Much
of the retail revolution concentrates on the influence of digital connections
but the shift in the role of food is forcing many retail planners to reassess
their food offer and adjust their product mix to suit social connections as
well.
As
traditional bricks'n'mortar retailers either succumb to new retailing
expectations or adjust their footprint (usually down-sizing) the gap is being
filled by food operators. And this is not just retail managers seeking to fill
gaps in their tenancy list - it is demand driven. As one QVM trader lamented
this week -"Shoppers who used to buy an item of clothing or a fashion
accessory off me are now spending their spare cash on casual food". Casual
food is more likely to be the coffee & croissant type event rather than
traditional fast food and it has a strong social element.
The
strength of food is hardly hidden as cafe & restaurant categories
consistently show growth in retail sales while other categories falter. Our own
Night Market is a successful retail operation with a very strong food bias. It
is about getting out, socialising, and having fun. And many retail planners
have decided it is an essential element of any shopping destination.
The
UK's Intu Properties group owns some of the UK's biggest and best shopping
centres and it has worked out that getting customers to dwell just one extra
minute in their centres can add over A$100m to annual sales. Food is important
in achieving that extra dwell time - “Shopping
centres are no longer just big shopping areas with a food court attached — it’s an all-singing-and-dancing destination with shops,
restaurants, activities and events. Shopping hours have also changed and
consumers act differently".
Intu has seen strong growth in their food outlets over the last few years growing
from 340 to over 3,000.
Getting customers to dwell in the top end of QVM could have benefits for all its traders. We are not a shopping centre but like every retail outlet on the globe we are experiencing the massive shift in consumer attitudes and practices. And the casual food offer is undeniably an important ingredient. Creating a viable food court in the top end will likely add to the attractiveness of the destination for consumers and increase their dwell time (and spending). Customers often complain about having to walk up endless aisles to do their shopping in the top end which is why creating a dwell space to break up their trip makes so much sense.
A
number of traders have talked about the difficulties of weather exposure for a
Food Court at the top end of E/F Sheds, but we are an open air market, and if
the following paragraph from the website of architectural firm, i2C, is a guide, then it could be to our advantage - "Gone are the days of
just grabbing a burger and some chips as you rush through the retail precinct.
People expect more than just a food court hidden somewhere within the mall with
cramped seating and the smell of grease. They want somewhere to meet with
friends, take a break, re-energise and maybe get their kids out of their hair
while they enjoy a gourmet sandwich and a coffee. Food precincts offer the
unique experience of quick, convenient and casual dining with quality design,
fresh air, sunshine and a relaxing environment— a little oasis ......."
