Sutti's Pantry

IT'S ABOUT COLOR

2009-11-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Color turns me on. Spaces can be made to seem even more dimensional with color. Architectural elements can be emphasized. I avoid using white. White is boring. Admittedly, reaction to color is an individual thing. But since I am writing this blog my opinion is the right one...the best one.

For almost 20 years I have been designing the "skin" of supermarkets in the greater San Francisco Bay area. Since we are a design/build firm I work with architects and construction people. They design and build the "bones" of a building and I design the "skin"...the part that people see.

The longer I am in this business I find that I avoid the use of white as much as possible. It is frustrating that in food prep areas health departments require the walls and ceiling to have a 70% light reflectance value. This is a challenge and sometimes, I admit, I do see how much I can get away with.

Contrary to common belief, dark colors do not make a space feel smaller. Light colors advance and dark colors receed. Lighter colors come at you. Darker colors retreat into shadow...you are not quite sure where the color plane is.

Since we mainly do supermarkets I like to have the product in the refrigerated cases be the show. I like to have the color of the outside of the case be very similar in color or value to the surrounding walls. (Value is lightness or darkness.) Having a black interior in refrigerated cases also helps the merchandise to "pop" out and be more prominent.

Manipulating the mind with the use of color is not a conscious thing I do. My work is intuitive. It is interesting to hear that colors have different effects on the behaviour or mood of people (customers). I do know that blue is not a food color. There is only one store in my 20 year career where blue has been a prominent color. The client wanted it and has been very happy with it in two of his stores. Go figure.

Generally, I use warm earthy colors. I sometimes create variations by either using a monochromatic (several tones and shades of one color) schemes. Other times I add bright accent colors. I particularly enjoy working with clients that want to be courageous with the use of color.

I look forward to receiving your comments about color. You could call me, Steve Olsen, at 650-343-4244. By the way I work for Sutti Associates in Burlingame, California.

BIG ENERGY SAVINGS WITH LED LIGHTING

2009-10-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

In this instance "going green" will not cost you more money. In fact, right away you will start saving up to 63% in the energy costs of running your cases if you retrofit your reach-in frozen food cases with these terrific LED lights. Imagine, you can be environmentally responsible, save energy and improve the appearance of your store displays by "going green". PG&E will even give you a rebate after you install these LED light strips.

"LED" is an acronym for Light Emitting Diode which is a semiconductor device which converts electricity into light. (It's actually magic.) LEDs are better at placing light in a single direction than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. LEDs emit no heat from the front and very little heat out the back. LEDs emit no undesirable UV rays.

You really should retrofit your frozen reach-in cases. LED lights provide an even illumination on products while the light source is totally concealed from shoppers. You will have no visible bare bulbs that cause glare and distract the shopper's eye from the product as happens now with fluorescent lights. And the quality of the light (CRI) is warmer and makes the product look better.

LEDs last for about 50,000 hours. In other words, if these lights are on for 15 hours a day seven days a week they will last nine years. Your compressor will even use 8% less energy because LED lights put less heat into the case.

I could go on and on and I will a bit. LEDs have no glass parts and no mercury. (Think of landfill.) Glare is eliminated off glass and floors. The light stays on the product and is not on the aisle and floor.

LEDs can be installed in all new Hussmann display cases. This is also an excellent retrofit opportunity for the cases you already have--Hussmann or non-Hussmann reach-in cases.

I, Steve Olsen, work with Bob Shaw and Don Dotson at Sutti Associates and believe you should call one of them to make an appointment to come by your store to discuss the details. They can be reached at 650-343-4244. Call today!

QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING SHOPPERS

2009-10-08T08:39:00.001-07:00

When was the last time you asked your customers if you are stocking what they want? Do you really know where your customers are shopping when they are not shopping at your store? Why do they shope at other stores? When was the last time you asked them and not answered the question with your own suppositions? Perhaps you have never asked your customers these questions in a formal and ongoing way. It pays to listen to "Mrs. Jones".

A question you should be asking yourself is, "How can I provide my customers with the products they want so they do not shop at other stores?" The most efficient and best way to increase your bottom line is to get your existing customers to spend more at your store. Cutting new shoppers at your store is very expensive and is a slow process. (You may have already tapped out your retail area anyway). It is better to work with customers that already know you and are coming to your store.

Prepare a questionnaire and pass it out to your customers. Have a box for a place to return the questionnaires. Keep the form short but ask questions about shopping habits and what your customers would like changed in your store. Many people will say "lower prices" but others will give you valuable information if you do not ask leading questions that prompt the response you want to get.

The company I work for can help you design a questionnaire and intrepret the findings you get from your customers. And with our collective knowledge about equipment and fixtures we can create more sales area space without construction costs to physicaolly enlarge your store. This will mean more products for your existing customers to buy and enjoy. And this means more sales and profits for you. A dream cone true, right?

Remember, it is all about having the product selection "Mrs. Jones" wants so she does not go someplace else to get it. And quality of the product plays a role here too. Get out and see what other grocery stores are doing. Even get out of your area. In the San Francisco Bay Area visit the two Mollie Stone's Markets in San Francisco, Piazza's Fine Foods in Palo Alto and San Mateo. Woodlands Market in Kentfield, Andronico's Market in San Francisco and Mill Valley Market in Mill Valley. Whole Foods Markets are always inspiring.

Give me, Steve Olsen, a call at 650-343-4244 with your questions and comments. We can help you achieve your grocery sales dreams. Really! Visit our website www.suttiassoc.com.

GROCERY GURU

2009-10-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

You have felt his influence even though you probably don't know him. If you have shopped for groceries over the last 40 years in the greater San Francisco Bay Area you have, most likely, experienced the work of John Sutti. He is the bounder and chairman of Sutti Associates.

Sutti Associates is a design firm for grocery retailers, restaurants, delicatessens and other types of retail establishments. We are a one-stop shop for design, strategy, construction and product development. With our new president, Larry Brucia, our company has developed further to include the sourcing and installation of equipment and developing private-label food products and specialized food programs.

"I believe the way to grow your retail business is to get your customers to spend more of their money in your store. How do you do that? "Ask them," Sutti said. "What we do is take the time to listen to our clients' clients".

If you are a retailer or, in particular, a grocer and want an edge give is a call. If you follow our plan on an ongoing basis you will become even more profitable than you already are. We can give you lots of testimonials and success stories.

John Sutti and our team are always coming up with innovations. "We fells innovation is the lifeblood of what we do. We bring new ideas and concepts to retail," Brucia said. "That's what brings us new customers."

Got you curious? Give me, Steve Olsen, a call. I'll tell you more about John Sutti and Larry Brucia and how they can help breathe new life into your business so you can take more money to the bank. 650-344-4244

SEXY STORE SHELVING

2009-08-31T12:57:00.001-07:00

Grocery store shelving is the topic for today. There are two basic types: solid metal shelves and wire shelves. Wire shelving is much sexier and it has other appealing features. Metro is the brand/manufacturer of this wire shelving which will remind you of a stylish baker's rack.

Metro's standard four foot wide wire shelving is an inch of two shallower than standard solid metal shelving systems. When many lengths of wire shelving units are placed back-to-back over the width of a store often enough total inches are gained (or saved over using solid metal shelves) so that an extra row of shelving can be installed. Imagine that. Think of the additional product that could be on the floor for customers to buy. More selection. More product. More dollars for the grocery store owner.

With the influence of my company Metro has created wire shelving with a bowed or bumped-out front. This was a good idea because four foot wide feature spots can be created with he radius or bowed front which bumps out from the straight or flat shelving units in the line up.

Of course the shelves are adjustable and the metal comes in different colors which appeals to me as a designer.

Let me know your experience with wire shelving. Contact me, Steve Olsen, at Sutti Associates. 650-343-4244. Or call Christy at our office for serious questions about Metro shelving.

INS & OUTS OF COLD CASES

2009-08-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

How excited can you get about refrigerated cases? Well, I'm pretty excited to tell you that some refrigerated cases for supermarkets look different these days. Hussmann cases can either "bump out", "tuck under" or be wood clad like furniture. They do not always need to be the straight line types. As an interior designer of supermarkets this is exciting.

With the "bump outs" the long, often boring, line-up of refrigerated cases can be broken up. This break can make the line up more interesting and even be further emphasized by painting this case a contrasting color...and the merchandise can be different in this case. Think cross merchandising. These refrigerated "bump outs" can be placed in unexpected places like the frozen food aisle for example. Hussmann identifies these "bump out" cases as their RGDC model. They call it a Refrigerated Curved Self-Service Merchandiser.

And if you are into refrigerated cases for supermarkets another relatively exciting case is the FMSS case from Hussmann. This low, self-service case can be installed in front of the base of your existing service cases. This makes an otherwise dead space into a money-maker for cross merchandising.

But if you want to replace your existing refrigerated service case you could upgrade to a very cool, cool case from Hussmann. This one has the unusual feature of being a combination service AND self-service case. It is the CR3 and is great for cross merchandising.

The new LifeLine Premier Series offers wood cladding which really warms up the frozen food aisle. Design options include multiple heights, "bump outs" and facades to interrupt the traditional straight lines and planes and add interest to an otherwise cold, dull aisle. Check it out.

If you want to share your thoughts on Hussmann cases we would love to hear from you. You could also talk to the head of the equipment division at Sutti Associates, Bob Shaw. 650-343-4244 We are an authorized Hussmann Distributor for the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.

IS YOUR SHOPPING CART CLEAN?

2009-08-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

Where has your shopping cart been? When was it cleaned last? Have you ever imagined what has happened to it before you touched it? Teething babies? Leaky diapers? Bird droppings? Hands from the unwashed masses? Pretty gross!. Think of the food soil, viruses and bacterial colonization. Uck!

There is an answer to this horror. It is a dishwasher for shopping carts. So, actually, it is a cartwasher with 42 angled sprayers. Supermarkets and other retailers with shopping carts can protect the health and ease the minds of their customers by installing the Clean Cart System. And think of the PR and marketing that could be done.

In the greater San Francisco Bay Area customers are relieved to be using washed shopping carts at Sonoma Market, Whole Foods Berkeley, Draeger's Market Blackhawk, Target Colma and Piazza's Fine Foods San Mateo.

This small and growing company near San Francisco has designed a stainless steel box that washes one cart at a time and uses biodegradable soap from PLanet. Clean Cart was mentioned in the Oalkand Tribine newspaper and on KTVU news.

We would like to hear your stories about dirty shopping carts. Or you can call the Fanourgiakis brothers at Clean Cart. 650-624-8504

ZUMMO JUICER--TRADE SHOW HIT

2009-08-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

Providing a fun way of squeezing juice, the Zummo juicer was a big hit at the Tony's Fine Food Show in July at the Arco Areno in Sacramento, California. The juicer drew such big crowds that our demo team quickly ran through eight boxes of oranges. We had to make a run to a local supermarket to buy four more boxes. After another hour of demos this supply was also gone.

People were fascinated by the movement in this highly innovative juice squeezing system for citrus and even pomegranates. With all its complex automation it has a simple one-button operation and is quietly efficient. Amazingly, no rinds or oils contaminate the juice.

Many attendees to the show saw the appeal this juicer would have to customers at supermarket delicatessens and bars in restaurants. If you were at the Tony's Show and saw our booth or have had experience with a Zummo juicer we invite your comments.

We are lucky to be the authorized distributor for Zummo in Northern California. For a demonstration contact Cherise at Sutti Associates. 650-343-4244