Jul 19, 2023
The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) Show, held in Anaheim, California, attracted over 9,600 attendees and 810 exhibitors. Epic Sales Partners represented more than 70 brands at the show, with 45 Epic associates from across the United States attending with our manufacturer and retailer customers.
Epic was a key sponsor of IDDBA's What's in Store merchandising display. Nicole Najarro, a Key Account Manager at Epic West, spearheaded Epic's involvement and participated in the planning and execution of the display's presentation. This included coordinating our awesome Epic Sales technical team to bring the merchandising ideas to life.
The What's in Store presentation at the IDDBA show is always an important discussion of dairy, deli, and bakery trends and opportunities. This year's presentation highlighted the potential for grocery stores to compete with restaurants through the growth of retail food service. IDDBA Vice President of Marketing Whitney Atkins and VP of Education Heather Prach delivered the presentation.
Prach emphasized the importance of home delivery and e-commerce in retail, stating that although these areas have been challenging for the industry, they are worth the investment. Survey results showed that a significant number of consumers order restaurant delivery compared to grocery-prepared food delivery. Prach suggested maximizing the e-commerce platform to provide recipes, meal solutions, and meal planning options, highlighting the value and savings available in grocery stores compared to quick-serve restaurants.
Their presentation also touched on the potential for upgrading sandwiches with indulgent additions such as fresh-baked bread or brioche. Educating consumers on using countertop appliances like air fryers and Instant Pots for quick and easy meal preparation was identified as another way to boost sales.
Prach noted that with the return of the "on-the-go lifestyle," balancing cost, health, taste, and time has become crucial for families. She highlighted pizza as a customizable product that catered to different consumer needs and mentioned that home cooking burnout has contributed to the desire for convenience options.
The hybrid system of cooking, which involves a mix of homemade meals and semi- or fully-prepared items, was highlighted as a standard approach among households. Prach emphasized the importance of stocking grab-and-go items throughout the day and night, as shoppers often plan future meals while in the store.
Additionally, the growth of quick breakfast items in the bakery segment was mentioned, with consumers opting for indulgent yet time-saving options like donuts, croissants, pastries, and muffins.
We are working now to act on the information and opportunities uncovered at the 2023 IDDBA. We welcome the opportunity to support manufacturers and retailers who seek to drive sales in the dairy, deli, and bakery segments. You can find us at www.epicsales.com or reach out to us at info@epicsales.com.
ABOUT EPIC SALES PARTNERS
Epic Sales Partners provides headquarters management, retail merchandising, data analytics, technology, and administrative services for the fresh, specialty, natural, and organic departments. Epic serves almost 100 retailers on behalf of over 350 food manufacturers generating retail sales of $1 billion annually.
With over 35 years of experience, the company has almost 200 Associates with an average tenure of 7.2 years who are trusted category experts that add value to retailers and manufacturers across America.
Epic is headquartered in Irving, Texas, with nine additional sales offices across the United States. Epic unifies Premier Sales Solutions, Maher Marketing, Frontier Food Brokerage, and MPF Sales and Marketing together under the common brand "Epic Sales Partners." The company is commonly owned and managed.
