a Craving for Your Product

So, you’ve discovered how to get your food product in stores, you’ve landed the contract, and you’re working with an award-winning design team like the trusted experts at McIntyre Design. 

Now what?

Following are some additional tips and vital information to keep in mind as you continue on your journey to success. 

Location is still everything.

If at all possible, place your POP display near eggs, milk, and other common foods that need to be replenished often. As a result, more consumers will have to walk past your display in order to get to the items. Items on an end cap display tend to invite customers to venture deeper into the store, so be sure your information is colorful, prominent and easy-to-read.

Make sure you take full advantage of in-store sampling campaigns

It’s not enough to merely have a few pieces of cheese on a plate for shoppers to casually sample as they wish. You can use this opportunity to engage with your customers, meanwhile your POP display should reinforce your brand.

For example, if you’re giving customers the chance to sample your barbecue sauce, you may want to complement by providing a rotating counter display that provides different recipe cards featuring mouth-watering images to encourage consumers to take a closer look at your other products. If you will have a customer service representative preparing food or offering samples, make sure any displays do not create a visual barrier between the salesperson and the customer.

Don’t be afraid to get creative.

Imagine a giant ice cream cone in the frozen foods section, or perhaps a Halloween candy display arranged so that the colors create a giant pumpkin. Customers remember the unexpected, and the more time spent looking at your display means they are more likely to engage with — and ultimately purchase—your product.

All Types of Displays for a Variety of Products—Let Our Award-Winning Team Work for You!

We’ve worked with clients on point of purchase display projects ranging from snack foods to boutique soaps and shampoos. Our extensive experience means we’re able to work with you on any project of any size. Not only will your product be delivered on time and on budget, but we may be able to find ways you can actually save money. Contact us for information on how to make your vision a reality.

 

Since 1977, McIntyre Manufacturing Group has created custom-designed displays with an uncompromised dedication to customer service. We utilize the latest technology and attention to detail to create the finest products with excellent craftsmanship. If you can dream it, we can create it. Contact us to see how we can bring your vision to life.