2017 C-Stores Less Gas More Grocerant Niche Fresh Prepared Food

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® began focusing on Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.  We were so successful in identifying, quantifying, qualifying customer adoption and migration that Steven Johnson our Grocerant Guru® even gave the intersection of the undercurrents of customer retail adoption and migration a name the Grocerant niche. 

Johnson, was first to write about the Grocerant niche in Nation’s Restaurant News, August 19^th, 1996 in an opinion called Home-Meal-Replacement is the future of foodservice and in FoodService Director in an article called Call them Grocerants. Since Johnson and the team at Foodservice Solutions® has been quoted on Television, Newspapers and Magazines worldwide.

The distinction between Home-Meal-Replacement (HMR) and Grocerant niche fresh is wider today than ever.  We note that the legacy retailers, consultants and research houses still using the term HMR have largely closes, been sold, or are capitulation customers too those that have evolved with the consumer.

In 2017 the grocerant niche will continue to evolve however it is now moving from a niche to center stage.  One example is the Convenience store sector where innovative new Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food will become the main focus for the entire C-store sector as that sector continues gaining share of stomach from all other retail food channels.

Tom Cook principal at King-Casey recently stated "Innovative c-stores — such as Sheetz and American Natural — have led the way in improving their food and foodservice offerings," "Now the rest of the industry has noticed, with the result that foodservice will be the primary area of focus for c-stores looking to build their brands and bottom lines."

Cook continued “c-stores will place a concentration on providing prepared foods, made-to-order sandwiches, fresh ingredients, healthy options, quality baked goods and barista-style coffee, espresso and tea beverages.” "We believe foodservice sales growth will significantly outpace that of in-store merchandise".

There was a time that historical lines of distinction between c-stores, fast food outlets, and fast-casual restaurants were clear and according to our own Grocerant Guru® that will not change much in 2017.  However Convenience stores with a renewed focus on grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food will continue to garner top line growth and bottom line profits that outperform all other foodservice sectors. 

It will be 2018 and 2019 that both the fast food sector and fast casual sectors seriously explore grocerant options to recapture market share and garner a larger share of stomach. Is your company waiting and watching? Are you ready to drive incremental top line growth and bottom line profits?

Legacy grocery stores feeling the heat of competition from c-stores will find regional success selling grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh food but will not implement lessons learned provided C-store incremental reasons to push their grocerant programs harder and faster.

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 for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.