Prepared food costs at grocery stores

[Joe]

I don't buy prepared foods. I cook food from scratch and I get most everything at the Wal-Mart super store which is about 35% less expensive than Dave's. I just go into Dave's now and then because they have fresh fish, or if I'm rushed to make one meal, but not to do a whole shopping.
The people who buy that stuff are stinking rich, and the store is right off the highway on the way home, and they've got more money than time. I think it's not how long it takes to cook something, it's the notion that they are above domestic servitude, that's what turns them off. They don't want to get something on their clothes or have the house smell any more than they want to push a lawn mower.
That's Dave's niche: high margin prepared foods for busy professionals. The business model seems to be working for them. It looks like at least 30% of their inventory is prepared foods and they are expanding in the more affluent areas.

[Fly Rod]

Originally Posted by Joe

The people who buy that stuff are stinking rich, got more money than time.

I see nothing wrong with being rich. The 35 + years in business I never worked for a poor person. And if it were not for the rich you and I would be out of a job.

In today's world people are busy regardless if it is working or recreational and prepared foods( to much sodium) may be the way to go for some.

Like you 99% of my meals are from scratch. For people that are busy the crockpot is a great way to go. Today's crockpots also come with a timer to automactically turn on and off. We use the pot often.