58|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie
Forecourt Focus: News
Circle K research reveals customers attitude to on-the-go food choices
The new Circle K ‘Grab and Go’ range includes options like a gourmet hot dot and a veggie omelette bagel.
COVID may have changed our lives considerably since the start of 2020, but when it comes to sustenance on-the-go, the one thing that has, and will remain a constant through all of this is convenience retail and the provision of breakfast, lunch and all-day hot snacking options for people on the move. 58% of Irish people continued eating on-the-go since Covid-19 interrupted our lives, and over a quarter (26%) buy readymade meals from a convenience retailer at least once a week, according to new research by Circle K, (from a sample of 1,000 Irish adults, conducted by iReach Insights on behalf of Circle K in August 2020). Forecourts are a key aspect of Ireland’s convenience retail sector but almost half (48%) of Irish people think that there is a lack of food options to choose from at the forecourt. Overall, 60% felt they were compromising their food preferences when choosing to eat on-the-go. When asked to rank what was most important to them when choosing food on-the-go, the majority (28%) of people said taste, 25% said quality, 14% said value, 10% said convenience and 7% said choice. Circle K set out to challenge these perceptions and deliver upon the public demand for quality, choice, taste, value and convenience, and in response has just launched its new ‘Grab and Go’ range that significantly ups the game in the forecourt food market. Circle K’s new offering represents the tastiest and highest quality food range it has ever produced. With a huge choice of new convenient ready-made sandwich and baguette options, including a Southern Fried Chicken and Cheese Baguette, Cajun Chicken Baguette and tasty salad products, lunch and all-day hot snacking for people on the move has reached great new heights. In addition to the ready-made options, Circle K has also added new items to its hugely popular breakfast range. Joining the breakfast range line-up are several delicious
meals such as sausage or egg and bacon on a brioche bun, a breakfast muffin complete with Ballymaloe Relish, a veggie omelette bagel and a tasty breakfast baguette, garnished with a sauce of your choice and served on sourdough bread. A firm favourite, Circle K’s selection of Irish, Gourmet Chilli, BLT and French hot dogs, all made from the same high-quality ingredients and toppings, are also available in sites nationwide as part of the new ‘Grab and Go’ offer. “At Circle K, we strive to make our customers’ lives easier every day and have been listening to what consumers want from food options while on-the-go: taste, high quality, great value, excellent choice and convenient access,” noted Judy Glover, Senior Market Director, Circle K Ireland. “We have developed a new ‘Grab and Go’ range that delivers on these needs, is consistent at all sites and will assure consumers that they do not need to compromise on their food preferences when they opt for a lunch or hot snack on-thego. “One of the busiest times in-store is at the start of the day, when our customers stop by our sites to look for morning fuel, both for their vehicle and for themselves. “Research shows that while people are buying food while ‘on-the-go’ in convenience retailers regularly, when it comes to forecourt food, there is a perception amongst many that there is a lack of quality and taste in what’s available. Our new breakfast range has products to satisfy the morning cravings of any food connoisseur and make sure that no one feels they must miss out on the most important meal of the day.” For more information on the new food ranges, visit www.circlek.ie, Circle K Ireland on Facebook or @circlekireland on Twitter and Instagram.
