Convenience Stores Foodservice Fuels the Top & Bottom Line

It’s the beginning of a new month and chain restaurants customer count quagmire continues. Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® contends that much of the customer count loss is a result of customer migration to fresh food sold at convenience Stores.

There are numbers to back document the success that Convenience store retailers are having with fresh food sales.  In a recent report the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) found:

1.       Three in five convenience store retailers (60%) say that in-store sales in the first nine months of 2017 were higher than the same period last year, compared to 20% who say sales thus far were lower.

2.       One in three (35%) say that motor fuels sales were higher compared to the first nine months, compared to 27% who say sales were lower.

3.       Three in four retailers (75%) say they are optimistic about how their business will perform leading into the fourth quarter. While retailers attributed several reasons for both strong sales and optimism, an increased emphasis on fresh food sales was most often cited.

While grocerant niche fresh food has worked well for Sheetz, Rutter’s Farm Stores, and 7-Eleven today most every sector of the US can find C-stores elevating Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food. The NACS report pointed  out that Pride C-Stores Inc. (Columbia City, Ind.) is placing a greater emphasis on prepared foods, Kwik Trip (La Crosse, Wis.) continues to grow its hot foods program, and Cameron Park Petroleum (Folsom, Calif.) is experiencing strong sales with its fresh sandwich program.

Don Burd with Otter Creek Country Stores  is quoted summing up both his company’s and the industry’s prospects “We are becoming well known for awesome food, clean facilities and great customer service,”  Have you elevated beverages, coffee, foodservice, Ready-2-Eat & Heat-N-Eat fresh food with the past siz months?  If not it’s time you did.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  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.