5 Foodservice tips for Convenience Stores in 2017
Are you considering adding foodservice to your convenience store offering this year?
As a convenience store owner, it’s important to know your customers. It is even more important to know what your customers want, before they even know it. And the research points to the one thing that could be missing from your store.
Now before you jump right in, it’s imperative that you do your research to make sure your foodservice offerings are in sync with your demographic and geographic market.
Below are 5 foodservice fact for you to digest that will help you decide if and what foodservice products to introduce to your convenience store.
#1 - Foodservice Numbers are Up
According to the NACS report, prepared foodservice items, such as roller grill and made-to-order sandwiches, grew in sales over the past year by 5.8% while gross profit dollars grew 6.3%.
With millennials controlling the convenience market, those numbers aren’t showing any signs of slowing down. With major chains such as Royal Farms and others leading the C-store industry in foodservice, it’s important to, at the very least, offer some on-the-go foodservice items at your store.
#2 - Roller Grill are the Easiest Entry Point into Foodservice
With little maintenance and small counter space, a roller grill offers an easy and accessible way to introduce foodservice into your store. How you market your roller grill products is entirely up to you.
Enticing customers at the pump to come in with a “2 for $2” deal is a great way to increase your pump conversions.
You may also go with a M-T-O approach by making specialty items only available through over the counter orders.
However you approach the roller grill, you’re going to be adding value to your store. Adding a mix of hot dogs, sausage, and the classic tornados will give your roller grill that classic convenience store look.
#3 - Consumers are Picky- Offer a Variety of Choices
Seek a variety of different foodservice offerings if your store allows it. This would include:
- Healthy Options
- Made-to-Order meals
- Small snacking items
- All day breakfast
It’s equally as important to understand what consumers are looking for in their food. For example, millennials tend to lean towards foods that are healthy and high in protein. The Market Salads to-go cups are a great example of that. With 11 grams of protein and its small snacking size, the egg salad option is great for your open air cooler or small menu offering.
#4 - Dinner doesn’t have to be limited to restaurants and home cooked meals
For the traveling families, truck drivers, and anyone else who doesn’t have the time to cook dinner or go out for a sit-down restaurant, your convenience store can help steer these people in the right direction.
At Cooper-Booth Wholesale, we carry everything you need to create that dinner menu. With different chicken offerings through Tyson Chicken or hearty soups from Chef Francisco by Heinz, Cooper-Booth has you covered.
With the addition of more food comes more responsibility. Which leads us to our last fact.
#5 - Make sure you're compliant with all safety standards
You must be proactive in ensuring the cleanliness of food storage and preparatory areas. This includes following all regulations as you increase the type of foodservice offerings in your store.
A great reference for your foodservice guidelines specific to your state can be found through the FDA.
For Cooper-Booth Wholesale customers, contact your sales rep to help get started.
For prospective customers looking for a switch to Cooper-Booth, call us at 800-992-0592.
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