WASHINGTON -- Innovation and growth are keys to the future success of the food industry, and retailers could set themselves on the right track by directing much of their creativity toward Center Store aisles, according to C. Manly Molpus, president and chief executive officer of the Grocery Manufacturers of America here.
"There's no more challenging area than the center of the store," he said.
"We need to determine how to bring more excitement and merchandising prowess to Center Store. It's a significant profit contributor to the store."
Center Store is a good location for satisfying consumer demands for convenient meal solutions, he added.
"While it's nice to have the beautiful displays around the perimeter of the store, the center of the store is still where a lot of the action is, in terms of satisfying consumer needs for convenience and nutrition, and also for generating sales and profit," he added.
Molpus spoke to SN on the eve of the annual GMA Executive Conference, slated to be held in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. this weekend. (See related story, Page 9.)
