Healthy fast food from Woolies

WOOLWORTHS has quietly launched a new retail brand called NOW NOW that taps into the growing demand for healthy, fresh food made fast.

A global trend shows consumers are increasingly opting for specialised diets that address their desire to eat organic, low-fat, lowcarb or eliminate ingredients such as gluten, according to a survey by global performance-management company Nielsen, released in the second half of last year.

Two-thirds of global consumers said they were willing to pay more for foods without undesirable ingredients.

Tapping into this trend, NOW NOW will serve light meals and snacks, coffee will be made from bean sources exclusively in Africa, and on-trend meals will include wraps, bowls, pots and buns, as well as gluten-, dairy- and wheatfree options.

There are juiced “shots” and smoothies.

It will include gluten-, dairyand wheat-free options

Spencer Sonn, MD of Woolworths Food, said the strategy was to attract customers in a more accessible way.

Globally there’s been a shift in customers wanting fresh, healthy fast food on-the-go, available whether they’re at the gym, in shopping centres, at the office or at the airport.

The first outlet of NOW NOW opened in Longmarket Street, Cape Town, in March.

The second is opening in Pinelands this month and the third in the Silo District, V&A Waterfront, in June. The plan is to roll out the brand countrywide “as soon as possible”.

Shoppers can order and pay using an app and, by the time they’ve reached the counter, they just grab-and-go, which the group has termed “super-fast good food”.

The style of the brand is akin to Kauai, which has more than 150 stores in South Africa.

Andrew Mandzy, the director of strategic insights at Nielsen, said at the time that the survey was released the trend for healthy eating and specialised diets was a significant opportunity for food retailers and manufacturers.

“But even within individual markets health and wellness is not a one-size-fits-all approach,” Mandzy said.

“Retailers and manufacturers need to identify high-potential segments and the drivers of engagement for these consumers and then tailor their messages and products accordingly.”

Food sensitivities are on the rise, but regional dietary preferences differ. Nielsen retail sales data suggest that many North American and European consumers are cutting back on foods that are high in fat, sugar and sodium.