Chestnut Market
Many of Chestnut’s company-operated stores without a coffee QSR like Dunkin’ (above) are converting from soft heat servers to new bean-to-cup coffee machines for Chestnut’s proprietary Lotta Java coffee brand (right).
“We’ve always had grab-and-go and grocery items in the store,” Sharif Jamal said, “but depending on the site and the size of the store, we could be carrying more fresh items, more produce. … That’s one of the reasons we went with the name Chestnut Market — we’re starting to carry more fresh products.” Many of Chestnut’s company-operated stores without a coffee QSR are converting from soft heat servers to new bean-to-cup coffee machines for Chestnut’s proprietary Lotta Java coffee brand. “We work with a local roaster out of New Jersey,” said Executive VP Cal Jamal. “We use 100% Colombian coffee and a Java Reserve mix as our two main coffee offerings. All locations also carry additional flavored coffees and teas.” Despite a high-quality coffee offer, the pandemic impacted Chestnut’s dayparts, said Faheem Jamal, director of c-store operations — 44
CSTORE DECISIONS •
October 2021
particularly in the morning. “COVID has changed the morning commute,” he said. “People have been starting their days later, or not commuting at all anymore, which resulted in a major shift to midday and afternoon traffic patterns.” Still, he said, “customers relied on us being a quick and clean stop for convenience and grocery items. We gained customers’ trust and loyalty by having clean and fully stocked essential products.” For Mickey, Sal, Sam and Cal, the move toward foodservice is full circle. Their background, before opening that first store in 1981, was in foodservice and in distribution. “We’re very familiar with the food business,” Mickey Jamal said. “Now, the whole convenience industry nationwide has been focusing more and more on specialty offerings. And most of that specialty offering is food.”
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