Gen Z, and the Reinvention of Food Shopping: A Grocerant Guru® Perspective

 

Gen Z’s renewed pursuit of homeownership is not just reshaping housing markets—it is quietly but profoundly reprogramming how, where, and why they buy food. New findings from Big Chalk’s “The Kids Are Alright (Right?)” research confirm that younger consumers are embracing disciplined trade-offs across nearly every spending category. From a food-industry vantage point, this frugality is not retreat—it is redirection. And it is creating a fertile moment for grocery retailers, club stores, c-stores, and foodservice operators that understand the modern grocerant economy.

Nearly half of Gen Z renters now expect to buy a home within the next year, a meaningful jump from the prior year. That aspiration is driving behavior that looks conservative on the surface but is, in reality, highly strategic. Despite wage growth outpacing national averages and improved savings capacity, Gen Z is cutting expenses more aggressively than any other generation. Food spending—across restaurants, grocery, and prepared meals—is being scrutinized, optimized, and rebalanced, not abandoned.

Restaurants: Fewer Occasions, Higher Expectations

In the restaurant sector, Gen Z is reducing frequency, but not standards. Dining out is increasingly reserved for social moments, brand experiences, or limited-time offers that feel “worth it.” This cohort is trading down from casual dining to quick-service and fast-casual formats that deliver flavor, transparency, and perceived value. Portion-sharing, combo meals, and app-based offers resonate strongly, especially when they substitute for a higher-cost full-service experience.

The implication is clear: restaurants that position themselves as an affordable indulgence—rather than a habitual expense—remain relevant. Those that fail to communicate value risk being edited out of Gen Z’s weekly routine.

Grocery and the Deli: The New Center of the Plate

Where Gen Z is truly reallocating spend is inside the grocery store—particularly the fresh perimeter and the deli. As budgets tighten, grocery is not just replacing restaurants; it is absorbing restaurant behaviors.

Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat meals have become core solutions for Gen Z households seeking control over costs without sacrificing convenience or quality. Grocery delis that offer chef-inspired entrées, globally influenced flavors, protein-forward options, and clear price anchoring are effectively competing with restaurants for the dinner occasion. Mix-and-match meal bundles—entrée plus two sides, or dinner-for-two offers—deliver the psychological comfort of a “meal deal” while reinforcing value.

This is the grocerant thesis in action: groceries are no longer ingredients alone; they are solutions.

The Costco Effect and the Club Store Migration

One of the most consequential shifts highlighted by the data is Gen Z’s migration toward warehouse clubs, with Costco standing at the center of that movement. Costco’s appeal is not accidental—it aligns precisely with Gen Z’s financial mindset. Bulk pricing, private-label credibility, and a curated assortment reduce decision fatigue while maximizing perceived savings.

Critically, Costco has also elevated its fresh food and prepared meal game. Rotisserie chicken, ready-made entrées, family-size Heat-N-Eat meals, and seasonal limited offerings allow Gen Z shoppers to stretch dollars across multiple eating occasions. These items often function as meal foundations—buy once, eat twice—which is a powerful value proposition for savings-focused consumers.

That said, Gen Z is not exclusive to club stores. They are sophisticated channel surfers. Shelf-stable items and proteins may come from Costco, while fresh produce, deli meals, and targeted promotions are sourced from traditional grocers. This multi-store behavior reflects confidence, not confusion.

Convenience Stores: Small Baskets, Smart Choices

The c-store sector also benefits from Gen Z’s recalibration. While overall spend may be lower, trip frequency remains resilient. Fresh food-forward c-stores that emphasize single-serve meals, better-for-you snacks, and hot-and-ready items are capturing incremental occasions—especially breakfast, late night, and immediate consumption needs. Value is defined less by price alone and more by immediacy and utility.

Coupons, Deals, and the Optics of Value

Perhaps most counterintuitive is Gen Z’s strong engagement with paper coupons. Far from being a digital contradiction, this behavior signals intentionality. Coupons—whether paper or digital—are tangible proof of savings. For a generation focused on visible progress toward homeownership, that reinforcement matters.

Importantly, Gen Z is not uniquely deal-obsessed; they chase value at roughly the same rate as other generations. The difference is awareness. Retailers do not need Gen Z-specific promotions—they need Gen Z-specific communication. If the deal exists but isn’t seen, it doesn’t count.

What This Means for Food Retailers

Gen Z’s grocery behavior is not about deprivation; it is about precision. They are optimizing spend across restaurants, grocery, club, and convenience channels to support a long-term life goal. Food retailers that frame their offer as a tool for financial progress—not just consumption—will earn loyalty.

 

Three Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1.       Homeownership Is the New Diet: For Gen Z, saving for a home is reshaping food choices the way health and wellness once did—driving intentional trade-offs, planned indulgences, and disciplined routines.

2.       Meal Bundles Are the New Menu: Whether at Costco, the grocery deli, or a c-store, mix-and-match and Heat-N-Eat meal solutions are replacing traditional dining occasions and redefining value.

3.       Value Must Be Visible: Gen Z does not need different deals—they need clear, credible signals of savings. Retailers that make value obvious, simple, and repeatable will win share of stomach and share of wallet.

In short, Gen Z is not spending less on food—they are spending smarter. And the grocerant ecosystem is uniquely positioned to serve them where aspiration meets appetite.

Elevate Your Brand with Expert Insights

For corporate presentations, regional chain strategies, educational forums, or keynote speaking, Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®, delivers actionable insights that fuel success.

With deep experience in restaurant operations, brand positioning, and strategic consulting, Steven provides valuable takeaways that inspire and drive results.

💡 Visit GrocerantGuru.com or FoodserviceSolutions.US
📞 Call 1-253-759-7869

Metabolic Health Moves to Center Store: Why the Next Grocery Power Shift Is Already Underway

 

At FMI Midwinter in Chula Vista, California, one message cut through the noise: metabolic health is no longer a fringe wellness concept—it is rapidly becoming a core grocery growth platform. According to Kevin Ryan, CEO of Malachite Strategy and Research, metabolic health—accelerated by GLP-1 usage, AI agents, and personalized nutrition—is poised to rival protein, plant-based, and organic as a standalone retail category.

This shift is not speculative. It is structural.

Who Is Using—and Migrating to—Metabolically Healthy Food?

Metabolically healthy food adoption is being driven by four converging consumer cohorts, each with distinct motivations but overlapping purchasing behavior:

1.       GLP-1 and Weight-Management Consumers
The rapid adoption of GLP-1 medications has reshaped eating patterns. These consumers eat fewer calories, prioritize protein density, fiber, gut health, and blood-sugar stability, and avoid highly processed carbohydrates. Retailers are already seeing smaller baskets, higher price sensitivity per item, and greater scrutiny of ingredients.

2.       Aging Consumers Focused on Longevity
Consumers aged 45+ are migrating toward foods that support insulin sensitivity, inflammation reduction, muscle retention, and cognitive health. This group values transparency, functional benefits, and clinically supported claims over traditional “diet” positioning.

3.       Digitally Native Health Optimizers
Younger consumers using wearables, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), and health apps are actively personalizing food choices based on metabolic response. For them, food is data. What matters is how a product performs, not how it is marketed.

4.       Insurer-Influenced Shoppers
Health insurers and employers are increasingly nudging consumers toward metabolically supportive foods via wellness wallets, health credits, and restricted purchasing programs. This cohort shops where incentives are honored, accelerating the rise of closed retail ecosystems.

What Is Metabolically Healthy Food?

Metabolic health goes beyond calories, fat, or sodium. It is about how food interacts with the body’s systems over time.

Metabolically healthy foods typically share these attributes:

·       Low glycemic impact and blood-sugar stability

·       High protein quality and bioavailability

·       Meaningful fiber content, especially prebiotic fibers

·       Support for gut microbiome diversity

·       Minimal ultra-processing and additive load

·       Alignment with circadian rhythm and energy balance

This is why Ryan predicts a future where nutrition facts panels evolve into metabolic performance data, potentially supplemented by personalized scoring through AI agents. Apps like Yuka already signal this direction, using algorithmic assessments to rank foods by perceived health impact.

Why Metabolic Health Matters—By Channel

1. Convenience Stores: From Impulse to Intentional

C-stores have historically won on speed and indulgence. Metabolic health introduces a new profit lever: functional immediacy. Protein-forward snacks, low-sugar beverages, gut-friendly foods, and portion-controlled meals align perfectly with on-the-go consumers managing appetite, glucose, or medication side effects. The opportunity is not replacing indulgence—but layering function into speed.

2. Grocery Stores: The Next Category Reset

Metabolic health is positioned to become a destination category, much like organic or plant-based once did. As Ryan noted, dedicated metabolic sections—covering GLP-1 support, gut health, circadian nutrition, and blood-sugar control—could reshape store layouts. Retailers that integrate metabolic data, loyalty ecosystems, and personalized recommendations will control the gatekeepers: consumers’ AI agents.

3. Restaurants: Menu Engineering Meets Health Economics

Restaurants face shrinking portions and fewer visits from GLP-1 users—but also an opportunity. Menus designed around protein density, metabolic balance, and functional benefits can maintain relevance while commanding premium pricing. Transparency, ingredient sourcing, and personalization will increasingly influence where AI agents route dining decisions.

The Hidden Force: AI as the New Food Buyer

Ryan’s most disruptive insight may be this: retailers will increasingly sell to AI agents, not humans. With thousands of SKUs and overwhelming choice, consumers will delegate decisions to algorithmic gatekeepers trained on metabolic goals, preferences, and health data. Brands that fail to optimize for AI discovery—not just shelf placement—risk invisibility.

Four Grocerant Guru® Insights: Why the Trend Is Your Friend

1.       Metabolic Health Is a Margin Opportunity, Not a Cost Center
Consumers will pay more for foods that demonstrably “work.” Function beats flavor claims alone.

2.       Closed Ecosystems Will Decide Winners
Retailers that integrate loyalty, health data, and AI personalization will own the consumer relationship—and the basket.

3.       Food Is Becoming Preventive Medicine
As insurers and employers influence food choice, grocery and foodservice become part of the healthcare value chain.

4.       If You Are Not Optimized for AI, You Are Not Optimized at All
Shelf space matters less when algorithms decide what gets recommended. Data clarity, transparency, and performance metrics will define success.

Metabolic health is not a fad. It is a systems-level reset. And as always, when you understand the trend early, you turn disruption into advantage—because in food retail, the trend truly is your friend.

Success Leaves Clues—Are You Ready to Find Yours?

One key insight that continues to drive success is this: "The consumer is dynamic, not static." This principle is the foundation of our work at Foodservice Solutions®, where Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®, has been helping brands stay relevant in an ever-evolving market.

Want to strengthen your brand’s connection with today’s consumers? Let’s talk. Call 253-759-7869 for more information.

Stay Ahead of the Competition with Fresh Ideas

Is your food marketing keeping up with tomorrow’s trends—or stuck in yesterday’s playbook? If you're ready for fresh ideations that set your brand apart, we’re here to help.

At Foodservice Solutions®, we specialize in consumer-driven retail food strategies that enhance convenience, differentiation, and individualization—key factors in driving growth.

👉 Email us at Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us
👉 Connect with us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

A Small Change That Saves Time, Protects Margins, and Signals Hospitality

 

Delivery platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub have permanently altered the economics of foodservice. They drive incremental sales but extract a heavy toll—often 15–30% in commissions—at the same time operators face a shrinking labor pool and rising wage pressure. The modern restaurant reality is clear: doing more with fewer people is no longer optional. Efficiency is the currency of survival.

From the Grocerant Guru’s perspective, efficiency always comes back to one immutable truth: time saved is money saved. And one of the most overlooked time-savers in today’s restaurant environment sits right at the front door.

Automatic doors are no longer a “nice-to-have” amenity. They are an operational tool. In high-velocity foodservice environments where dine-in guests, takeout customers, and delivery drivers converge at peak moments, every second of friction matters. Automatic doors keep traffic flowing smoothly, reduce congestion, and eliminate the stop-start bottlenecks that waste labor minutes all day long.

As kitchens adopt automation and streamlined workflows, the entrance should not be the weak link. Automatic doors allow staff and customers to move in and out seamlessly—hands-free, hesitation-free, and without interrupting pace. In walk-through drive-thru formats now emerging in quick service restaurants, automatic doors replace the traditional window entirely, allowing team members to move directly from kitchen to vehicle with speed and safety.

There is also a brand dimension operators often underestimate. Dirty windows and hard-to-open doors silently repel customers. Consumers equate ease of entry with professionalism, cleanliness, and respect. Automatic doors reinforce a perception of modernity, hygiene, and care—particularly in a post-pandemic world where touchless experiences are no longer novel, but expected.

Accessibility further amplifies the value proposition. Expectations for low-effort, touch-free entry are already set across retail, healthcare, and public spaces. Restaurants that lag behind risk signaling indifference. According to research from the American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM), 98.9% of consumers who expressed a preference favored automatic doors, and respondents cited them as a clear indicator of how much a business cares about its guests.

That perception translates directly into traffic. Consumer research shows that 64% of diners would consider visiting a restaurant sooner if it installed automatic doors. In Grocerant Guru terms, that is reduced friction converting directly into demand.

In an era of compressed margins, rising expectations, and relentless competition, operators can no longer afford to dismiss “small” operational decisions. Automatic doors are not a cosmetic upgrade; they are a strategic investment in speed, accessibility, brand trust, and labor efficiency.

Grocerant Guru Insights Going Forward

1.       The front door is now part of the kitchen workflow. As labor becomes scarcer and delivery volumes grow, entrances must function like any other productivity tool—designed to reduce steps, seconds, and strain.

2.       Hospitality is increasingly interpreted visually and instantly. Clean, touch-free, easy entry sends a powerful signal before a menu is ever read. In today’s market, respect and convenience are competitive advantages that begin at the door.

Stay Ahead of the Competition with Fresh Ideas

Is your food marketing keeping up with tomorrow’s trends—or stuck in yesterday’s playbook? If you're ready for fresh ideations that set your brand apart, we’re here to help.

At Foodservice Solutions®, we specialize in consumer-driven retail food strategies that enhance convenience, differentiation, and individualization—key factors in driving growth.

👉 Email us at Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us
👉 Connect with us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

Feeding Readiness: How AAFES’ BE FIT 360 Program Advances Global Military Wellness in 2026

 

As wellness, nutrition, and performance continue to shape how Americans think about food in 2026, few organizations operate at the scale—or with the mission-critical responsibility—of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). Through its BE FIT 360 program, AAFES is not simply responding to New Year’s resolutions; it is embedding nutrition-forward food access into the daily lives of millions of service members, families, and retirees worldwide.

AAFES serves tens of millions of authorized shoppers annually across more than 2,500 Exchange facilities, operating on U.S. military installations in over 30 countries and U.S. territories. From large-format food courts and branded quick-service restaurants to Express convenience locations and 24/7 self-service markets, the Exchange functions as one of the most geographically diverse food retail and foodservice networks in the world.

BE FIT 360: Nutrition as a Force Multiplier

The BE FIT 360 program reflects a holistic view of wellness—one that recognizes food as fuel for readiness, resilience, and long-term health. Under this program, fresh, better-for-you options are available across all Exchange food formats, ensuring consistency whether a Warfighter is on a major stateside base, deployed overseas, or stationed in a remote location.

“Supporting nutrition and wellness for the military community is central to keeping the Nation’s Total Force ready,” said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Rich Martinez, senior enlisted advisor at the Exchange. That commitment is operationalized daily through menu engineering, product sourcing, and in-store guidance that makes healthier choices easier—not aspirational.

Better-for-You Choices, Built Into Everyday Brands

Rather than isolating wellness into niche concepts, AAFES integrates better-for-you options into familiar national brands trusted by military families:

·       Burger King at Exchange locations worldwide offers the Impossible Whopper, featuring a plant-based patty, alongside salads—meeting demand for flexitarian and plant-forward eating.

·       Qdoba Mexican Eats delivers customizable, hand-crafted meals with fresh vegetables and grilled proteins, supporting low-carb, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-friendly, high-protein, and calorie-conscious lifestyles.

·       Charleys provides multiple menu items at 300 calories or fewer, including grilled chicken, steak, and garden salads, with smaller cheesesteak portions under 500 calories.

·       Exchange-exclusive Arby’s locations feature meal options under 500 calories, including sliders and the Classic Roast Beef sandwich paired with a side salad.

This approach allows AAFES to scale wellness without sacrificing familiarity, speed, or value—critical factors for high-velocity military environments.

Healthier Choices, Wherever Duty Calls

For on-the-go needs, BE FIT 360-approved items are clearly identified with Healthier Choices, Healthier Lifestyle shelf tags at approximately 350 Express locations worldwide. Fresh fruit, yogurt, trail mix, veggie chips, and balanced snack options support energy and satiety throughout demanding schedules.

Recognizing that access varies by assignment, AAFES has also expanded 24/7 self-service markets, ensuring that service members without proximity to full restaurants still have access to fresh salads, sandwiches, fruit, and prepared meals—anytime, day or night.

A Retailer With a Mission, Not Just a Margin

Founded in 1895, AAFES is among the largest retailers in the United States, yet operates under a unique model: 100 percent of earnings are reinvested into military communities, funding quality-of-life programs and services. As a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense, the Exchange blends commercial foodservice execution with public service responsibility at global scale.

From commissary-adjacent Express stores to overseas food courts, AAFES foodservice does more than feed people—it sustains morale, readiness, and family life across continents.

 

Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1.       AAFES proves that wellness scales when it is integrated, not isolated. Embedding better-for-you choices into mainstream brands accelerates adoption far faster than standalone “healthy” concepts.

2.       Foodservice is readiness infrastructure. BE FIT 360 positions nutrition as a performance asset, reinforcing that what Warfighters eat directly impacts resilience and operational effectiveness.

3.       Global consistency with local flexibility is the Exchange’s competitive advantage. AAFES delivers a standardized wellness framework while adapting to diverse locations, duty cycles, and access constraints worldwide.

4.       AAFES is a blueprint for mission-driven food retail. By aligning food, value, and reinvestment into communities, the Exchange demonstrates how large-scale foodservice can drive both health outcomes and social return.

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit www.GrocerantGuru.com , www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or call    1-253-759-7869