TEMPLE, Texas -- A crucial cog in the evolution of convenience-store foodservice is the supply chain, and McLane Co. Inc. this week announced a major step toward helping retailers become even bigger competitors in the battle for share of the foodservice pie.
Run by McLane Grocery Distribution, the newly launched McLane Kitchen is a solution developed for c-stores, grocery, drug and mass-market channels seeking to take advantage of the growing foodservice-at-retail opportunity. It presents solutions for all levels of operational execution--from thaw-and-serve programs to more expanded offerings.
“Foodservice at retail has been a focus for McLane Grocery for quite some time,” Holly Veale, merchandising manager, told CSP Daily News. “As the category continues to evolve and more operators are looking to leverage foodservice to increase revenue and margin, McLane Co. recognized the need for something more than a cookie cutter foodservice-at-retail offering. The goals and capabilities of operators vary, so a ‘one-size-fits-all’ [program] does not yield success.”
McLane Kitchen presents 1,800 SKUs from more than 175 suppliers by types of foods and day-parts, along with equipment solutions.
“Our communication efforts include a restaurant-style menu that displays offerings and programs as meal opportunities—breakfast, lunch, appetizers, snacks, desserts and around-the-clock favorites,” said Veale.
Using a category-management approach to foodservice, the program includes a variety of proprietary tools such as the McLane Kitchen Menu, the McLane Kitchen Program Manual, Recipe Builders and Labor Profitably tools.
McLane Kitchen will have a strong online platform at mclanekitchen.com, where operators can find consumer data and insights as well as a video series, “McLane Kitchen, on a Mission,” focusing on top menu categories such as chicken and breakfast.
“In foodservice at retail, to be stagnant is to become obsolete,” said Veale. “Accordingly, the McLane Kitchen objective is to provide a long-term solution for each customer through an ever-evolving resource dedicated to the sustainable success of McLane’s foodservice-at-retail customers.”
Temple, Texas-based McLane is a $46-billion supply chain services leader, providing grocery and foodservice supply chain solutions for convenience stores, mass merchants, drug stores and chain restaurants throughout the United States. McLane, through McLane Grocery, McLane Foodservice and foodservice acquisition, Meadowbrook Meat Co. Inc., (MBM), operates 80 distribution centers and one of the nation’s largest private fleets. The company buys, sells and delivers more than 50,000 different consumer products to nearly 90,000 locations across the United States. In addition, McLane provides alcoholic beverage distribution through its subsidiary, Empire Distributors Inc. McLane is a wholly owned unit of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
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