The Fresh Market Reinvents the Joy of Shopping

The Fresh Market’s newly launched TFM the Magazine, marks the Greensboro, N.C.-based grocer’s first monthly publication. Full of inspirational food photography, entertaining tips, recipes, new product news and pro-shopper tips, the new publication seeks to put the joy back in grocery shopping at a time when the pandemic has driven more online grocery shopping and quick trips to the store.

“The Fresh Market is bringing the joy back to shopping by focusing on delivering exceptional customer service in a warm, welcoming environment—from greeting guests and offering to help them find an item, to making sure our stores are clean and well-stocked and reducing wait times at checkout,” Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Miller told WGB. “We want our guests to look forward to shopping at The Fresh Market and be excited by our curated offerings, fresh finds and everyday meal deals.”

To spur shopper anticipation, the debut February issue of TFM the Magazine features seasonal inspiration for Valentine’s Day, including a cheese and chocolate board with wine pairing; romantic dinner and brunch meals; decadent desserts; unique finds, such as a heart-shaped sweetheart ribeye or heart-shaped crab cakes; and the secret behind the grocer’s long-lasting roses, which it notes are the same flowers used in the Rose Bowl Game and Ms. America competition.

The magazine also includes practical tips for cooking and meal planning. For example, the February issue features a step-by-step guide on the best method for citrus prep; recipes from influencer Michiel Perry, known as the Black Southern Belle; and new products, such as The Fresh Market’s Yellow Tomato Sauce made with tomatoes hand-picked on a family-owned farm in Italy.

“The magazine, just like our in-store experience, strives to always offer our guests the opportunity to discover something new—whether that be through new recipes, new flavors, new products hitting our shelves or new ways to celebrate holidays through food,” Miller said.

And while the magazine is offered in both print and digital versions, The Fresh Market is hoping shoppers will embrace a more tactile approach. “We feel the print version is important to connect with our guests, so they look to the magazine as a resource to be used throughout the month—a magazine that sits on your coffee table, one you reach for when you are struggling to find dinner inspiration at 4 o’clock on a Wednesday, or need some inspiration for an upcoming holiday,” he said.    

As the pandemic continues and consumers grow tired of preparing multiple meals at home each day, The Fresh Market is also focused on growing its meal solutions programs. When new programs are introduced, the grocer said its new magazine will be one of the first places shoppers can learn the scoop.

“We want to solve the question of ‘What’s for Dinner Tonight’ [by] offering our guests easy meal solutions for any night of the week,” Miller said. These solutions include The Fresh Market Little Big Meal; Market Meal Kits; special occasion meals like its Ultimate Steakhouse Dinner Meal; and daily specials ranging from a $12.99 Chicken Dinner that includes two sides and corn muffins.

“Our guests rely on The Fresh Market for our easy meal solutions, particularly our Little Big meals and Market Meal Kits,” he added. So much so that the grocer will include a calendar of upcoming Little Big Meals in its magazines that customers can use it to plan ahead. “When new easy meal programs are introduced, the magazine will be one of the first places our guests can find out about them," he said.

TFM the Magazine is mailed directly to customers’ homes monthly and is also available in all The Fresh Market locations, as well as online at Issuu.com.