Remember all of the gourmet food gifts ideas and basics we discussed a few months ago? Now is the time to take those gourmet food ideas and implement a way to increase your sales.

While gourmet food encompasses a wide variety of niche markets, you can hone in on which ones will work best for you. To do this, you must take stock of your current customer base. With this knowledge, you will be able to determine which gourmet food niches will convert to an increase in sales.

Determining Your Market:

It is all about matching the gourmet food with the right customer niche. Categorize your customers. Are they young professionals or college students (Generation Y)? Are they established professionals, empty-nesters or retirees (Generation X or Baby Boomers)? Are they active singles, busy families or environmental activists?

Defining the lifestyles and interests of your customers will help determine which gourmet niche should be your focus. Categorization of your customers is the foundation for your gourmet food strategy.

Strategies For Gourmet Food Niches

Below are examples of categorized customers and the products each prefers.  Your customer base may include one or more of these customer types.  How do you determine what gourmet food items you need to sell to satisfy their buying needs?

By using the following guide, you should be able to determine what niche gourmet items will satisfy their buying needs.  Then you can formulate a strategy from the ideas and suggestions.

Young Professionals (Generation Y): This group tends to be into trendy, healthy and organic items. They buy these items for themselves as well as friends family and business acquaintances. Formulate a plan that incorporateshealthy snacking items (popcorn, jams, jellies, and organic-labeled gourmet foods).

Empty-Nesters/Retirees (Baby Bommers): This group often enjoys family and friend-centric activities like barbequing and cooking. They buy gourmet items with a more traditional nature for family, friends and as gifts for service providers (hairdressers, lawnboys, etc.).  Spices, cheese, meats, barbeque sauces and pre-made gourmet gift baskets are the delights of this demographic.

Established Professionals (Generation X): These are the customers who are in between the young professional and empty-nesters.  They tend to share buying habits of both groups.

They are the ultimate customers who will try trendy products and rely on traditional ones. Although eclectic in their purchases, gourmet chocolates and coffees are their gifts of choice when in a pinch.

These are just a few customer types and a few basic ideas to use when formulating your gourmet food strategy.  Focusing on a specific niche market is the key to successful gourmet foods sales. An active approach to selling gourmet foods, coupled with a knowledge of your customer base is the best formula for successful gourmet food sales.

Blending  Gourmet Foods Niches

Just as with cooking, gourmet food requires a little blending.  Start with a basic gourmet food niche that appeals to the majority of your customers, and then blend in a few products outside of that category.  Think complimentary, not contrasting.

For example, adding snack foods to your line of gourmet chocolates creates a complimentary gourmet food mix.  Selling salsa? Add in a line of other items that you can cook with, like jams, spices, specialty condiments and barbeque items. The principle idea is to add items that appeal to your main customers, but will bring in new customers.

Ordering And Working with Vendors

Once you’ve gotten a firm grasp on your market, your next strategy is to find the product and develop a working relationship with vendors. Look for vendors who can provide you with timely shipments, good pricing and great selections.  Don’t be afraid to ask them for help in how to display or market their product.  Vendors understand that you’re a partner and will work with you to get the right products into your store, so you both can make money.

Now that you have the strategies, ideas and the nitty gritty of gourmet foods, success is just a taste away.

By utilizing the great wholesale gourmet food vendors at FGmarket, you will be able to find the right products to help you create the ultimate gourmet food mix. To jump start your search, check out the FGmarket  wholesale gourmet food vendors highlighted below.