Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report shows customers are snacking more as meals get healthier. Consumers are snacking significantly more now than they were just two years ago. Almost half (48%) of consumers polled say they’re now snacking at least twice a day, compared to 25% in 2010. Restaurants are capitalizing on the growing snacking occasion [...]
Offering quality customer service with bilingual employees and traditional foods can drive retail loyalty among the growing Hispanic population. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Today, Hispanic food is mainstream and attractive to a wide array of demographics seeking spicier flavors, but the secret to keeping your Hispanic customers’ repeat business lies in more than just [...]
The number of stores with dedicated foodservice personnel has nearly doubled since 2007. In a sign that convenience store operators are successfully ramping up their foodservice efforts, industry consultants Technomic found that average unit volumes for c-stores offering prepared food and dispensed beverages (“true foodservice”) jumped to more than $136k in 2011, up from $123k [...]
Taking steps to promote innovative products and value pricing can elevate the whole roller grill experience. By Heather Henstock, Contributing Editor. When consumers think of convenience store food, roller grill hot dogs are top of mind. Roller grills have developed a mixed reputation over the years, but they remain a staple of c-store foodservice programs [...]
The report provides an overview of attitudes toward food preferences, dining-out behaviors with friends and family, snacking behavior, convenience-store patronage, technology usage and more. Tweens and teens influence the decision making of their friends and families, playing a large role in their dining choices. Fifty-eight percent of teens and 54% of tweens report that their [...]
Foodservice customers are becoming value-conscious, a reflection of current economic conditions. Consumers are now expecting better value in terms of price, service, consistency and food quality. By John Lofstock, Editor. Bringing consumers into convenience stores to buy food requires a great offering at a good price. But with all the competition for share of stomach, [...]
“Convenience stores are increasingly falling into the same consideration set as fast-food restaurants,” says Technomic director. As convenience stores continue offering busy consumers more options for meals and snacks, new research by Technomic finds consumers are taking advantage of the expanding foodservice options, many times at the expense of quick-service restaurants. Of consumers polled on [...]
A top-notch pie and artistic appeal help differentiate the offering for this important foodservice segment. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor. Pizza, a perennial favorite of American culture, is grabbing headlines as some restaurateurs and retailers devise gourmet versions with a variety of innovative toppings and crusts. And while that’s all well and good, c-store shoppers [...]
Stripes is among the growing number of convenience store chains providing an authentic Hispanic cuisine to attract this growing demographic. By Pat Pape, Contributing Editor. Early each morning the parking lots of Stripes Convenience Stores fill up with the trucks and cars of customers wanting to purchase a hearty meal of breakfast tacos, carne guisada [...]
While commissary products are growing in popularity at c-stores, not all retailers are at the same level. Luckily, options abound in ways to integrate commissary products for all quartiles. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor Commissaries and a centralized distribution system are becoming more popular across all foodservice segments in both convenience stores and supermarkets as [...]
Burgers, brats and sausages continue to drive sales among core convenience store customers. By John Lofstock, Editor. While customers may say they want healthy and organic foods, a Technomic report found that 91% of consumers said they eat a burger at least once a month and 44% have a burger at least once a week. [...]
Commissaries account for a quarter of all supermarket and convenience store prepared food purchases, according to Technomic. In a first-of-its-kind study, Technomic found that commissaries (also known as meal assemblers and central kitchens) are the source of a large percentage of all foodservice purchases in both supermarkets and c-stores. Commissaries have recently become more popular [...]
With fresh food sales booming, operators are turning their attention to take-out packaging and finding that with so many options available, choosing the proper solution can be as tricky as selecting the foodservice program itself. By Joe Bush, Contributing Editor. Convenience store foodservice programs have been big business and growing for a decade thanks to [...]
Whether operating a hot or cold food program, new equipment enhances quality, productivity and profitability. By Pat Pape, Contributing Editor. Over the past few years, the economic climate has discouraged many foodservice operators from investing in new equipment or product offerings. But that situation may be changing. Some convenience retailers are testing new tools and [...]
Convenience stores are unique to other foodservice outlets, presenting special challenges to c-store management and suppliers of food, equipment and disposable products. To help executives quickly get up to speed, Technomic is offering a special half-day C-Store Foodservice 101 seminar. Program highlights include: * Foodservice industry overview. * Top-line issues and concerns of c-store foodservice. [...]