It’s one thing to carry pre-packaged deli meats and cheeses in your grocery store, but offering freshly sliced products and gourmet sandwiches takes your market to another level.
To offer this level of goodness, consider adding a delicatessen counter to your grocery store.
What exactly does a delicatessen counter entail, and why should your market have one?
In this blog post, we’ll explore delicatessen counters, their offerings, profitability, and the benefits they can bring to your store. We’ll also explore the technology — like an all-in-one point of sale (POS) system — that makes adding and running a delicatessen counter a breeze.
If you’re ready to spice up your market, let’s get started.
What Is a Delicatessen Counter?
A delicatessen counter is an area of your grocery store where customers can find freshly sliced deli meats, cheeses, prepared foods, and specialty items. Customers can choose from an array of gourmet products, often sliced to order.
These counters are one of the most interactive spots in the store, where customers engage directly with staff to get the products they want, whether it’s a pound of pastrami or a custom-made sandwich.
Common items found at a delicatessen counter include
- Meats: Pastrami, salami, turkey, roast beef, prosciutto, ham — a great opportunity to showcase items sourced from local or specialty producers
- Cheeses: Gouda, brie, aged cheddar, Swiss, and many artisanal varieties
- Specialty items: Olives, pickles, dips, marinated vegetables, and more
- Prepared foods: Sandwiches, wraps, salads, and ready-to-eat items that customers can grab on the go or heat up at home
The potential profitability of a delicatessen counter is significant, especially in today’s convenience-driven world. According to research, the chilled and deli foods market is projected to grow to $370 billion by 2031.
A well-run delicatessen counter can be one of your store's highest-margin areas, providing a steady revenue stream from repeat customers and impulse buys.
Benefits of Having a Delicatessen Counter
Let’s explore why adding a delicatessen counter to your grocery store is beneficial.
Increased Foot Traffic
A delicatessen counter naturally attracts customers looking for high-quality, fresh items. By offering an array of meats, cheeses, and gourmet prepared foods, you draw in a wider range of shoppers who may not have visited your store otherwise.
Cross-Selling Opportunities
Customers at the deli counter often look for items to pair with their purchases, creating prime cross-selling opportunities. Whether it’s suggesting a specific cheese to go with a customer’s choice of meat or recommending a specialty mustard or bread to complement their sandwich, these small suggestions can add up to big profits.
Increased Revenue
Your delicatessen counter can become a key revenue generator with the right products and knowledgeable staff. From individual items like sliced meats and cheeses to prepared sandwiches and salads, there’s a lot of potential for repeat business and higher-margin sales.
Related Read: The Guide to Grocery Store Profit Margins (and How To Improve Them)
Better Customer Experience
A deli counter offers customers the convenience of having freshly sliced meats and made-to-order sandwiches in one spot, giving them more reasons to stay and shop in your store. It improves the overall shopping experience by offering convenience and quality in one place.
Revenue-Generating Opportunities
Tastings, small-scale catering, and events can further increase your revenue. Consider offering tasting events where customers can try new deli meats or cheeses. Pair meats and cheese with wine if you sell it, creating another upsell opportunity. Small catering services, like party trays or sandwich platters, can generate additional income for your store.
Customer Loyalty
A well-run delicatessen counter can build loyal customers who return time and again for their favorite sandwich or specialty cheese. Offering promotions, loyalty cards, and customer recognition can strengthen that bond.
Competitive Advantage
In today’s competitive grocery market, offering unique or hard-to-find products at a delicatessen counter can set your store apart from others in the area. A top-quality deli experience creates a strong differentiator, especially if you highlight local or organic products.
More Diverse Product Offerings
A deli counter allows you to expand your store’s offerings, especially in niche markets. Whether it's organic or kosher products, or an array of international delicacies, you can tailor your deli section to meet the needs of your community.
Setting Up Your Delicatessen Counter
Ready to start your deli counter? Here are a few key steps to consider to ensure a smooth setup.
✅Choosing the Right Location
Location is crucial for any new addition to your store. Your delicatessen counter should be easily accessible and located in an area with good traffic flow. Ideally, it should be near the produce section or other high-traffic areas, like the bakery, so customers can easily grab fresh deli items while they shop.
🍖Equipment and Supplies Needed
Running a successful deli counter requires some essential equipment:
- Slicers: For slicing meats, cheeses, and other deli items to order.
- Display cases and refrigeration: To keep your products fresh and visible.
- Deli scales: To weigh meats and cheeses for accurate pricing.
- Packaging and serving materials: Think deli paper, plastic wrap, and containers for to-go items.
Related read: 3 Best Deli Scales with Printers and What to Look For
🧑🍳Staff
Staff training is crucial. Your deli employees should know the products and be skilled in customer service, food safety, and operating equipment. Hiring someone with a passion for food can improve your customers' experience.
➕POS Integration
A modern, all-in-one POS system like Markt POS will help streamline operations at your delicatessen counter. With features like inventory tracking, deli scale integrations, low stock notifications, and more, managing your deli counter becomes seamless.
Related read: How To Reduce Shrink In a Grocery Store: 5 Most Effective Methods
Marketing Your Delicatessen Counter
Before your deli counter opens and after the fact, it’s time to promote it! Here are some marketing ideas to get the word out:
Try In-store promotions and sampling events: To draw in customers, offer free samples of your most popular deli items or host in-store events like sandwich-making demos. Kick it up a notch with VIP events based on customer loyalty status. To do this, offer special deals for repeat customers. Exclusive discounts or early access to new items can also build customer loyalty.
Leverage social media: Promote your deli counter through your store’s social media channels. Share mouth-watering photos of your products, or run giveaways in partnership with local businesses. You can also sponsor local events or offer catering for local organizations and share where you’ll be on social media.
Create attractive signage and displays: Make your deli counter stand out with eye-catching signage highlighting your most popular items or specials. Consider adding a coupon to the bottom of your receipts to incentivize return visits.
Related read: 5 Point of Sale Marketing Ideas for Grocers (+ 5 Creative Uses for POS Data)
Run a Successful Delicatessen Counter With Markt POS
A delicatessen counter can be a highly profitable and exciting addition to your small grocery store. With the right setup, staff, and marketing, your deli counter can quickly become a central part of your store’s identity.
A smart, integrated POS system like Markt POS can simplify operations by tracking inventory, weighing items and printing labels, offering flexible discounting, and more. It should also provide customer insights to make reordering smooth and efficient.
Small grocery stores nationwide trust Markt POS for daily operations and better business insights. Schedule a demo today to see how Markt POS can help you.
