Supermarket shoppers – especially the coveted millennials – have specific desires when it comes to perimeter products. They want appetizing foods that are fresh, clean and convenient, and they want to know exactly what’s in the products. Vague ingredient labels that don’t list every single ingredient are no longer acceptable. Shoppers want ingredient labels that are current, specific and accurate – right down to the sodium content. They want date labels that tell the story of fresh.

Supermarket shoppers want to know that, in this age of busyness, when not everyone has the time or desire to cook, they can find fresh, convenient foods that they can be proud to eat and serve to the ones they love. 

Perishables departments contribute up to 30% of total store sales, according to Nielsen data, and basket sizes are up to two times larger when they include fresh food items. If stores can meet shopper demands while maximizing product life, there’s a stronger chance of protecting perimeter profits.

The proof is in the label.

Among the fastest growing categories in supermarket sales are deli, dairy and fresh bakery. These perimeter categories offer the opportunity for grocery retailers to stand out with products that are unique to their brand and meet consumer demand for fresh, clean and convenient food that looks and tastes good. This is where foods that are effectively labeled with detailed ingredient information truly stand out.

In a recent survey of supermarket shoppers, one-fourth of respondents said they value more nutrition information, greater portion variety and more emphasis on healthy ingredients. For grocery stores seeking to improve the presentation and quality of fresh offerings while giving shoppers good reason to place their confidence in their products, labels become vital.

A good fresh food label tells the complete story of a product. What is this product? What, exactly, are the ingredients? Where and when was it made? Can I trust this information?

A system that makes accurate labels easy.

DayMark Safety Systems has a proven winner in its popular MenuPilot™ application and MenuCommand™ web portal dashboard. Kitchens in many different environments, including supermarket perimeter departments, are using the system to manage recipes, train staff and produce labels while reducing costs and presenting more appealing product.

“Our customers especially value the easy menu update feature of MenuCommand with updates securely and efficiently pulled in via the cloud to the MenuPilot app at the store level,” says Jill Carte, Director of Product Development at DayMark. “This includes real-time changes that can be communicated to staff at all locations via a sync operation in the app.”

DayMark’s leading edge kitchen automation app utilizes a robust database of ingredients to quickly build and manage recipes and menu data. The MenuCommand dashboard at the corporate level seamlessly integrates with MenuPilot in the kitchen, providing expanded menu management capabilities.

Carte says that DayMark has streamlined training and ramp-up. “There’s no need for time-consuming file conversions, recipe card file reformatting or large storage requirements,” she explains. “Our customers can upload video and recipe data at a central location and automatically share it with all connected locations. It’s simple to use.”

The user-friendly MenuCommand dashboard provides a comprehensive overview, including announcements, account metrics, detailed analytics, and number of users currently using the platform.

“Customer reaction to our MenuPilot application and streamlined single-screen management of menu data via the MenuCommand web portal has been overwhelmingly positive,” explains Carte. “That’s because it’s such a reliable, user-friendly way to reduce dependence on hardware and increase performance.” DayMark’s customers who are successfully using MenuPilot and MenuCommand include over ten thousand national and international restaurant chains, convenience stores and other food service operations.

Cost effective printer and label options help tell the fresh product story.

The Bluetooth-enabled Matt85™ label printer, available as part of a complete automated food labeling program, allows users to print labels wirelessly using the MenuPilot app and the available Matt85 Android tablet.

“We’re excited about the Matt85 printer,” Carte says. “It’s a premium direct thermal printer at a cost just over $400 and it needs no repairs, so it pays for itself quickly while providing anytime, anywhere printing.”

DayMark Matt85 label options include dissolvable labels, unique die-cut shapes, wet compatibility and removable versions in widths up to four inches.

Kitchen automation helps protect perimeter profits.

DayMark Safety Systems is proving that advanced automation can be a powerful tool that helps reduce costs while improving perimeter product identification, safety, and sales volume. Meeting the demands of today’s supermarket shopper for fresh, clean, convenient foods requires fast, accurate labeling capabilities. Having that capability can go a long way toward protecting perimeter profits.

Article originally appeared on the Supermarket Perimeter website.