NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- Consumers determine the product selection offered through retailer "Endless Aisle" programs.
the 'Endless Aisle' selection is truly built by the customer's request," said Steve Weinstein, vice president, business development and planning, NeXpansion here.
Just what do consumers want? Following are some of the most popular categories.
International Foods, especially British and Hispanic. In the Hispanic category, consumers aren't just looking for "American" Mexican, but rather Central and South American, Caribbean and traditional Mexican. NeXpansion carries more than 3,000 British and Hispanic items. Indian, Thai and other Asian segments are also growing.
Regional Grocery, or items that are traditionally manufactured by small companies and distributed only in one state or region. Some examples are Skyline Chili, Parmalat Milk, Stoke Ellis canned vegetables, and Luzzianne teas and coffees.
Hard-to-Find Traditional Grocery. These are traditional items that don't have a large distribution, such as Campbell's Pepper Pot Soup and Heinz Genuine Dill Pickles Original Sour.
Special Needs Foods. This category is popular among consumers who have a medical or dietary restriction, or simply choose to eat specific foods, like sugar- or fat-free items. NeXpansion is expanding this category, for a total of 5,000 gluten-free, wheat-free, vegan, low-carbohydrate and low-sodium selections.
