SEATTLE (FNS) -- Retailers across the country are implementing small shifts in their in-store bakery merchandising to delight shoppers and keep them coming back during these diet-sensitive times. One of the leading tools operators are employing is letting consumers have it their own way.
At the Whole Foods Market here, it's a pie-for-all. In addition to an ample selection of fillings, Whole Foods is letting shoppers choose the size of the pie. A walk-around merchandiser in the bakery showcases full-size pies on the top deck, with smaller five-inch pies on the lower deck.
Whether a shopper is looking for strawberry-rhubarb, vegan triple berry, cherry, three berry, apple streusel, peach or "All-American Apple," they can elect either full-size or pint-size.
Bellingham, Wa.-based Haagen's Tops units put the emphasis on cakes when it comes to offering customers made-for-you options.
From the open production area to the "Custom Cakes Made To Order" signs over the self-serve cake display, Tops strives to present a collection of cake options capable of meeting the needs of customers.
This retailer presents ready-to-go cakes, complete with decorated borders and a middle-area space for an inscription if desired. Half sheets, whole sheets and three-dimensional "character" cakes are merchandised in self-service guises along with single- and double-layer, eight-inch rounds.
Prior to the Memorial Day weekend, a "smiley face" single-layer cake was displayed with its traditional yellow motif, but with child-size sunglasses.
Customers not seeking a full-sized creation can also select from a range of cupcakes and individual cake slices, which are large enough to share.
To further the selection of the any-way-you-want-it cake program, Tops offers customers the option of icing and decorating their own.
Colored icings in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, white and chocolate are put into deli takeout containers along with seven different sprinkles.
The sprinkles come in a variety of colors, including the classic multi-color dots to specialty shapes such as red, white and blue stars and red, pink and white hearts.
