Closed during much of the pandemic, many soup, salad and hot bars reopened in supermarket delis in 2021. Customers who have gone more than a year without stopping at one of the food bars in the deli may need a reminder that these are available, so it’s important that supermarkets market these offerings when they are back up and running.

One of the hardest-hit fresh categories during the pandemic, the deli department made a resounding comeback in 2021, thanks to the resurgence of prepared foods as customers returned to stores and supermarkets reopened service departments. In the first half of 2021, total deli sales neared $20 billion, up almost 10% from a year earlier.

Fresh sliced cheese has been a bright spot in the deli since the onset of the pandemic, and sales trends continue to stay high. NielsenIQ’s Byzzer pulled data from 52 weeks ending March 6, 2021, and revealed that sales of packaged cheese slices grew 19.6% year-over year, specialty gourmet sliced cheese increased 41.5% in that time, and specialty gourmet pre-sliced cheese grew 28.4%.

Supermarket prepared foods operations were pressured in 2020 amid restrictions on in-store dining and reductions in trip frequency, as consumers focused largely on stock-up trips to load their pantries and freezers with shelf-stable foods. But some retailers quickly adapted by leveraging online opportunities for prepared-foods sales.

While prepared foods at the deli counter struggled during COVID, sales of deli meats have been off the charts since the beginning of the pandemic, thanks in large part to more lunch occasions at home.

In an upgrade of its original store in Greensboro, N.C., The Fresh Market launched an enhanced culinary experience led by a carry-out, made-to-order restaurant concept and a just-roasted “coffee by the cup” station.

The new foodservice concept features popular local eateries including The Shaved Duck, Seoul Taco and The Greek Kitchen, and each restaurant partner operates a small service counter and shares a common seating area.

Supermarkets have always been concerned about food safety, but that commitment has been intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic changed how customers shop and retailers operate their businesses. That’s why most grocers have reinforced strong training for safety measures in their stores. 

Hy-Vee has bolstered food safety monitoring in all of its in-store kitchens with the deployment of the ComplianceMate solution from CM Systems LLC. Automating the process of food safety compliance, ComplianceMate is now being used in Hy-Vee’s Italian, Asian, Hickory House and Market Grille foodservice kitchens as well as the Midwestern grocer’s meat, seafood, deli and bakery departments.

Plans call for Ghost Kitchens to open dozens of sites in Walmart stores in Texas, California, Illinois and Georgia over the coming months and in 2022.

The Kroger Co. has teamed up with ghost kitchen operator Kitchen United to offer customers online ordering, pickup and delivery of fresh-made meals from area restaurants. Under the partnership, Kitchen United-run off-premise restaurant kitchens at Kroger stores will feature up to six local, regional or national restaurant brands.

DeCicco & Sons, Caraluzzi’s Markets and others join such independent grocers as Uncle Giuseppe’s, Roche Bros.

Regional grocer's ‘Best Breakfast in America’ menu offers wide range of choices for curbside pickup.

Food retailers are exploring ways to open wine bars and taprooms closed during the pandemic.

Providing an alternative to the salad bar, Oklahoma grocer Reasor’s has deployed Chowbotics’ Sally fresh salad-making robot at three stores.