Grocerant Portable Fresh Food Hot Drives Both Sales & Profits

At the intersection of young consumers on the run and meals are 44% of Millennials that say they eat fresh prepared hot ‘snacks’ as a meal replacement. That as regular readers of this blog know is just one of the reasons that sit down restaurants are losing ground to fast food outlets as consumer prioritize convenience and affordability according to  Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®.

Nearly nine out of 10 convenience store foodservice customers regularly purchase hot foods, and 69% do so at least once a month. What's more, 44% of them indicate they're buying hot food at c-stores more often now than a year ago according to Technomic. .

With eight in 10 C-store operators report they’re investing in their foodservice programs. It’s important to understand some of the fundamentals of grocerant niche fresh hot food sales. Here are some offered by McCain foodservice:

1.       Make sure the products you’re offering have an adequate hold time—three to four hours is optimal—so foods don’t go stale or lose their taste or composition.

2.       Offer combo meals, which shows you’re a competitor to fast-food restaurants.

3.       Draw attention to your hot foodservice program and any specials (think combo meals) through window and pump signage. Also use signage inside at the point-of-sale and throughout the store, “so customers know you offer foodservice wherever their destination in the store,” Broyles said. “You’re upselling and enticing them at the same time.”

4.       C-store operators need to stay on top of the latest trends to ensure they are meeting consumers’ expectations. Millennials and Gen Z are the target consumers that are more likely to purchase prepared/hot foods from c-stores. Food offers must appeal to this generation.

5.       Dayparts are blurring due to demanding schedules, varying work shifts and time constraints. Consumers need all things available all the time (e.g., all-day breakfast offerings).

6.       Offer customization to compete with quick-service restaurants, because this is an expectation of millennials these days—to have it their way.

Coffee can be the foundation of your foodservice program fully 76% of consumers, purchase coffee from a c-store at least once a month.  The fact is if you have them for coffee you can have them for breakfast.  Just make sure you offer fresh, fast, portable options.

Foodservice Solutions® team is here to help you drive top line sales and bottom line profits.  Are you Looking A Customer Ahead?  Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us   or Contact Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.  Remember Success does leave clue and we just may have the right clue for you.