Up to 20% of restaurants have closed permanently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While that's sad news for the 79,000 restaurants no longer serving customers, it represents a unique opportunity for convenience stores willing to sell fresh food along with the usual snacks and beverages, as consumers look to fill that void by finding food options in other places. With c-stores slowly returning to pre-pandemic sales, it seems like a good time to fill the gap left by shuttered restaurants.
Restaurant Dollars Are Up For Grabs
Customers that miss their favorite restaurants need fast, easy ways to get their meals. Therefore, convenience store merchandisers have a unique opportunity to increase sales with expanded in-store menus, particularly fresh items that will travel well. With nearly 36% of c-store profits attributable to food sales, finding premium products that bring customers back translates directly to the bottom line.
With school back in session, busy parents and hungry kids will look for grab-n-go items on the way to school, practice, or home. So, there's no better time to add fresh sandwiches, fruits, and other food that customers will gobble up.
Why Should Retailers Care About Growing & Improving Their Foodservice Program?
The 2022 C-Store News Industry Report shows that in-store sales have risen 6.2% (as of June 2022). Even more encouraging, foodservice sales have increased by 20%. That follows a 10% downturn in foodservice sales during the pandemic. With fuel sales up 40%, commuters have returned to the roadways, and there could be room for even higher foodservice growth.
To encourage repeat sales at the register and not just the pump, convenience stores should consider seasonal foods, such as hearty soups and spiced pumpkin bread, and other items that are easy to eat on the go. Healthy options like veggie sandwiches can incorporate squash and other in-season produce.
Keep Your Food Products Warm With Federals Vision Series Merchandisers
To keep premade food fresh, merchandisers should consider efficient display cases, such as Federal's Vision Series display cases, available in curved or straight profiles. These systems feature improved product displays in heated or refrigerated, high-profile cases that make it easy for customers to see what they want, make a selection, and pay in mere minutes.
With visible fresh food products, convenience store merchandisers can increase their return on investment by increasing repeat business and customer engagement.
The latest models have 5% more room, so merchandisers can experiment with new products without losing real estate for best-selling items. Customers can reach in and grab what they want and continue shopping without even breaking stride.
The new Vision Series also makes it easy for owners and store managers to optimize temperature settings for optimal food safety. Its easy-to-operate controls allow anyone on the c-store staff to make adjustments as needed. There is no special training required.
With cost-effective ways to display fresh foods, merchandisers can continue to increase their foodservice sales and make up for some of the losses of the past few years. Investing in infrastructure such as Vision Series refrigerated and heated display cases is an easy management decision once merchandisers consider the recent uptick in sales.