As we approach the last of the summer holidays, co-ops have an opportunity to bid farewell to the season on a strong note by focusing on barbecuing and alcoholic beverages. After the last year and a half, people are eager to get out and congregate with friends and family. Given this, Labor Day may be a bigger event than in past years. According to Numerator (an omni-channel intelligence company) more than 70% of Americans anticipate celebrating Labor Day this year in some way or another.
Labor Day weekend historically has the second highest sales of fresh ground beef for the entire calendar year. In addition to ground beef, shoppers are showing more interest in beef and pork cuts, as well as seafood, up 9.2% and 15.6%, respectively, year to date according to SPINS. Burgers and steaks aren’t the only grilling option or opportunity, though.
Plant-based meat as a category has grown tremendously over the past few years as the variety and the quality of products has improved. A number of refrigerated plant-based proteins are available through Core Sets, and there are some great options to promote over the holiday within this assortment.
Look for ways to cross-merchandise, too — think about backyard grilling or picnics in the park. Condiments, buns, chips and charcoal all are natural complements to the holiday staples, and often can be sold at full margin.
Don’t forget the beer! Specifically, don’t forget about craft cocktails and hard seltzer. When it comes to Labor Day, beer sales overall are trending up 4.4% since last year, but craft cocktails are up 121%, while craft beer is up 5.6%. Looking at beer as a category in general, the trend is positive and in favor of craft offerings, indicating a preference for quality and originality over value and volume.
Nearly 40% of alcohol sales at co-ops still come from craft beer, but since restaurant closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have begun turning their attention toward at-home, bar-quality premade cocktails. This interest is especially evident at co-ops, where year-to-date growth outpaces the natural channel by almost 40%! While the volume of beer sales still leans heavily towards craft beer, take care to curate a rotating selection of offerings that includes craft cocktails and seltzers alongside your local and regional ales, pilsners and IPAs.
While shoppers are in the co-op with their Labor Day list in hand, be sure to cross-sell your barbecue-ready ground beef and stoneground mustard. Pair locally raised meats and plant-based burgers with six-packs from a local brewer. And remember, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel for Labor Day — you can also revisit the promotions and cross-merchandising that worked well at Memorial Day and Fourth of July.
