Where the Gains Are: Refrigerated and Frozen
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 27, 2015
C-store sales of milk dropped nearly 6 percent in 2015, led by a double-digit drop in skim and low-fast milk, according to IRI. Elsewhere in the cooler, unit ssales of natural cheese jumped more than 13%, with strong sales of string cheese providing momentum.
In frozen, c-store unit sales of novelties rose nearly 3 percent, with dollars up almost 10 percent to reach $726.6 million.
Refrigerated Dairy
| Segment | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skim/low-fat milk | $754.0 | (12.7%) | 254.8 | (8.5%) |
| Whole milk | $582.8 | (4.8%) | 199.7 | (1.9%) |
| Flavored milk/eggnog/buttermilk | $417.1 | 8.2% | 240.2 | 7.7% |
| Natural cheese | $152.8 | 13.6% | 115.7 | 13.2% |
| Fresh eggs | $90.3 | 12.3% | 34.5 | (8.2%) |
| Creams/creamers | $71.6 | (1.8%) | 27.0 | (4.1%) |
| Yogurt | $60.0 | 3.8% | 37.2 | 2.5% |
Source: IRI | * Percent change from a year ago
Refrigerated Entrees
| Segment | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Hand-held nonbreakfast entrees | $899.5 | 14.8% | 273.4 | 11.3% |
| Breakfast entrees | $318.1 | 17.2% | 136.1 | 13.5% |
| Lunches | $157.6 | 28.1% | 54.4 | 32.2% |
Frozen Desserts
| Segment | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Novelties | $762.6 | 9.9% | 370.0 | 2.9% |
| Ice cream | $477.6 | 3.9% | 106.1 | (6.4%) |
Frozen Snacks and Entrees
| Segment | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Dinners/entrees | $220.3 | 10.9% | 93.6 | 5.6% |
| Appetizers/snack rolls | $183.2 | 21.4% | 142.6 | 25.7% |
| Pizza | $167.1 | 9.5% | 35.1 | 27.7% |
| Breakfast food | $110.9 | 18.3% | 49.5 | 17.4% |
Source: IRI | * Percent change from a year ago
Frozen Dessert Trends
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending December 27, 2015
C-store unit sales of frozen novelties rose nearly 3 percent in 2015, led by strong sales of f'real and the Wells Blue Bunny brands, according to IRI.
Frozen Novelty Brands
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f'real | $119.1 | 23.8% | 41.5 | 21.5% |
| Wells Blue Bunny | $67.9 | 19.2% | 40.0 | 16.3% |
| Nestle | $63.4 | 3.1% | 31.0 | (3.3%) |
| Nestle Drumstick | $61.1 | 8.0% | 22.2 | 7.6% |
| Good Humor | $60.7 | 5.4% | 31.3 | 2.0% |
| Snickers | $51.6 | (1.6%) | 26.6 | (1.6%) |
| Good Humor Giant | $44.1 | 11.1% | 21.6 | 6.8% |
| Haagen-Dazs | $33.2 | 6.2% | 11.4 | 6.2% |
| Klondike | $32.2 | 11.1% | 15.4 | 8.2% |
| Magnum | $27.7 | 14.5% | 9.0 | 11.9% |
| Total** | $762.6 | 9.9% | 370.0 | 2.9% |
Source: IRI | * Percent change from a year ago | ** Including UPCs/brands/families not shown
Ice Cream Brands
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben & Jerry's | $172.2 | 19.3% | 30.2 | 13.7% |
| Haagen-Dazs | $56.4 | 8.3% | 10.7 | 4.3% |
| Private label | $28.0 | 17.6% | 7.6 | 6.1% |
| Blue Bell | $27.1 | (59.8%) | 9.8 | (62.0%) |
| Dreyer's/Edy's Grand | $27.0 | 23.5% | 6.8 | 26.9% |
| Total** | $477.6 | 3.9% | 106.1 | (6.4%) |
Source: IRI | * Percent change from a year ago | ** Including UPCs/brands/families not shown
Cross-Category Opportunity
According to an analysis of retail point-of-sale data by Management Science Associates, 32 percent of milk transactions include just that item. The remaining two-thirds of baskets most often include:
- Premium Cigarettes
- CSDs
- Chocolate bars/packs
- Snack cakes/pastries/desserts
- Bottled water
- Energy drinks
- Potato chips
- Juice/juice drinks
- Iced tea
- Sports drinks
Yogurt UPCs
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Jan. 20, 2016
The top c-store yogurt UPC was the 5.3-ounce Chobani Greek strawberry, according to Nielsen.
| UPC | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chobani Greek Strawberry (5.3-oz.) | $11.3 | 5.0% | 6.4 | 5.3% |
| Chobani Greek Blueberry (5.3-oz.) | $9.8 | 1.7% | 5.5 | 1.7% |
| Chobani Greek Peach (5.3-oz.) | $6.7 | 0.8% | 3.7 | 0.8% |
| Total | $75.1 | 9.7% | 47.1 | 6.8% |
Source: The Nielsen Co., Kellogg Co. | * Percent change from a year ago | ** Including UPCs/brands/families not shown
15.8% – Increase in c-store unit sales of strong and stick cheese in 2015, according to IRI.
Foodservice: What to Watch
Menu Trends
Shelf Stable
CMOY: Andre Benoit
View the full 2016 Category Management Handbook
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