Technomic Expands Tracking Tool to Retail Foodservice

CHICAGO – Technomic Inc. expanded its Consumer Brand Metrics (CBM) online restaurant brand tracking tool to include ongoing consumer assessments and performance ratings for more than 40 retail chain brands, including convenience store chains. This will allow foodservice operators and suppliers to increase their understanding of consumers' needs, behaviors and attitudes regardless of channel, according to the research firm.

"The CBM expansion empowers operators and suppliers with the consumer insights and information they need to track brand performance across channels and to maintain a competitive advantage," stated Technomic's Executive Vice President Darren Tristano. "No other program provides the breadth of attributes tracked across both restaurant and retail channels."

CBM users can now compare consumers' evaluations of restaurants and retailers on specific attributes such as food quality, service, atmosphere and brand value based on their most recent visit to the chain. For example, 96 percent of QuickChek and Wawa customers rate beverage quality as "good" or "very good," on par with the number of customers who give leading outlets Jamba Juice (98 percent) and Caribou Coffee (95 percent) the same quality ratings.

Users also have the option to build a cross-channel competitive set from the consumer's point of view to learn which restaurants and retailers consumers consider as alternatives to one another. Twenty-five percent recent of Whole Foods Market customers stated they would have otherwise visited a restaurant such as Panera Bread or Chili's, according to Technomic.

Data provided by CBM can also be used more broadly to identify what is most important to consumers at different types of restaurants and retailers, such as the availability of natural and organic prepared foods at traditional supermarkets.

The CBM online database includes information for more than 125 leading restaurant chains and 40 retailers. Brands can also analyze their results by region, demographic group or designated market area.