SunStop,
the convenience store subsidiary of Southwest
Georgia Oil Co. (SWGA Oil),
is stepping confidently into the family dinner market with its new “Feed the
Fam — $5 After 5” campaign — a deal that proves the modern C-store is no
longer just a pit stop; it’s a mealtime destination.
The
promotion, available Monday through Friday, offers families a
made-from-scratch, home-style dinner for just $5 per person —
including two chicken tenders or legs, two sides, and a roll,
with rotating daily specials such as baked spaghetti, chicken pot pie,
chicken alfredo, and meatloaf.
Sides
include comfort favorites like mac & cheese, collard greens, mashed
potatoes, and tater logs — signaling that SunStop understands what
working families crave most: value, comfort, and convenience.
“We’re
proud to offer made-from-scratch meals at a price families can afford,” said Michelle
Weckstein, Director of Food & Beverage Brands for SWGA Oil. “It’s about
giving families a wholesome option they can feel good about.”
How Other C-Stores Set the Table for Foodservice Success
SunStop
joins an elite circle of convenience chains that have proven foodservice is the
real profit driver of the C-store sector.
Wawa
1. Hoagies
Built an Empire — Wawa transformed from gas stop to destination
dining through its made-to-order hoagies and fresh coffee program, now
driving more than 60% of in-store sales.
2. Family
Bundles During COVID — Wawa’s “Family Meal Bundles”
(featuring chicken strips, sides, and mac & cheese) were a pandemic hit
that persisted post-COVID, anchoring the chain’s dinner appeal.
Sheetz
1. MTO
(Made-to-Order) Customization — Sheetz proved that convenience can
be culinary, offering burgers, wraps, salads, and breakfast all day —
designed fresh, fast, and fun.
2. Family
Box Meals — Their mix-and-match meal boxes
became go-to options for families, demonstrating that convenience and community
dining can coexist beautifully.
7-Eleven
1. 7-Eleven
Kitchen & Hot-to-Go — With pizza, wings, and sandwiches
baked on-site, 7-Eleven blurred the line between fast food and grocery.
2. Delivery
Partnerships — Through Uber Eats and DoorDash,
7-Eleven brought ready-to-eat convenience straight to the dinner table,
expanding its share of the “What’s for dinner?” market.
Why SunStop’s Family Meal Deal Will Work
1. Price
Meets Pain Point – With food inflation still squeezing
wallets, 72% of families report cutting back on restaurant dining (Technomic
2025). SunStop’s $5 offer delivers restaurant-style food at drive-thru value.
2. Southern
Comfort, Done Right – Fried chicken, collards, and baked
casseroles are regionally beloved dishes. By leaning into local comfort
food, SunStop taps emotional and cultural cues that build loyalty.
3. Convenience
Reimagined – With over 70 stores across
Georgia and Florida, SunStop is perfectly positioned to serve both
commuters and local families who see C-stores as an everyday food source.
4. Foodservice
= Profit Engine – According to NACS,
foodservice now drives 36% of total in-store sales and over 57% of
gross profit margin, making it the fastest-growing category in convenience
retail.
Grocerant Guru® Data-Driven Insights: The Mealtime Shift
The
Grocerant Guru®
has been tracking the explosive rise of the Grocerant Meal — defined as “Ready-2-Eat”
or “Heat-N-Eat” meals sold in grocery stores, C-stores, and
nontraditional outlets. Current data shows this trend is transforming all
three mealtimes:
Breakfast
·
48% of breakfast meals
purchased outside the home are now Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat, driven by
portable sandwiches, burritos, and bakery items (NPD/IRI 2024).
·
C-stores own this daypart,
with 7-Eleven, Wawa, and Casey’s leading growth in breakfast food sales — up 10.8%
year-over-year.
Lunch
·
52% of all lunch
occasions** now fall under the grocerant category — customers are choosing
grab-and-go wraps, bowls, and hot meals over full-service dining (Technomic’s
“Center Store Revamp” 2025).
·
For Millennials and Gen Z, lunch “from
a convenience store” is now viewed as on par with fast-casual, thanks to
better quality and variety.
Dinner
·
57% of all dinners
purchased outside the home are Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat meals, often
replacing traditional restaurant visits (NPD Foodservice Monitor 2025).
·
This is where SunStop’s new program
fits perfectly: families want the comfort of home-cooked food, the speed
of fast food, and the price of convenience.
Grocerant Guru® Forecast: Convenience Is the New Kitchen
“We’ve
passed the tipping point,” says the Grocerant Guru®,
noting that 50%+ of all meals today are grocerant meals. “Consumers
aren’t cooking less out of laziness — they’re redefining what ‘cooking at
home’ means.”
1. Time-starved
consumers (especially dual-income families) are
replacing meal prep with curated convenience.
2. Perceived
freshness and quality now drive purchase intent more than
price alone.
3. C-store
kitchens are the new frontier — filling the
gap between grocery stores and restaurants.
The
Ready-2-Eat / Heat-N-Eat category is forecasted to grow another 8%
annually through 2028, making it one of the most dynamic sectors in food
retail.
Think About This
SunStop’s
“Feed the Fam — $5 After 5” program is more than a meal deal; it’s a strategic
step into the future of food retail. By combining price, quality, and
convenience, SunStop isn’t just serving dinner — it’s serving the next
evolution of dining.
If Wawa, Sheetz, and 7-Eleven proved that C-stores can be credible kitchens, SunStop just proved that they can also be the family dinner table.
Let’s Build a Partnership for Growth
Looking
for the right partner to drive sales and amplify your marketing
impact? Success leaves clues—and we may have the exact insight you
need to propel your business forward.
Explore
innovative food marketing and business development strategies with Foodservice
Solutions®.
📩
Contact us at Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us
🔍 Learn more at GrocerantGuru.com
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