What do you get when you mix carry-out with cuisine? More and more often, it is your neighborhood grocery store.
A growing number of supermarkets is hiring experienced chefs – or training them – in an effort to spice up the customer experience as well as revenue. From standalone specialty markets to national chains, a broadening category of stores is adopting the movement as grocers seek fresh ways to remain relevant.
The number of workers in grocery food preparation and serving, which includes chefs, rose to nearly 331,000 in 2015 from 312,500 in 2013, according to Occupational Employment Statistics. In 2012, the category was not even listed. As if in lockstep with the industry, the Food Marketing Institute in 2013 launched an annual Supermarket Chefs competition, and in 2016 introduced the Supermarket Chefs community, more than 50 professionals dedicated to building partnerships between sales leaders and culinary talent.
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