Dive Brief:
- Eat Fit Go, an Omaha-based health food store that sells fresh, pre-portioned and packaged meals, is expanding, according to Supermarket News. Future locations include Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota and Oklahoma.
- About 90%of the Eat Fit Go menu is gluten-free, and COO Jen Cain said the company strives "to offer something on [their] menu for all dietary preferences." The protein-rich, low-sodium and mostly preservative-free meals are made every day, and include breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and children's items.
- Each Eat Fit Go store offers several dining areas, a microwave station and meal fridges. Existing locations see between 100 and 200 transactions per day.
Dive Insight:
Study after study show that consumers want to eat healthier and are looking for better-for-you foods ranging from fresh produce to RTE gluten-free items. Today's consumers are also looking for convenient meal options — ones they don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to prepare.
Eat Fit Go’s strategy capitalizes on both these trends. Not only are its grab-and-go offerings healthy, but the store model allows consumers to get in and out with a meal in a short period of time. Many are even buying meals for the week as part of the retailer's Perfect Week deal, which includes five breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks.
The health store's rapid expansion — the chain launched in 2016 and already has stores in six states — proves the success of this natural-market-meets-convenience-store model. Eat Fit Go has also benefited from positive word of mouth, receiving praise from Yelp users and food blogs.
Eat Fit Go's success could make it an attractive acquisition target, as many larger retailers are looking to align themselves with companies that focus on healthier eating. If the chain continues to succeed, it will be interesting to see if larger grocers mimic its store model by incorporating similar quick-service food stations in-store.