“Millennials are a critical consumer group to the foodservice industry, and finding ways to market to them can be difficult because they have high and varied expectations,” says Sara Monnette, director of consumer research for Technomic. Consumers’ positive outlook of the future indicates that they may increase spending on foodservice within the next year, according…
Meeting the Needs of Today’s C-Store Customers
CSD‘s 2012 Category Management Outlook offers trends and analysis from more than 25 key in-store categories. By John Lofstock and Erin Rigik. Tough economic times and stiff competition across the supply chain are making it critical for convenience store operators to have a solid understanding of their customers, particularly their high-frequency, high-value shoppers. Armed with…
Ethnic, Local Themes Among Emerging Deli Trends
International fare and regionally produced ingredients are the hottest trends in deli department foods, according to “What’s in Store 2012,” the recently released annual trends publication of the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA). Eighty-two percent of consumers enjoy visiting supermarket delis that feature newer and trendier items, regardless of whether they regularly purchase these items. Delis…
Beverages Fuel Gas Customers’ In-Store Purchases
NACS releases findings from its 2012 consumer fuels report. Beverage purchases drive gas customers inside the store more than any other item, but new preferences are emerging, with consumers saying that more foodservice, more healthy options and more local involvement could all increase their spending at convenience stores, according to findings released today from the…
FamilyMart Expands In Southeast Asia
Japanese c-store chains look to other Asian countries for growth opportunities. FamilyMart Co., Japan’s largest convenience store operator in Southeast Asia, is set to rollout 600 new stores in Indonesia and the Philippines, Bloomberg reported. The retailer expects to open 300 stores in each country by 2015, expanding on a network that includes more…
Consumer Confidence Improving
“Consumers are back in the game,” James Russo, vice president of global consumer insights at Nielsen, assured the crowd of retailers at the NACS State of the Industry Summit in Chicago this week. Russo shared the top consumer behaviors c-store operators should watch for this year, noting that while consumers were on the sidelines in…
An Appetizing Offering
Keeping the Customers Satisfied John Foley, an independent culinary consultant, said c-stores are a perfect fit for appetizers because of their portability and lower cost. He offered retailers five tips for increasing appetizer, soup and salad sales. 1) Develop a series of appetizers that are not on your regular menu and rotate them as specials…
Turning a Profit at the Roller Grill
TOP PERFORMERS Oscar Mayer (Kraft) Ball Park (Sara Lee) Hillshire Farms (Sara Lee) HONORABLE MENTIONS Ruiz Food Products Johnsonville Sausage Don Miguel Roller grills, the backbone of many convenience store foodservice programs, continue to provide chains with an inexpensive, labor-friendly foodservice concept that allows store operators to expand their fresh food offering at a time…
Poultry Pushes Food Sales
TOP PERFORMERS Tyson Brakebush Broaster HONORABLE MENTIONS Chester’s Chicken Krispy Krunchy Pilgrims Pride Chicken’s economical price and inherent flexibility gives convenience store retailers a myriad of opportunities for growing their foodservice business without sacrificing quality and value. More importantly, chicken offers retailers a host of branded and unbranded options for creating everything from a fresh…
Make Coffee More Profitable
Tips for Preparing the Perfect Cup • Always use fresh, filtered water. • Always use fresh, whole bean coffee. Coffee is perishable: use within two weeks of roast date. • Store coffee beans in an air-tight container away from heat, light and moisture. No freezer or refrigerator. • Grind just before brewing—a timer will help…