Change is the price
of survival within the foodservice sector today. Regular readers of this blog
know that customization
and personalization are both hallmarks of the fast-growing
grocerant niche filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.
According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® hand-held-food
for immediate consumption drive 74.8% of all meal occasions in the U.S.; all food
retailers would be wise to add more Hispanic menu items that are hand-held to their
menus.
While Mexican foods like burritos and
tacos have long been popular menu items at fast casual restaurants, fast food
restaurants, and C-stores now many c-stores are expanding further with other
Hispanic or Latinx foods, like empanadas, tamales and more. Why? Simple, fresh full-flavored
ingredients and mix & match meal customization drive customer trail then
adoption according to Johnson.
Loot at Gate Petroleum’s GATE
Fresh Kitchen stores that serve a variety of items made fresh every day,
including empanadas, tamales and burritos, which Sara Wilson, GATE’s food
service supervisor, said are popular among customers at its stores across
Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Hand-held food are not confined to any
daypart in the mind’s eye of consumers. At Gate the offers
include breakfast styles, too, like breakfast burritos, as well as GATE’s
sausage, egg, cheese and potato empanada, in addition to chicken and beef
options.
Wilson stated, “GATE is continually
evolving its foodservice offerings to satisfy our customers’ tastes and provide
the on-the-go options they need,”.
Look at, CEFCO Convenience Stores, with more than
200 stores in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Florida,
offers a variety of tacos and burritos, all of which are made to order using
fresh ingredients.
CEFCO
Director of Foodservice Jeff Foley, stated, “the Steak Fajita Burrito as a
customer favorite, featuring marinated steak paired with freshly prepared pico
de gallo, lettuce, rice, black beans and shredded cheddar cheese with a side of
guacamole. The hand-breaded fresh chicken, offered with a variety of sides and
sauces, is another popular offer”
So, CEFCO
recently launched new self-ordering kiosks in two of its Texas-based CEFCO
Kitchen locations. Both stores feature CEFCO
Kitchen’s new menu lines, including made-to-order mac and cheese bowls,
sandwiches, grilled cheese and new breakfast offerings to complement the
current lineup of burritos, tacos, fried chicken and more.
Foley, continues, “We expect
self-ordering kiosks to positively impact the customer experience at CEFCO by
offering our customers’ favorite foods they’ve grown to love in a customizable
format”.
Interactive and participatory menus include
at Gate the extras like sauces and toppings, too, enable customers to make an
order their own. Combine that with technology and customer relevance once again
is elevated. CEFCO recently launched new self-ordering kiosks in two of its Texas-based
CEFCO Kitchen locations.
Foley went on to say, “We offer over 20
toppings and sauces for our burritos and tacos,” … “Some of our favorites are
the Spicy Guacamole Salsa, Jalapeño Corn Salsa, Chipotle Ranch, Mild to Hot
Buffalo sauces, Cholula, sour cream, guacamole and many more.”
Mix and match meal component play an important role at GATE, as popular
condiments for customers to pair with the chain’s Hispanic food offerings and
more include jalapeños, pico de gallo, salsa and onion, said Wilson. “GATE also
offers a variety of sauces, queso, jalapeño cheese and chili.”
Now even Datassential is edifying our
Grocerant Guru® insights, “Consumers love customization,” confirmed
Datassential Trendologist Mike Kostyo. “In fact, customization is a real area
of opportunity for c-stores.”
Get this, when Datassential asked consumers about various
trends they were interested in when visiting their local c-store, customizable
options rose toward the top, with over half of consumers (51%) noting they were
interested in customizable burritos and tacos. Yet, according to Datassential, only 14% of c-stores offer
these items. That my friends is a big opportunity insight clue from
Datassential.
“Overall, 66% of c-store consumers say
customization motivates them to visit a c-store over a competing foodservice
location,” said Kostyo. “In many ways, customization gives consumers that
freshness cue they are looking for in c-store because they know it has to be at
least partially made from scratch, often right in front of them.”
Ultimately, Foley said, he sees
personalization as “the future of the c-store industry.”
“Customers are hyper-aware of what they
are eating now more than ever,” he said, “and this gives each customer the
ability to choose exactly what goes on his or her food. Some customers like
loading their burritos with veggies, while others prefer additional meat.
Giving customers the ability to choose is what makes this program great and
will continue shaping the future of CEFCO foodservice.”
Are
you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh
ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that
tomorrow? Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information
or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success
does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your
continued success.
