FreshDirect Sees Back-to-School Sales Surge
For a unique back-to-school week -- a.k.a. the first seven days of September -- in the time of COVID-19, online grocer FreshDirect has reported a 46% uptick in year-over-year sales, a result that the company believes foreshadows future fall sales.
Spurred by FreshDirect’s insight into the buying habits of its customers, and its ability to identify changing trends quickly and react to them in real time, the company experienced year-over-year sales increases for tortillas, specialty frozen pizzas and on-the-go foods such as burritos (up 100%), healthy options like ground turkey and plant-based foods (up 80%), and its own in-house prepared kitchen appetizers (up 300%), indicating that shoppers are seeking easy meal solutions for their families, and influencing the company’s fall inventory selections.
Further, FreshDirect has enhanced its selection of weekly meal solutions, or “meal hacks,” available throughout the season. The new assortment offers convenient breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack solutions for stressed families preparing for the return of school in whatever form.
Among the featured meal hacks, 10-minute dinners, salads and more from FreshDirect kitchen:
Meal Hacks
- Rotisserie chicken 4 ways
- FreshDirect marinated meats with 4-minute meal sides
- Mediterranean plate: kofta sticks, pita bread, deli sides
10-Minute Meals
- Easy simmer sauce meals with Maya Kaimal and Haven’s Kitchen
- Salad shortcuts, including steak salad and grilled shrimp salad
- Easy weeknight sheet pan dinners featuring wild salmon, Icelandic cod or flounder
- Easy taco night
Other New Product Selections
- FreshDirect wraps and breakfast items
- Sun Noodle ramen kits
- Ark Foods veggie bowls
The company also has quick vegan-friendly meals and gluten-free breads and sweets from such purveyors as Las Delicias Patisserie, The Gluten-Free Bakery, Pearl River, Yu Bakery, and Orange Dot.
“We created our meal-planning solutions to provide stress-free options for families who are looking to save time without sacrificing quality and taste,” said FreshDirect co-founder and CEO David McInerney. “As a dad and former chef, I understand firsthand how families now need to provide more meals on the table, which can add stress during an already uncertain time. Our meal solutions allow families to put fresh, high-quality food on the table with added ease.”
Bronx, New York-based FreshDirect delivers directly to customers throughout seven states, including the New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas, and the District of Columbia.
