Content sponsored by: Alto-Shaam
About this case study: Fox Bros. Piggly Wiggly is an independently owned and operated franchised grocery store established by Pat and Bob Fox in 1988. The franchisee of Piggly Wiggly Midwest, the corporate entity of Piggly Wiggly stores in Wisconsin and northern Illinois, purchased the Oconomowoc, Wis., location in 1997. Seven years later, the store relocated to a 50,000-square-foot building across the street.
Today’s supermarkets are focused on expanding foodservice opportunities, and the right equipment can make a program successful with a fast return on investment and increased sales. One Wisconsin grocery store found a solution to its rotisserie chicken merchandising needs and increased its sales by 8-10% by partnering with Alto-Shaam in the development of its new heated shelf merchandiser.
Fox Bros. Piggly Wiggly is well-known for its foodservice offerings, which include not only homemade bratwurst, summer sausage, and beef stick products made fresh daily at the Oconomowoc location, but also its rotisserie chicken and abundant sides.
Unfortunately, with just a small shelving area at the bottom of its rotisserie equipment, the store was limited in its merchandising options for these popular products.
Looking to remedy this issue and bring more attention to its prepared food items, the store agreed to become part of a pilot program to test out Alto-Shaam’s new heated shelf merchandiser (HSM) line.
“We were looking for a larger rotisserie chicken merchandiser, since ours was unable to accommodate the 60 to 80 birds we sell each day,” says Emily Peterson, Fox Bros. Piggly Wiggly’s deli manager. “The folks at Alto-Shaam asked if we wanted an upgrade as part of a pilot program to test the equipment, and we agreed.”
Designed to accommodate retail grab-and-go chickens, sandwiches and hot pizzas, Alto-Shaam’s HSM unit has individually controlled heated shelves, LED lights and customizable branding capabilities designed to draw attention to the food.
Fox Bros. Piggly Wiggly’s unit, which also accommodates side dishes, features a Grab & Go sign as a destination for a complete, ready-to-eat meal.
“The HSM has definitely helped bring more attention to our chicken display, and especially the meal options, since customers can grab all the components at one time and not stand in line,” says Peterson.
LED lights and lighted shelves on both the countertop and floor models provide added visibility, while the Halo Heat® technology ensures even heating and allows for extended holding times, since no forced air is used. The aesthetic design of Alto-Shaam’s HSM, which includes side glass for an open view and a fully-skirted panel to hide casters, compliments any space.
Because the unit has increased both the visibility and sales of Fox Bros. Piggly Wiggly’s prepared food, a second HSM was added in the front of the store to capitalize on impulse purchases.
“Since implementing the HSM, we’re seeing an 8 to 10% increase in our rotisserie chicken sales volume,” says Peterson. “We’ve also expanded its use to include meat loaf, ribs, and mashed and red potatoes. It has a bright, wonderful visual presentation and graphics that have made it a real asset in our store.”
Alto-Shaam is introducing its heated shelf merchandiser at NAFEM 2017 at booth #2200. To download brochures, specification sheets, manuals and other resources, visit https://www.alto-shaam.com/en/products/merchandisers-display-cases.
