6 Trends From Kroger That Support Our U.S. Grocery Shopping Trends

Promoting and Advancing Petroleum Marketing, Retail Grocery, and Convenience Stores in West Virginia

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

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OMEGA is a West Virginia-based organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the business interests of the state’s petroleum marketing, retail grocery, and convenience store industries.

As a network of over 225 locally owned businesses, OMEGA actively promotes cooperation, advocates for favorable legislation, and provides education and resources to its members. With over 50,000 employees, OMEGA members significantly contribute to the state’s economy, generating more than 10% of all state taxes and supporting local communities through scholarships, charitable donations, and civic involvement.

OMEGA is committed to fostering industry growth while serving West Virginians with essential services like fuel, food, and convenience.

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Your Essential Connection in West Virginia

OMEGA offers three types of membership: Convenience Store Members, Petroleum Marketer Members, and Grocer Members, all of which play a vital role in providing fuel, food, and essentials across West Virginia. As a liaison with state and national agencies, OMEGA works closely with organizations like NACS, PMAA, FMI, and the N.G.A. to advocate on behalf of its members.

We keep members informed through newsletters, legislative updates, an online resource hub, and educational seminars. Additional member benefits include access to the Encova Workers’ Compensation Discount Program and participation in our annual Trade Expo and fundraising efforts for children’s charities. OMEGA is here to support, advocate, and enhance the success of our industry members.

As witnesses to national consumer trends affecting the way FMI members cater to their customers, I appreciate chances to learn directly from our members on ways they seize opportunities with shoppers and help set the tone for the future of our industry. That’s exactly what happened recently at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Food Forward event, where I had the pleasure of moderating a discussion on Mapping Consumer Trends that featured Nicole Davis, Senior Innovation Manager of Our Brands for Kroger. During the discussion, Davis outlined six consumer trends that align with what we learned in our national U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2018 findings.

<p>By Leslie Sarasin, President and CEO, Food Marketing Institute<br /> <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/nicole-davis-shares-her-observations-on-innovation-at-food-forward.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=9ef04e6e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Nicole Davis shares her observations on innovation at Food Forward" title="mg-caption:Nicole Davis shares her observations on innovation at Food Forward" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /></p> <p>As witnesses to national consumer trends affecting the way FMI members cater to their customers, I appreciate chances to learn directly from our members on ways they seize opportunities with shoppers and help set the tone for the future of our industry. That’s exactly what happened recently at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s <a href="https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/food-forward-0">Food Forward</a> event, where I had the pleasure of moderating a discussion on <em>Mapping Consumer Trends </em>that featured Nicole Davis, Senior Innovation Manager of Our Brands for Kroger. During the discussion, Davis outlined six consumer trends that align with what we learned in our national <a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends"><em>U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends</em></a><em> </em>2018 findings. </p> <p><em>Trends </em>reveals that grocery shopping is becoming America’s new pastime, with 85 percent of our population who claim to be active grocery shoppers. These shoppers are demanding radical personalization like our industry has never seen before. Each shopper has his or her own food purchasing equation — a set of personally nuanced factors taken into consideration when grocery shopping — and the individual's shopping equation is as unique as his or her fingerprints. </p> <p>Kroger, which serves 9 million customers each day, is experiencing similar, supporting trends, according to Davis. Here are Kroger’s <a href="https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/food-forward-0">six consumer trends</a>: </p> <h5>Trend 1: Simple and Real </h5> <p>Seven in 10 consumers look for ingredients they recognize while shopping for food. </p> <h5>Trend 2: Globetrotting Tastes </h5> <p>Forty percent of millennials in the U.S. cook a dish from another culture at least once a week.</p> <h5>Trend 3: Plant-Based Foods </h5> <p>Fifteen percent of the U.S. population are vegans and vegetarians and one-in-three people claim to be flexitarians—choosing to eat plant-based meals occasionally or at least once a week. </p> <h5>Trend 4: Digestive Health </h5> <p>Eighty three percent of adults experience gastrointestinal problems and 32 percent agree probiotics are essential.</p> <h5>Trend 5: Zero Waste Movement </h5> <p>Six billion pounds of fresh produce goes unused each year. </p> <h5>Trend 6: Values Based Shopping</h5> <p>In a recent Harris poll, 67 percent of millennials say they would prefer to buy a private label through a company they trust. </p> <p>These Kroger trends align with the radical personalization FMI's Trends research revealed. For instance, a flexitarian who recently traveled to India is going to have very different shopping habits from a millennial dad looking for simple ingredient foods for his kids. This radical personalization means the shopper expects the retailer to discern, respect and curate according to his or her set of individualized values. The retailer who proves to be the best partner in helping the shopper find the preferred solution to his/her distinct equation will reap the rich rewards of customer loyalty.</p> <p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends" class="button-secondary">Download U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/food-forward-0" class="button" target="_blank">Watch Food Forward Presentations</a></p>

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Supporting West Virginia Communities

OMEGA members play a vital role in West Virginia, supporting communities through substantial tax contributions and a wide-reaching presence across the state. With over 55% of the population living in border counties, our members are dedicated to serving both local and regional needs. Beyond business, we’re proud to give back, having contributed over $3.1 million to children’s charities since 2003, reflecting our commitment to making a positive difference.