AGA Digital Magazine

Pop Up Grocer in NYC. Photo by Heidis Bridge

Pop Up Grocer in NYC. Photo by Heidis Bridge

“pop up grocer was born from the desire to create that ideal physical environment.” ◀ Continued from page 31

3. How eye-catching is the packaging? Pop Up Grocer believes people shop with their eyes, so the appearance needs to captivate. The goal of having these criteria in place is simple: to enhance the relationship with the items shoppers can discover. Most brands Pop Up Grocer selects come from brand partners and community referrals. Even with referrals, adhering to the three criteria and running a new business during the era of the coronavirus has not been without challenges. “We had to adjust timing. All our in-store operations were masked, and we developed sanitation practices and limited the store’s occupancy to six to eight guests at a time,” says Schildt. Attending events has generally come to a halt in pandemic-times, so this grocery- meets-event provides an experience that brings joy and excitement to shoppers in a safe and exciting way. And it’s doing so at a time when shopping and eating habits are changing in response to the pandemic.

With this structure, Pop Up Grocer falls in the center of the Venn diagram between e-commerce and traditional brick-and- mortar retail. The company entices customers with cache food, beverage, home, pet, and body care products that aren’t widely available in the market. And the allure of the newest trend excites consumers. “We also offer factors missing from the e-commerce experience,” says Schildt. “Once on-site, shoppers have the education, humanity and interactions that are missing from online-only retailers.” take a look Although many brands solicit Pop Up Grocer for a spot on its shelves, the company is committed to only curating items that meet three criteria. 1. Is the product interesting, innovative and creative? Is the brand introducing something different, novel and intriguing? Is the brand sustainable? 2. For food products, how high-quality are the ingredients? Is the company using responsible sourcing?

Comparatively, in a traditional retail model, the brands would pay a host of fees to retailers, including slotting fees, broker fees and marketing fees. Plus, brands would also endure additional costs from the intermediaries, costs they can forgo with the Pop Up Grocer model. “We provide an efficient and direct path to market for modern brands,” says Schildt. “For smaller companies, it can be challenging and costly to get shelf space. Pop Up Grocer provides exposure to thousands of consumers, members of the media, buyers and influences. Getting a modern brand’s products in front of those meaningful individuals is critical.” This type of direct-to-consumer model is not revolutionary, but it has gained traction in recent years with breakout retailers like Beta, Showfield, Naked Retail and Neighborhood Goods. Schildt says she hasn’t seen any direct competition yet in the grocery space, but recognizes the model is growing across industries. In the model, brands are charged for only a fraction of the overall square footage compared to having a full-sized store and participate in what amounts to a revenue-sharing model.

| ALABAMA GROCER 32