Traditionally known for packaged foods and beverages, convenience stores are upping the foodservice game. Many have started offering freshly prepared hot and cold foods, making them formidable competition to restaurants—and it’s paying off.
Twenty-two percent of consumers say they’re ordering food to go more often from c-stores, and 42% of consumers say they order food to go from a c-store at least once a month, according to Technomic’s 2016 Takeout & Off-Premise Dining Consumer Trend Report, powered by Ignite.
Rutter’s Farm Stores, York, Pa., has been offering freshly prepared foods for a decade, but over that time, the chain has continued to elevate its menu. Today, its super-premium offerings include bone-in beef short ribs, scallops and Angus beef.
It comes down to mindset, says Ryan Krebs, director of foodservice for Rutter’s. “I don’t think convenience; I think restaurant and I think quality food. Then I have to think about how we can execute it in our settings.”
To deliver super-premium foodservice, Krebs says he leverages relationships with suppliers and distributors to bring in high-end products he can’t make in-house. But it’s also important to buy quality food, he explains. “Give your customers quality and charge them an honest price for it.”
Using the right tools to get the job done
In order to offer super-premium foods, retailers also need the right equipment, says Krebs. “It’s about quality equipment and the longevity of the equipment.”
Having machinery that breaks down frequently will not help foodservice sales, he says. “That helps us stay in that super-premium category.”
Foodservice equipment has come a long way over the past several decades. Hatco, for instance, now offers its front-of-house equipment in seven different colors, “so our customers can match their decor and get away from the utilitarian look,” says Mark Ecker, Hatco’s regional sales manager.
Hatco’s equipment helps c-store retailers provide food that’s second to none by cooking it quickly or preparing it in advance and holding it, and often merchandising it at the same time.
This lineup includes:
- Hot merchandising cabinets, soon to be released, are ideal for holding grab-and-go foods. The cabinets circulate convected air through air-curtain technology, which provides extended hold times is with an upscale look.
- Merchandising warmers in multiple sizes, including the new HXM series. With heated shelves and overhead heat, Ecker describes the design of these warmers as “George Jetson futuristic design” because of the sleek European lines.
- Heated wells and cold-well drop-ins, which help create a restaurant within a c-store. Retailers can use them with or without overhead heat, and thanks to the decorative breath protectors, “customers can watch the operator create delicious foods,” Ecker says.
- Heat and humidity countertop cabinets, which can accommodate different dayparts and products such as bakery items and pizza. Some racks rotate for improved merchandising, while stationary versions allow for more capacity and ease of removing products.
- Food rethermalizers are becoming an important addition to c-stores. “These devices increase water temperature so you can bring bagged food like soups up to a safe serving temperature quickly,” says Ecker.
- HDW drawer warmers hold anything from baked potatoes to meats, vegetables and breads. These have one to four drawers, and are easily accessible.
- The Intelligent Toast Quick Toaster, which has up to 40 programmable buttons. This provides capability to accommodate multiple bread products with a touch of one of the programmable controls
- Ovention ovens, which cook food quickly, don’t require a hood and are stackable.
With the right equipment, the right mindset and excellent food, any c-store operator can wow customers with an outstanding super-premium foodservice program.
This post is sponsored by Hatco