my ideas for whole foods market
TRANSCRIPT
“We are con*nuing to ask the ques*on: ‘What do our customers value, and how can we differen5ate ourselves?’” John Mackey, at the University of Texas at Aus*n VIP Dis*nguished Speaker Series, March 24, 2011 (My Senior Year of High School)
guy vempa5 [email protected]
To get a beSer idea of what students at the University of Texas at Aus*n value when it comes to grocery shopping, I conducted a survey.
I received 113 student responses and spoke further with 24 par*cipants.
73% of surveyed students visit Whole Foods Market
no more than once a month
*39% of surveyed students visit less than once a month 34% of surveyed students visit once a month
“I like to switch up where I go for healthy ea*ng op*ons. I like grocery shopping at Central Market, picking up quick lunches that I can take to campus from My Fit Foods, and ea*ng meals from the Whole Foods salad and juice bars. If one of these op5ons had a loyalty program, I would be willing to switch to that op5on for the majority of my needs.” – Chris*e Nguyen, Senior
“When I am thinking about where to go for dinner nearby, I find myself choosing Mama Fu’s over other restaurants because, I’ll get enough points on my Funa*cs card to get a free dinner. Even if it takes five or ten meals to get a free one, the fact that I am making progress puts them over comparable dinner op*ons.” – Liam Wooley-‐MacMath, Sophomore
Idea #1: Introduce loyalty program
Offer an electronic punch card app for the Juice Bar, Pizzeria, Sandwich Bar, ready-‐to-‐eat meals, etc. (ex: A free smoothie for every 10 smoothies purchased at the Juice Bar)
When asked, “What do you think would bring you into
Whole Foods Market more oOen?”
75% of students men*oned lower prices
When I told a par*cipant about current Whole Foods Market TwiSer Flash Deals she replied, “Oh, for real? I should start following them [on TwiSer]. I had no idea that was a thing. Do they adver*se that on Facebook?” – Shelby Wilson, Senior
Idea #2: Offer Student-‐Exclusive Flash Deals
Offer weekly Flash Deals on staple student items to be redeemed with presenta*on of Student ID at register Adver*se deals via Pinterest or Facebook Avoid placing promo*onal offers in the middle of the week, when students are less likely to go off campus to shop
Top 10 Staple Items men*oned when asking students about their shopping basket
68% of students listed MILK 60% of students listed EGGS 55% of students listed FRUITS (general) 42% of students listed BREAD 41% of students listed VEGETABLES (general) 29% of students listed CHEESE 28% of students listed YOGURT 27% of students listed LUNCH MEAT/POULTRY 26% of students listed CEREAL 25% of students listed GRANOLA/HEALTH BARS
*Milk category includes milk subs*tutes such as soy, almond, and coconut milks
Addi*onally when asked, “What do you think would bring you into
Whole Foods Market more oOen?”
21% of students men*oned closer loca5on
“If there were a Whole Foods next to campus (I aSend the University of Texas at Aus*n). I cannot get to the closest loca5on unless I am with friends who have a car.” “Proximity. If I lived closer or had a car I would be there all the *me.” “If there was a loca*on closer to campus (it takes too much *me to drive down to 6th st.) Maybe a mini store near campus with prepackaged dinners?”
Idea #3: Stock ready-‐to-‐go meals in on-‐campus stores
Stock pre-‐made sandwiches, wraps, and sushi in on-‐campus stores (perfect for late night study snacks)
“There aren’t very many healthy op5ons on campus for people watching their diet. The majority of food here is preSy expensive anyway, and the cheapest foods are usually greasy and unhealthy. I definitely think that students—and freshmen especially– would be willing to pay more for healthy, convenient op5ons on campus.” – Jason Jung, Freshman
When asked, “Does your apartment/housing complex allow
you the op5on of recycling?”
37% of students replied saying, “No, but I would par5cipate if they did.”
Idea #4: Expand recycling program
Expand Gimme 5 Recycling program to include acceptance of small items such as egg crates, cereal boxes, 365 product packaging, and other easily recyclable materials Launch points system for bringing in reusable materials (ex: 1 point per recycled egg crate) Use accumulated points to offer free sample of new products (ex: 25 points for a free granola bar)
“I like all the random, new stuff I find whenever I go. Last week, I went in specifically for plums and beef jerky and I leo with a new kind of cereal and some locally-‐made soap. I love to try new products, and it is a big reason why I visit Whole Foods.” – Jenna Jaco, Junior
RECAP 1: Introduce loyalty program to increase customer loyalty
2: Offer Student-‐Exclusive Flash Deals to improve price percep*on of WFM
3: Stock ready-‐to-‐go meals in on-‐campus stores to help make healthy food accessible to students
4: Expand recycling program to help customers feel good about shopping at Whole Foods and provide incen*ve to come in
Who Am I? My name is Guy Vempa5, and I want to work at Whole Foods Market. I have been a WFM customer for much of my life, but it was when John Mackey spoke at my school about Conscious Capitalism that my ears really perked up. I am passionate about health and wellness as well as retail culture, but I am also concerned about the health of our planet, from both a local and global point of view. Researching customer insights and analyzing data to create solu*ons is what I love to do, but I am excited for any type of project and I am always eager to learn more. If given the opportunity to work at Whole Foods, I am confident that I can contribute greatly to the success of this team.
Contact info: vempa*[email protected] (currently studying abroad and unavailable by phone)