Grocery Store Kosher Section

[mic]

I work for a 4 store chain of employee owned grocery stores in Northern California that feature small, shelf stable, kosher foods sections. In reviewing these sets in our stores I feel like they could use a face lift but I don't feel like I am knowledgeable enough about Kosher foods to do it as well as it could be done. Currently we largely carry Shabbat and Hanukkah (when seasonally appropriate) candles, a few different types of Matzo crackers, tahini, and some Manischewitz products like pasta, chicken broth, potato starch, and gefilte fish.

Basically I'm asking what a Jew might find nice to find in a small kosher set in a suburban grocery store or direction towards any type of kosher foodie internet forums that might exist out there. So far I haven't been able to find the later searching through google.



My apologies in advanced if this isn't the best forum to be asking a question like this in.


Thanks!

[Jason]

I think it's an excellent question, actually. It's really nice of you to be considering the needs of a community other than your own. Very commendable. I hope you get a lot of good suggestions here.

[a_Sarah]

I am neither Jewish (yet) nor a suburban person, but I semi-regularly visit a kosher store in my city. What you did not mention in your list of goods that you offer is kosher wine. This is something that half our store consists of and this seems to be the main thing people buy, according to the vendor. They also have a selection of candy (such as Kosher Haribo, like those strawberry foam type candies) and a good variety of imported Israeli candy bars. I am not sure if it is easy to come by such goods for a smaller vendor (they are mainly a distributor and this is their additional store).
They also have a selection of frozen meat products which can otherwise also be hard to be found.

I am not sure if that is feasible for you regarding costs/benefits, but they also offer a service where people can order specific foods that they then can pick up later, which the customers really love. Maybe you could ask your customers who buy from the Kosher aisle directly if they are missing something?

[Chavak]

A few bottle of kosher wine and grape juice would be nice. Also consider non-food items such as memorial candles and candles for shabbat.