The Importance of Quality Showcase Lighting in a Grocery Store

For more information on Promolux lighting for grocery stores or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

If a grocery store showcase is dark and shadowy, the purpose of the display is defeated. Lighting manufacturers have options to help bring any food display case to life so that products are illuminated appropriately. Using the right showcase lighting can make a difference in presenting produce well.

Display case lighting

One of the most important sections of a grocery story is its meat display case. Selecting fluorescent bulbs may result in premature spoilage and alteration in smell, flavor, and color of the meat. Try using Promolux lighting for the best results in your grocery store showcase lighting. Certain products are extremely sensitive to the effects of light and may look less appetizing if the correct lighting solutions are not chosen. Use bulbs that are designed for true color definition and have a balanced visible spectrum.

Fruit and vegetable lighting

It can be difficult to please choosy customers that are selecting fruits and vegetables. Using display case lighting that attracts customers will help promote sales and reveal the true colors of the produce. Be especially conscientious in choosing lighting for organic items, as these products often look different from those that have had preservatives and sprays applied. Reduce product dehydration and shrinkage by selecting light that will not damage or cause products to prematurely spoil. Balanced spectrum lamps can promote extended shelf life for fruits and vegetables while showing off their true colors. Check that your lighting selections emit lower levels of UV radiation and heat, as these are also damaging to time sensitive products.

LED lighting

Increasingly, more grocers are choosing LED lighting in their showcases. Why is this option so popular? LED lighting:

  • Lasts longer than other choices, resulting in buying fewer bulbs over time
  • Fits standard light fixtures
  • Is not prone to breaking
  • Works well for decoration and creating special effects

The only major drawback in selecting LED bulbs is that they cost significantly more than fluorescent bulbs. There is hope that this cost will lessen as manufacturing technology improves, but they are currently an investment choice. LED bulbs also require that all electrical systems be up to date, however hopefully yours already are.

Technology

Consider the operation costs amassed within grocery stores when making your lighting choices. Electricity and maintenance can add up to a large expense. Luckily, technology has advanced and products like LED bulbs can help reduce this cost. In combination with such products, grocers can save up to 70% in energy costs by using lighting controls to improve the functionality of their business. These controls can be set so that displays are not unnecessarily illuminated when customers are not in the store.

Lighting choices are extremely important in a variety of grocery display cases. Not only are humans visual creatures, but also they expect high quality and fresh products. Take the time to make the right decision in your showcase lighting and you will see the benefits. Consider using Promolux specialty LED lighting and the impact you hope to make with your showcases when creating an appealing environment for your customers.

How to Prepare Your Grocery Store for Re-opening after a Cooling System Failure

For more information on Promolux food safe lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

Specialty grocery lighting for refrigerated display cases works closely with the cooling system in keeping the products fresh and well presented. When these two systems are working perfectly, they lead to increasing sales and high profit returns. A failure of the cooling and lighting system is a nightmare that no grocery store owner would want to face. Once the cooling and lighting system fails, there is an increase in temperature that results in a rapid spoilage of perishable products. This brings the entire business to a standstill not forgetting the huge losses incurred. When this happens, the following steps are essential in preparing the store for re-opening as well as to prevent future lighting and cooling system failures.

Clear the products from the store

Clearing the products from the store is an important step that paves way for cooling and food display case lighting system repair. Here, gather all the decayed items and dispose of them appropriately and transfer the good fresh items to a safe cool place. It is advisable to leave the grocery store empty to facilitate proper cleaning to be done later.

Mold removal

A grocery cooling and food display lighting system failure will cause dampness, resulting in mold formation in the food display bins and shelves. You can consider hiring a mold removal company or have the employees perform the procedure using the right equipment. Mold removal is an important procedure that makes the bins, shelves and the entire building fit for food storage that is safe for human consumption. Remember to check for mold in the air ducts of the store.

Grocery carts, bins and shelves cleaning

The mold removal process should be followed by a thorough cleaning of the shopping carts, bins and shelves present in the grocery store. A high pressure hot water cleaning system is ideal for cleaning the carts, bins and shelves making them ready for use. If you do not have this cleaning system machine, you can hire one from a renowned provider or engage a professional cleaning agent to handle the procedure.

Cleaning the entire floor

Grocery store floor cleaning is a procedure that entails high pressure hot water and vacuum cleaning. This is a major procedure that eliminates any remaining mold and any water present in the store. Drying the store using a machine is highly recommended to prevent floor dampness issues. You can decide to perform do-it-yourself cleaning or hire a cleaning company to ensure thoroughness.

Cooling and lighting system repair

The repair process of the cooling and lighting system involves choosing the right display case lighting system. Identifying a reliable provider for the lighting system helps in preventing regrettable future system failures. Once the cooling system is back in place, install food safe display lights from Promolux Lighting. These specialty retail display lights are safe for perishable foods as they do not emit harmful radiation. In addition, they reduce the temperature in the display cases and cold bins leading to increased shelf life of the products.

Major Factors to Consider When Starting a Grocery Store

For more information on Promolux lighting solutions for grocery stores or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

When venturing into the grocery store business, it is important to note that most of the products are highly perishable. This presents a challenge of possible food spoils as well as stiff competition from other well-structured food supply chains. In order to succeed, you should come up with a well thought-out business plan that seeks to handle all the risks involved. Factors to be considered when starting a grocery store include the following

Product demand

Product demand is an important factor to consider for a profitable grocery store business venture. This involves thorough research to identify the essential products required by your target community. An accurate study on product demand helps in planning to stock fast moving products in your store. This lowers the probability of incurring losses brought about by mass item spoils. Remember that you can extend the shelf life of your products by using Promolux specialty retail lighting to keep the items on demand fresh for a prolonged period of time.

Assess the competition

Assessing the available competition should not discourage you but make your business plan accurate. This entails checking out the number of well established food supply chains within your target locality. Once you have identified the existing grocery stores, take note of the type and quality of products they have in stock. Identify the gaps in their businesses by taking note of what they are not doing, and planning to do it. In this case, identify the essential products needed by customers that are not stocked in their stores, identify gaps in their products display and take note of the cost of items. In order to beat the competition, draw up a plan to cater for the gaps identified. For example, plan for a wide variety of products not available in the major stores around, competitive pricing and use of high quality LED food display lighting system.

Product availability and cost

After a successful market analysis, develop a list of items that you need to stock in your grocery store. Then, ensure the availability of products from readily accessible suppliers and their cost. Make visits to local farms growing vegetables, fruits and other products. It is advisable to order products directly from the farms for a steady supply process and fair costs. For other consumable products, identify the most reliable wholesale supplier to partner with. This helps in making arrangements for steady products supply at costs that allow for competitive and wide profit margin prices.

Food display case lighting

Choosing the right display case lighting system for the grocery store increases chances for a booming business. This is a major factor that helps in promoting your products to the walk in customers. Promolux LED lighting systems enhance the visibility of the displayed products. These lights are safe for use on perishable foods while lowering the temperature hence keeping the products fresh for a longer period of time.

Advantages of Using Specialty LED Display Case Lighting in your Grocery Store

For more information on Promolux specialty LED lighting for grocery stores or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

Choosing your grocery store lighting system is an important process that can make or break your business. Installing the right lighting in the store can save you energy, increase product visibility and enhance the shelf life of the products. This leads to increased net profit gained and overall growth of the business. It should be noted that for a grocery store to run successfully, adequate energy supply is required. This is because most of the commodities are highly perishable and will need to be displayed in cool or cold display cases and refrigerator bins. Here are the top reasons for installing a specialty LED display case lighting in your grocery store.

Reduced running costs

Installing LED lighting reduces the overall running cost of the grocery store. It eliminates incidences of frequent bulb and lamp changing that lead to high cumulative expenditure. These lights have prolonged life compared to other ordinary ones.  Also, the lights are energy efficient and will drastically reduce the grocery store’s overall monthly electricity bills. Their energy consumption is minimal while keeping the products fresh. They are safe for use as they do not emit ultraviolet radiation that is harmful to perishable food products.

Prolonged product shelf life

An inferior lighting system can lead to increased temperatures, which are harmful to perishable products. Increased temperatures create moisture and humidity which allow for the fast growth of microorganisms responsible for rapid food decay. However, you can extend shelf life of your perishable products by using Promolux LED lamps in your food display cases. These lights maintain low temperatures which allow displayed food to stay fresh for a longer period.

Sustains natural nutritional value

An LED grocery lighting system does sustain the natural nutritional value of food substances. This makes the lights ideal for vegetables, natural juices and fruits. Also, the lights are best for use in meat and seafood cold bins as they do not lead to color change, flavor or smell of the meat. In fact, LEDs decrease the chances for bacterial growth that can initiate a premature decaying process in meats.

Enhanced display appearance

Using Promolux lamps in your grocery store is a solid promotional tactic for your products. For example, when vegetables and fruits are displayed under Promolux lighting, they appear fresher and brighter. This encourages customers to buy according to their list as well as impulse purchasing other items.

Hustle free grocery store operations

LED display case lighting promotes hustle free grocery store operations. Due to their long lasting nature, you do not have to chase after the supplier to provide free replacement services for bulbs and lamps as per the warranty. This gives both you and your employees the chance to concentrate on boosting product sales in the grocery store.

4 Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Grocery Store Business

For more information on Promolux LED lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

Great food display tactics and other store management strategies lead to huge returns in a grocery store business. The positioning of the products’ shelves and the arrangement of each product category will either invite customers to buy or put them off. Grocery stores sell essential products required by the target customers on a regular basis. Therefore, for you to succeed in a grocery business, you must maintain consistency in terms of product quality, availability and freshness. If any of these three elements is missing in your grocery store, losses are inevitable. By maintaining these three elements you are likely to win new customers in your store while keeping the old customers coming back for more products. However, you need to avoid the following common mistakes, in order to make constant profits.

Lack of marketing strategies

Lack of proper marketing strategies can easily drive you out of the grocery store business. Marketing strategies promote the products on sale in your store, wooing customers to buy more. You can promote the products with a wide profit margin by placing them on offer and making sure that they are placed in a corner well illumined with LEDs. For example, you can indicate on the price tag of a specific product that when one buys two of the item, they will get one essential item free. In this case, you will be inviting more impulse buying.

Poor product display

Poor product display is a mistake that leads to huge losses in grocery businesses. Poorly displayed products are difficult for customers to find leading to decreased sales. Before opening a grocery store, it is advisable to invest in product display accessories such as shelves, refrigerators and bins. Place every product category in its own place to avoid confusion. For example, have a designated area for fruits, vegetables, dairy items and baked goods. Then, arrange the items in attractive patterns and use Promolux LED display case lighting to make the products prominent. Ensure that the most essential products such as milk and bread are displayed in a visible but furthest corner of the store. However, consider frequent product rotation to make customers aware of the existence of different products in your store.

Poor lighting system

Installing a poor lighting system can break your grocery business due to high maintenance cost. Also, poor lighting makes displayed products less visible while causing premature decay in highly perishable products. To avoid this mistake, the installation of LED grocery lighting system is highly recommended for enhanced product visibility, reduced energy consumption with low maintenance cost and prolonged product shelf life.

Overstocking and under-stocking

Availability of the products is essential in a grocery store business as it builds a sense of consistency in regular customers. However, lack of proper planning and stock management strategies may result in overstocking of products resulting to increased spoils. On the other hand, this may lead to under-stocking leading to running out of stock prematurely and leaving your customers stranded. Therefore, make a timely product ordering schedule while stocking the right amount of products to be sold within a given period of time. Promote product shelf life extension using a Promolux LED lighting system in your store.

The Challenges of Grocery Store Display Lighting

For more information on Promolux lighting solutions for retailers or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

Appropriately lighting the display cases in a supermarket is one of the most challenging tasks managers face. However, grocery stores are more than just places to buy food. Now they are destinations for pharmacy, floral, bakery, and banking needs. Proper display case lighting may not seem like a deal breaker, but if you do not make careful lighting decisions, your business may suffer as a result. Considering cost, technology, health codes, and environment all have one thing in common: lighting.

Cost

Supermarket lighting carries some of the highest cost to build and maintain in the retail industry. This means that grocery stores need comprehensive solutions including good values in engineering, power control systems, and more. These retail lighting solutions must keep time and money in mind, as well as food safety. Smart design concepts and best practices can improve upfront cost and total cost of ownership. Determine which lighting styles and types are best for you. Are you trying to create a spotlight, showcase, overhead lighting, or specific feel? Keep this in mind when analyzing cost of your lighting.

Technology

It is well known that commercial lighting contributes to increased operational costs within supermarkets. With electricity and maintenance eating into most of the expense, technology can help shave dollars off of this cost. Using modern technology, grocers can expect to save up to 70% in energy costs while also lowering overall store maintenance costs. Lighting controls can deliver huge savings and upgrade the functionality of your store.

Health codes

Grocery stores must ensure that they meet a variety of health codes. An area where this is seen frequently is in the meat department. Have you stopped to think how your lighting might affect the products in this area? If not thought through carefully, inferior meat display case lighting will negatively affect time sensitive produce. Exposing such products to additional and unnecessary heat given off by improper lighting shortens its shelf life and reduces its appeal to shoppers. Unfortunately, cheap display case lighting is often installed at the sacrifice of the products. Using low radiation light in all refrigerated display cases will reduce the amount of heat and damaging ultraviolet radiation that enters them. Balanced spectrum lamps used in produce displays can also contribute to extended shelf life of fruits and vegetables as well as show off their true and vibrant colors.

Appealing to customers

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Do your products stack up to that saying? If not, you may be using the incorrect lighting. Using white light for fish and seafood may help this produce look fresher.  Create a warm, mellow feel with specific lighting by fresh fruits and vegetables to enable shoppers to relax and take their time. Create showcases that inspire shoppers to take a second look, and make sure that meats appear fresh and juicy in their displays.

When creating your lighting design, think through each challenge. Making sure your grocery store is appealing to customers, meets health codes, has appropriate technology, and is cost-effective all comes back to one thing: lighting. Make sure you don’t overlook such a seemingly small detail.

How to Display Specific Foods in Your Grocery Store

For more information on Promolux display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

Display tactics are essential in making specific foods visually attractive to customers for increased sales of the commodities. Installing a proper, food safe lighting system plays an important role in enhancing the appearance of the products while increasing their shelf life. Regular attention to your product displays should be performed in order to identify slow moving items and moving them to a strategic position to attract customer’s attention. The prices should be well marked to eliminate vagueness and confusion. Below are viable tips for specific food displays.

Fruit and vegetable display

Fruits and vegetables should be displayed in a cool section to keep them fresh. Fresh leafy vegetables should be spread to display their fresh green leaves. Also, brightly colored vegetables should be alternated with the dull colored ones to make them more visible. For example, you can place the broccoli next to green leafy vegetables, followed by cauliflower and then brightly colored carrots. In the fruits section, place the small sized fruits such berries in a wide shallow dish and arrange them attractively. You can place the fruits with some fresh leaves to create a fresh natural appearance that entices the customer. For the bigger fruits such as oranges and apples, arrange them using pyramid or any other attractive patterns. Remember to install appropriate produce display lighting to make the fruits and vegetables to appear more attractive and fresh.

Meat and seafood display

Meat and seafood should be displayed in a refrigerated display case. Remember that these are highly perishable products hence maximum care should be taken when displaying them. Display fresh seafood in a fish net wrapped refrigerator bin, to create a sense of natural fresh fish catch in the customers. Install seafood display case lighting to increase freshness window for the fish. Prepare the section for the fresh red meat partitioned with green lines. Green lines contrast the red color of the meat, making it more prominent from outside. Food safe grocery store meat display case lighting is essential if you want your meats to look vibrant and fresh, in addition to prolonging their shelf life.

Bread and cookie display

Designate a section for bread, cakes and cookies. Bread is a commodity that is regularly purchased alongside milk and eggs. Therefore, have a section for bread next to milk and eggs for easy picking by the customers. Then, you can have the section for cookies and other flies near the bread section. It is a great idea to have some shelves for themed display of cakes and cookies. In this case, you can have a cakes section for seasonal celebrations such as Halloween, Christmas, Easter and other major celebrations. Also, you can consider having a section for birthday and wedding cakes. To complete bread and cookies, install proper bakery display case lighting that enhances the visual appeal of your baked goods, while keeping them fresh for longer periods of time.