HERSHEY, Pa. -- Young people these days can't get enough of nostalgia. Americans’ wistfulness has bankrolled the commercial success of everything from Netflix’s “Stranger Things” to vinyl record players. Old-fashioned comfort foods have also enjoyed a resurgence, and for some, that includes branded desserts.
More than half of Gen Zers are more likely to order an item with a branded ingredient they ate as a child, according to research from The Hershey Co.’s foodservice division and The Center for Generational Kinetics. With Gen Z and millennial consumers citing dessert as a top decision factor when choosing where to eat, convenience stores have an opportunity to use sugary treats to boost trips.
Check out three insights that can help retailers sweeten foodservice sales ...
Nearly 90% of Gen Z and millennials think about eating dessert one or more times a day, the report said. With the help of social media, retailers can get consumers to ride that train of thought right into stores. Retailers can design social media campaigns that leverage Gen Z’s Instagram habit. Gen Z posts pictures of desserts more than any other food, according to the report. In fact, 46% of Gen Z consumers have a picture of a dessert on their phone right now.
As c-store trips decline, operators are searching for more ways to bring guests in the door. Investing in developing and promoting a dessert menu could pay off in customer loyalty. About 47% of young people have a restaurant they frequent just for dessert, according to the report.
Playing off the popularity of the Hershey Gold candy bar, 7-Eleven launched its Hershey Gold Caramelized Cappuccino earlier this year. The strategy caters to more than half of Gen Z and millennials, who are more likely to order an item with branded ingredients they recognize. Co-branding does more than lift impulse purchases; it can also drive repeat customers. About 70% of Gen Zers are likely to return to a restaurant where they have eaten a Hershey-branded dessert to order another, and more than half believe a dessert is higher quality if it has Hershey ingredients, said the report.
“This research is great news for foodservice operators,” said Darren Belnavis, chef for Hershey, Pa.-based Hershey Foodservice. “There are so many ways to offer on-trend beverages, snacks, desserts and craft cocktails featuring branded Hershey ingredients. For example, operators can create smoothies or indulgent milkshakes with Instagrammable ingredients, offer shareable desserts that allow patrons to taste more than one brand and are portable to take on the go for a midafternoon snack.”
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