NPD: says coffee can tilt the scales in favor of convenience stores.

The confluence of ready-2-eat, heat-N-eat fresh prepared food with a quality coffee program can tilt the consumer frequency scales in favor of convenience stores.  NPD’s Convenience Store Monitor recently revealed that “86 percent of coffee purchases are planned.

In fact the report stated that “ The average customer purchase is $6.83.  In addition 45% of consumers who purchased coffee between 6 and 10 am included a food item.” Grocerant mix and match bundling products have been leading the retail food service sector in growth for several years. 

The reason a strong beverage consumer is so imported was highlighted in the report. “According to the Convenience Store Monitor, dispensed beverage buyers are much different than average c-store customers, who tend to be 18- to 49-year-old males. Dispensed beverage buyers are often female, aged 35 to 64, white collar, Hispanic and from larger households. Those who purchase coffee tend to be 45 to 65 years old, white and blue collar, strong military connection, smaller households and higher income.”

These consumers are migrating to a non-traditional fresh food format and abandoning legacy retail shopping patterns for a more contemporized consumer focused retail foodservice experience.  If success leaves clues all food retailers need to pay attention to the quality attributes found within the grocerant niche.

Steven Johnson is Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions, with extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking. Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant