C-store Menu Trends
Technomic's Menu Monitor c-store database features menus from 40 retailers in the United States. What follows is a snapshot of their foodservice offerings in 2015.
As shown in the chart below, sandwiches were the most popular entree, featured on more than half of hte mneus in Technomic's database in the last quarter of 2015 and offered by nearly 95 percenet of operators. The average price of a sandwich was $3.49.
Based on the previous year, the number of sandwiches available on menus rose 14.6%, but the number of retailers offering them remained flat. Mexican food's menu incidence was up by 15 percent. Burritos provided much of that momentum, with a nearly 22 percent increase.
The number of pizza items rose 20.9 percent, and the number of operators offering them grew more than 11 percent.
Entrées at C-Stores
| Product category | Menu incidence | Entree distribution | Operators offering | Operator penetration | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandwich | 783 | 51.6% | 37 | 94.9% | $3.49 |
| Mexican | 153 | 10.1% | 30 | 76.9% | $2.54 |
| Pizza | 133 | 8.8% | 20 | 51.3% | $8.21 |
| Hot dogs | 115 | 7.6% | 36 | 92.3% | $1.87 |
| Burgers | 80 | 5.3% | 25 | 64.1% | $3.07 |
| Chicken dish | 67 | 4.4% | 17 | 43.6% | $3.91 |
| Salad main dish | 53 | 3.5% | 16 | 41.0% | $5.12 |
| Combo plates | 42 | 2.8% | 21 | 53.8% | $3.19 |
| Pork dish | 25 | 1.6% | 16 | 41.0% | $2.03 |
| Breakfast starch | 22 | 1.5% | 15 | 38.5% | $1.84 |
| Pasta/noodles | 14 | 0.9% | 5 | 12.8% | $3.62 |
| Other | 29 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 1,516 | N/A | 39 | N/A | N/A |
Source: Technomic Inc., MenuMonitor Q4 2015 | * Forecast | ** Respondents could select more than one option
Snacks at C-Stores
Soft pretzels, included under the "breads" segment of snacks, grew in both number of items available on c-store menus and the number of retailers offering them. The most common snack item was soup, featured on more than one-fourth of menus in the Technomic database.
| Product category | Menu incidence | Snack distribution | Operators offering | Operators penetration | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soup | 43 | 26.1% | 8 | 24.2% | $3.13 |
| Breaded protein | 26 | 15.8% | 18 | 54.5% | $1.94 |
| Mexican | 19 | 11.5% | 16 | 48.5% | $1.64 |
| Breaded vegetables | 14 | 8.5% | 10 | 30.3% | $2.60 |
| Breads | 13 | 7.9% | 11 | 33.3% | $2.10 |
| Breaded other | 12 | 7.3% | 11 | 33.3% | $2.41 |
| Salad | 9 | 5.5% | 8 | 24.2% | $3.81 |
| Wings | 8 | 4.8% | 6 | 18.2% | $5.56 |
| Fries | 7 | 4.2% | 4 | 12.1% | $3.85 |
| Other | 14 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 165 | N/A | 33 | N/A | $2.70 |
Source: Technomic Inc., MenuMonitor Q4 2015
Foodservice Sales By Channel
Technomic forecasts a 3.3 percent increase in c-store foodservice sales in 2016, a slightly lower growth rate than in 2015.
| Channel | Retail sales 2015 ($ Billions) | Nominal growth 2015 | Nominal growth 2016* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-service restaurants | $212.0 | 4.1% | 3.8% |
| Fast casual | $43.2 | 11.3% | 10.3% |
| Supermarket foodservice | $28.2 | 8.6% | 9.3% |
| C-store | $19.5 | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| All other retailers | $12.3 | 4.4% | 3.8% |
Source: Technomic Inc., MenuMonitor Q4 2015 | * Forecast
Foodservice Purchases by Source**
Calendar year 2015
In a survey of customers of two dozen c-store chains, Technomic found that about two-thirds of their foodservice purchases came from three areas: the bakery case, a made-to-order program and the roller grill.
Source: Technomic Inc., MenuMonitor Q4 2015 | ** Respondents could select more than one option
Continued: Consumer Attitudes on Prepared Foods
Consumer Prepared-Food Attitudes
Calendar Year 2015
Retailer meal solutions is Technomic's term for ready-to-eat or heat prepared foods at retail stores. These may include refrigerated items, but not frozen. Examples include items such as sandwiches, pizza, soups and rotisserie chicken, and baked goods such as muffins.
According to its 2015 Consumer Trend Report, Technomic found that the number of consumers purchasing an RMS from c-stores rose 10 points in the past five years to hit 62 percent.
Have you ever purchased an RMS from:
| Channel | 2010 | 2012 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional supermarkets | 88% | 92% | 90% |
| Mass merchandisers | 77% | 77% | 72% |
| Warehouse clubs | 58% | 58% | 57% |
| C-stores | 52% | 57% | 62% |
| Specialty food stores | 36% | 37% | 43% |
| Upscale/fresh-format supermarkets | 29% | 28% | 33% |
| Drug stores | N/A | N/A | 19% |
The percentage of consumers who purchased an RMS from c-stores more than once a week rose from 32% in a 2012 survey to an average of 37% in a 2015 survey. The channel was especially popular with millennials.
How often do you purchase a retailer meal solution from:
| Channel | 18-34 years old | 35+ years old |
|---|---|---|
| C-stores | 48% | 31% |
| Mass merchandisers | 47% | 29% |
| Traditional supermarkets | 46% | 33% |
| Drug stores | 45% | 42% |
| Specialty food/upscale supermarkets | 37% | 23% |
| Warehouse clubs | 30% | 17% |
C-stores' emphasis on coffee and the availabilit of portable offerings make the channel the most popular spot for breakfast RMS purchases.
Where do you purchase an RMS for breakfast?
| Channel | 18-34 years old | 35+ years old |
|---|---|---|
| C-stores | 55% | 56% |
| Mass merchandisers | 24% | 11% |
| Traditional supermarkets | 22% | 12% |
| Drug stores | 21% | 12% |
| Specialty food/upscale supermarkets | 20% | 13% |
| Warehouse clubs | 16% | 9% |
C-stores were the least popular choice for dinner RMS purchases among the channels, likely, because consumers have more time in the evening to shop, making convenience a less critical factor in picking a retail location.
Where do you purchase an RMS for lunch and dinner?
| Channel | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|
| Mass merchandisers | 55% | 69% |
| Traditional supermarkets | 54% | 72% |
| Specialty food/upscale supermarkets | 53% | 68% |
| C-stores | 50% | 19% |
| Warehouse clubs | 47% | 69% |
| Drug stores | 39% | 26% |
C-stores rank as the second most popular location for consumers to purchase an RMS as a snack.
Where do you purchase an RMS for snacks?
| Channel | 18-34 years old | 35+ years old |
|---|---|---|
| Drug stores | 61% | 58% |
| C-stores | 55% | 52% |
| Mass merchandisers | 52% | 35% |
| Traditional supermarkets | 39% | 26% |
| Warehouse clubs | 37% | 24% |
| Specialty food/upscale supermarkets | 29% | 24% |
Source: Technomic Inc.
Cross-Category Opportunity
According to an analysis of retail point-of-sale data by Management Science Associates, the following products were most often included in a foodservice market basket:
- Perishable grocery/salads
- Potato chips
- Ready-to-eat meals
- Tortilla/corn chips
- Flavored milk
- Juice/juice drinks
- RTD iced tea
- Other salty snacks
- Enhanced water
- Puffed cheese
$19.5 billion – C-store foodservice sales in 2015, according to Technomic
Foodservice: What to Watch
Frozen/Refrigerated
Shelf Stable
CMOY: Andre Benoit
View the full 2016 Category Management Handbook
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