Summertime means many things to many people. For me, it’s the time of year when I re-create the road-trip passion of Clark Griswold (from “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” for those of you who haven’t watched this deep, thought-provoking film). While my excursion in 2014 could never compare to a trek to Walley World, I did pack the wife and 20-something daughter in the car and travel 4,000 miles in 10 days, visiting 12 states and countless foodservice concepts.
The purpose was threefold. First was quality time with the family in a closed, moving car. (I was betting they wouldn’t “dive and roll” out of a moving SUV.) Second, I wanted to see what was currently “jazzing” today’s consumers and how retail concepts were delivering it. Third, I want to provide readers with best-practice foodservice insights from these travels while saving everyone the horror of traveling with me in a car that aromatically got a little funky after about a week of dirty clothes and warm, humid weather.
Since my early days, I have been blessed with the unfortunate gift of getting nauseated in an automobile unless I’m driving. My wife, Carol, will tell you this is just a subconscious, prefabricated illness that has emerged because I never seem to yell “shot- gun” fast enough to legitimately lay claim to the passenger front seat.
While she may be right, all I know is there was never a happier day in my life than when those ugly paneled station wagons with the rear-facing back seats went out of style. I still break out in a cold sweat thinking about me as a little kid sitting back there whenever the parents would head to town. After about 15 minutes of in-town stopping and starting, Dad would start praising the virtues of vinyl seats while Mom reached for a damp sponge that seemed to accompany our family on every trip.
So it goes without saying, as I venture dangerously close to the “too much information” zone right now, I was the sole driver during this most recent excursion. With countless hours on the road each day and often an early start or late-night driving, hot coffee was a staple of my on-road beverage behavior. So as I now dive headfirst into the second and third purposes of my trip, what I would like to do is focus on how they relate to the cover story of this month’s magazine: successful coffee programs.
What We Need
Let’s start with the needs of the current customer base. While there are countless trends that seem to pummel the pages of almost every trade publication, I did consistently witness three core consumer trends that seemed to be hanging around every time I grabbed a java. These are certainly worthy of discussion here.
▶ Millennials and Stress: As I entered a variety of c-stores and leisurely strolled back to the coffee area, all around me were individuals generally in the 18-to-33 age range. Without question, these men and women were moving in a much more frenzied manner than my own “Mrs. Wiggins” demeanor (a reference for all of you who enjoy one of my favorite Carol Burnett characters and her less-than-speedy gait).
Many of these individuals seemed to be dealing with stress from a variety of personal and professional sources. In fact, to add credibility to my in-store observations, consider a 2013 Harris Interactive survey I recently read that found millennials are experiencing stress levels higher than national norms. Thirty-nine percent of this demographic say their stress has increased in the past year, while 52% say stress has kept them awake at night.
For those I observed in a stealthy yet somewhat creepy manner, there seemed to be an appreciation surrounding their ability to consistently source reliable, high-quality liquid “pick-me-ups.” This was one less decision they had to make. Convenience stores that had taken the time to understand these individuals and their need states obviously had taken a giant step toward customer lifestyle integration.
▶ Craft Consciousness: You can thank reality TV for the unbelievable increase in appreciation many consumers have for the variety of goods and services that can be positively influenced by artisan skill sets and production methods. It was not unusual during my travels to see c-stores providing backstories about why their specific in-store coffee brand deserved a premium halo designation.
On more than one occasion, as I lingered near the coffee-bar area, a curious employee would wander back and initiate a hot-beverage discussion. Suddenly, I was learning more about how behind-the-scenes processes during the supplier-to-store journey were influencing base coffee flavor profiles and freshness than I could possibly imagine. These often illustrated why the cup of coffee I was holding in my hand was truly more crafted than I would have originally imagined.
From a consumer-research perspective, I have encountered numerous studies indicating that “preparation style” is the most influential manner by which consumers feel flavor can be imparted on a food or beverage. Translated: Chefs, concepts and suppliers that do this well can achieve culinary rock-star status, and the “Preparation and Creation Prowess” recognition they are given often can be converted into more unwavering customer loyalty. Especially in the Northeastern states I visited, insulting a convenience store’s brand of coffee while concept loyalists were nearby often was interpreted as fighting words!
▶ Just Being Neighborly: People have anxiety (with a touch of suspicion). Many would love to leave interactions with store employees feeling better than when the experience began. Standing in various coffee-bar operations, I constantly observed consumers in search of foodservice experiences that embraced the three characteristics of simple, straightforward and no hint of hidden agenda—in other words, an opportunity to get a cup of coffee with a side of “cleansing breath.” These consumers believe the price of a meal is “food plus”—and that “plus” is often defined as hospitality. Even though the interactions between staff members and customers were typically no longer than about 45 seconds, c-stores making this happen were having an effect. The great thing is this philosophy has appeal across multiple generations.
For the boomer, such tiny-town small talk hearkens back to the good old days, when neighbors lived near each other for decades rather than what now seems like days. These individuals had each other’s proverbial backs, and a favor was no further away than a phone call (on a rotary phone, no less). For millennials, today’s world can be a cynical place. Convenience stores I visited that were “really hopping” seemed to include the characteristic of employees calling these regulars by name. Even in my daughter’s case (a textbook millennial), being a total stranger didn’t exclude chitchat. A friendly “How are you” greeted Sydney as she entered these stores, and a “Be safe during your travels” was the norm as she left. (During the checkout process, they often inquired about what she was doing.)
Gen-X moms and dads who visited with younger children seemed to have their plates full, but hospitality aimed in their direction was possible as well. When I witnessed employees coming out from behind the counter to help these customers fill a hot beverage while parents focused on corralling the little ones, I knew these places were doing something right.
CONTINUED: Persona, Product & People
Power of the P’s
So given these three core consumer trends, how were successful convenience stores I visited in responding? What were my main takeaways? Could these possibly be summarized in a few essential nuggets that fi t easily within the confines of this article? Even though the rest of my family will tell you this most recent road trip in-car sample time of 240 hours would suggest nay-nay, I will demonstrate otherwise.
Simply put, every winning concept addressed the core consumer trends by offering customers the “power of the P’s”: persona, product and people. Uniqueness in one or more of these areas really seemed to catch customers’ attention, increase a concept’s ability to create fabulous impressions and encourage repeat visits.
Below are examples from my journey illustrating each one. While not all of these are coffee-bar-specific, their strategic spirit can easily be extrapolated specifically to hot-beverage programs, so get ready to create some serious inferences!
Persona (Concept Individualism)
While traveling through Tennessee, I began noticing a lot of signs on the interstate for a convenience store chain called Weigel’s. When the gauge on my dashboard suggested filling up with gas might be a good idea, I decided this was the time to check it out.
After filling up, I headed inside. Approaching the front door, a sign in the window proudly touted the store’s coffee prowess. Intrigued, I poured a cup and began taking pictures. After a few seconds, a young cashier approached. She was very curious about why a photo shoot had suddenly broken out in her store. I told her I had noticed the sign in the window. I’m always game to call out a concept making such a bold claim about some aspect of its operation.
After taking a sip, I had to agree this was a pretty good brew. I innocently asked the young lady why it reigned supreme. For the next 10 minutes, this mild-mannered employee turned into “super lecturer,” explaining every aspect of the coffee I was about to drink and how it tied to Weigel’s core positioning. She provided me with concept backstory that appealed directly to consumers’ sense of craft conscious- ness and how this made Weigel’s different from competitors, ultimately helping me establish a mental marker in my beverage Rolodex.
Product Craveability
If you’re ever in Chattanooga, Tenn., I highly recommend grabbing breakfast at a spot called Aretha Frankenstein’s. This ultra-hip restaurant, located in a converted residential home, appears to have strong cultural roots in the local music scene (as exemplified by the clever play on the name of singer Aretha Franklin as inspiration for their store’s moniker). After arriving early in the morning to score one of the few indoor tables, a young, heavily tattooed waiter approached. For all intents and purposes, this fellow seemed to eat, breathe and sleep music. I couldn’t imagine his core personal passion straying elsewhere.
Yet when I inquired about the pancakes, which numerous online reviews indicated were near world-class status, his face immediately lit up. He proceeded to tell me the skillful manner in which their pancakes were cooked and the ingredients used. At one point, he unexpectedly dashed away and returned with an infinite number of strawberry jelly packets, proclaiming mere mortal syrup could not do justice to the “total out-of-body experience” I would receive by spreading this jam on the restaurant’s glorious pancakes instead.
While I visited a lot of breakfast spots, this is the one I remember because of the product superiority experienced through taste and communicated via employee passion. The long line of people waiting outside as I left after my breakfast agreed. As I talked to these individuals, many said the restaurant was a regular stomping ground. This millennial-heavy crowd found not only the musically inspired theme of the concept appealing, but also the fact that every time they visited they could consistently count on these awesome pancakes. After a long night of partying, there were no tough decisions about what breakfast place would totally satisfy their munchies. Wow! You couldn’t ask for better example of satisfying millennials and their elevated stress levels.
People and ‘Hospitality Gene’
How many of you watch “Salvage Dawgs” on the DIY network? It follows the escapades of Roanoke, Va.-based company Black Dog Salvage. Created in 1999, this company removes, often refurbishes and resells historic elements from buildings about to be torn down. When I visited, co- owners Mike Whiteside and Robert Kulp were milling around meeting people. After chatting for a few minutes, they would inquire as to what these guests were specifically looking for and offer solutions. Both were very approachable and genuinely interested in creating happy customer visits. In fact, Mike (see photo) actually said he didn’t mind our exuberance about meeting him, and wasn’t even considering a restraining order!
During the course of my visit, I inter - acted with probably a half-dozen other employees with similar mindsets. Each was just as warm, welcoming and concerned about the quality of my in-store experience. Why? Mike and Robert possess the “hospitality gene,” and make sure other employees do as well. The “hospitality gene” is having the desire to make sure customers are genuinely satisfied with their experience. It’s rare in today’s society of “hidden retail agendas,” so when executed successfully it strikes a powerful consumer loyalty chord and completely addresses a desire to patronize concepts that are “just being neighborly.”
So if you truly want to create a coffee program (and c-store overall) consumers will crave, adopt the “power of the P’s” and align them with the core consumer trends I’ve discussed and the local demands you are experiencing in your own particular market. Also, if you’d like to discuss in more detail some of the specifics I observed in convenience stores and elsewhere during my most recent travels, feel free to drop me a line at the email listed in this column. I am always happy to chat about successful convenience store strategies as I see them while “walking in your customers’ shoes.”
Finally, because I don’t want to be accused of not having the type of hospitality discussed at length in this article, if you’d like to join me for next year’s road trip, I’d be happy to squeeze you in with the rest of the family. All I ask is you chip in a little gas money and perhaps one of those pine-tree air fresheners.
Kevin Higar is author of “Always Let The Chicken Lead: The Seven Attributes All Winning Restaurants Possess.” Reach him at kevin@alwaysletthechickenlead.com.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.