Are C-store Breakfasts Fast Becoming the Achilles Heel of the Restaurant Sector

One of the unintended consequence of the fast expanding grocerant niche just may be that the success the convenience stores sector has found by evolving its offering of breakfast items.  Success does leave clues and the cue from the c- store sector is that they offer a variety of small, healthier meals and snacks that are quick and on-the-go according to a new study by the Kellogg Company. 

The Kellogg Company study: ReThink Breakfast II research found that; “Today, 33 percent of consumers frequently eat breakfast away from home, but they’re seeking more than a cup of coffee. In fact, 47 percent of consumers are seeking hot breakfast items to accompany their morning cup of Joe,(coffee)”

Foodservice Solutions® team has conducted over 6,150 Grocerant ScoreCards,  since 1991 and 2,025 within the past 24 months tracking the quality and consistency of the Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared offering around the country and world and they report that consumers deem much of the fresh parpared food ‘restaurant quality or higher’ and our team agrees with the Kellogg findings.

According to the Kellogg study, the top five reasons consumers purchase breakfast from c-stores include:

1.        Need a quick bite of option

2.        Something to hold them over

3.        Something while shopping

4.        Morning energy or fuel

5.        Traveling to work or school

Frank Mellman, senior insights manager at the Kellogg Co. stated  “ReThink Breakfast II provides retailers with insights and recommendations that will enable them to adapt to consumers’ changing preferences, maximizing sales opportunity for each type of breakfast consumer.”

Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner consumers are driving the evolving grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food migration to new avenues of distribution.  Steven Johnson is the Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, with extensive experience as a multi-unit operator, foodservice grocerant consultant and brand/product positioning expert Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche.