Ethnic foods continue to trend as consumer demands evolve to include house-made and authentic cuisine.
By Erin Rigik Del Conte, Senior Editor
Convenience Store Decisions spoke with Nick Powell, corporate chef for QuikTrip Corp. on how the ethnic flavor trend is playing out at the c-store chain and what he’s doing to spice things up for its customers.
Powell has been a corporate chef at Tulsa, Okla.-based QuikTrip since 2009, before the chain had even added in-store kitchens. Today, the chain features full-service kitchens and made-to-order foods in all but a handful of its more than 730 c-store locations.
Convenience Store Decisions (CSD): The National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot 2017” predicted the ethnic food trend will begin to impact the breakfast daypart this year. Is QuikTrip offering any ethnic-inspired breakfast items currently?
Nick Powell (NP): “We’re not offering it currently, but we had some success recently with a Chorizo Squarewrap. The Chorizo Squarewrap is chorizo patty, egg and cheese in a tortilla that’s folded into a square. We’ve done a couple of chorizo-based breakfast items that were pretty popular. (The Chorizo Squarewrap has been one of my favorites). I wouldn’t be surprised to see chorizo make its way back for breakfast at some point.
CSD: Is QuikTrip offering ethnic-inspired flavors in food items during any other dayparts?
NP: We’ve tried to put together a great selection of items that have a little kick to them: habanero cheese taquitos, jalapeño cheese sausages, southwest chicken wraps, spicy condiments like our Sriracha Ranch and creamy Chipotle sauce…even our nacho cheese has got a little more oomph to it than you typically see. We even had a Cinnamon Crush doughnut recently with bright red cinnamon icing, like a Red Hot or Hot Tamale cinnamon.
CSD: House-made condiments are another trend in 2017, from special srirachas to made-from-scratch wasabi mayo. What is QuikTrip doing with condiments?
NP: We don’t make any sauces in house right now, but we work hard with our suppliers to get just the right flavors made for us. The Sriracha Ranch and creamy Chipotle are the most popular.
CSD: Millennials are increasingly exploring global food flavors. How do you cater to this demographic with your food menu?
NP: For Millennials, everything has to be share worthy. Customization is key. Pretty much everything customers can order at our kiosk screens or on the mobile app is highly customizable. And we’re testing made-to-order sub sandwiches in a few stores, so they can order great subs like the Big Italian or the Gardener or build their own creation from the ground up and add things like fresh jalapeños—the crispy jalapeños are popular, too—and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.
CSD: What are some of the best ways to incorporate ethnic /spicy or other flavors into the food menu?
NP: Condiments, sauces or other add-ons are probably the easiest, most approachable way. They’re a pretty easy change for the kitchen to make, and a low-risk way for consumers to be able to branch out a little from what they might normally buy.
Ethnic Flavors find Appeal
The National Restaurant Association’s “What’s in Store 2017” report surveyed 1,300 chefs on the hottest menu trends for 2017. Among the list of Top 20 Food Trends ethnic-type foods appeared several times (which are called out in bold type below). Another big trend was house-made items, from condiments to ice cream, showing that food origin continues to be a consideration for customers. Here are the top 11:
1. New cuts of meat (e.g. shoulder tender, oyster steak, Vegas Strip Steak, Merlot cut)
2. Street food-inspired dishes (e.g. tempura, kabobs,
dumplings, pupusas)
3. Healthful kids’ meals
4. House-made charcuterie
5. Sustainable seafood
6. Ethnic-inspired breakfast items (e.g., chorizo scrambled eggs, coconut milk pancakes)
7. House-made condiments
8. Authentic ethnic cuisine
9. Heirloom fruit and vegetables
10. African flavors
11. Ethnic spices (e.g. harissa, curry, peri peri, ras el hanout, shichimi)