For supermarkets, doing food service right is no piece of cake. Chains are coming to grips with the fact that their deli and bakery departments aren't just competing among themselves anymore -- and forward-thinking merchandisers are trying to change their strategies to suit the times.
g with crossover programs, mixing traditional supermarket elements such as self-service convenience with the consistency of the best fast-food outlets, and the variety and quality of traditional food service.
Two weeks from now, the supermarket industry's decision makers for dairy, deli and bakery will gather in San Jose, Calif., for the annual convention of the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association.
They'll be looking for ways to take those departments forward in the new and fast-changing competitive landscape. SN's 20-page Supermarket Bakery & Deli supplement, contained in this section, looks at how some in the industry are addressing that challenge. It includes:
A roundup of ideas from retailers who are layering on success with decorated cake programs.
Interviews with the top executives of IDDA about the challenges faced by its membership.
Insight into the latest competitive moves being made by Carr Gottstein Foods Co., Anchorage, Alaska; Ball's Food, Kansas City, Kan.; and Draeger's, Menlo Park, Calif.
