FOODSERVICE
Pulling Ahead of the Pack Foodservice competition is getting fiercer for c-stores, pushing them to go beyond good enough in order to differentiate their offer By Angela Hanson
convenience store operators is that consumers are increasingly likely to consider c-store foodservice programs when they want an away-from-home meal or snack. The bad news is that c-stores are being considered in the same competitive pool as quick-service restaurants, fast-casual eateries and other c-store chains — all of which are continually upping their prepared food game: the larger the number of competitors, the more difficult it is to stand out from the crowd.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR
To gain greater share of the stomach, it is critical that food-forward convenience stores carefully examine their menu, their market and their competitors as they seek to differentiate their offer and make a name for themselves as a food destination. One option is to identify a menu item that can serve as the program's tentpole. The “convenient” part of convenience stores comes from providing customers easy access to a wide variety of food and merchandise they want and need, but the best-known c-store foodservice programs are recognized for something specific. For example, Casey's
62 Convenience Store News C S N E W S . c o m
General Stores Inc. is a market leader in pizza, while Stewart's Shops is strongly associated with its ice cream, and 7-Eleven Inc.'s Slurpee frozen drinks have been iconic for decades. C-store operators can also stand out by focusing on a class of menu items that are unique and targeted to the tastes of their customers. Baltimore-based High's, which operates 54 locations across the Mid-Atlantic, specializes in craveable fare that is unique to its area, such as Chesapeake Bay rockfish sandwiches, Maryland jumbo lump crab cakes, scrapple egg and cheese sandwiches, Maryland smoke house pit beef sandwiches, and more. “We've even partnered with a local specialty restaurant supplier to ensure we buy local; serve unique and regional; and provide quality food, not 'entry level' food,” said Dallas Wells, vice president of foodservice at High's.
Building a Bolder Menu Differentiating a brand from the competition starts early, going all the way back to menu development. C-stores that incorporate a guiding philosophy as they move through the process of creating new items have a stronger sense of identity.
