Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-3-2024
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Marketing
First Advisor
Kate Newman
Second Advisor
Aisha Ghimire
Third Advisor
Kate Kellum
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This thesis examines various trends in the grocery industry that have led to the new age grocer. These trends are centered around the emergence of approachable luxury products on grocery shelves and new grocery stores centered around an approachable luxury approach. Due to the subjective nature of the term “luxury,” it is hard to define, but multiple academic definitions from the Journal of Business Research are analyzed.
The timeline of the luxury grocery is outlined – beginning with traditional Iberian shops to the emergence of the new curated grocer to the revitalization of big box stores. The thesis includes psychological research and market trends to find an explanation for why these shifts in the industry have occurred. The focus of pretty packaging of Consumer Packaged Goods and better-for-you trends are examined. Research from food and beverage blog Snaxshot provides another perspective on these topics.
The work of multiple creative agencies is included to draw correlations between packaging trends for Consumer Packaged Goods. Various publications are included to explain these shifts from a consumer’s perspective, including The New York Times, New Yorker, and The Atlantic. Data and statistics about consumer behavior in the grocery store is included to support these trends.
Lastly, an analysis of Ghia and Graza, two brands that fall into the approachable luxury category, is included. Information was gathered from the brand’s owned media and advertisements to understand how their brand strategies effectively appeal to consumers. An interview with the marketing team of Graza is included.
Recommended Citation
Curcio, Joseph, "The Emergence of Approachable Luxury in the Grocery Industry" (2024). Honors Theses. 3189.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3189
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
