As convenience stores increasingly compete with fast-food and fast-casual restaurants, retailers are adding healthier menu items, including fresh, made-to-order foods, to their lineup. Consumers largely perceive items that are fresh as healthier, with 81% saying they think so, according to Technomic’s 2016 Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report, powered by Ignite. They also think fresh food tastes better, with 82% saying so in the same report. Orion Food Systems’ Chopz franchises are one way that c-stores can add a host of these better-for-you options.
Chopz items provide customers with fresh, made-to-order choices including subs, wraps, salads and burritos, transforming the c-store grab-and-go experience into something more premium.
Answering the call for fresh food with more flavor
Holiday Stationstores, a chain of c-stores with more than 500 locations in 10 states, is planning a rollout of the new Chopz program in their Aitken, MN store on Sept. 21.
Tara Anderson, category sales manager, lunch daypart for Holiday, says, “Consumer tastes are changing, and they want more fresh food options and choices, as well as the ability to customize to meet their unique flavor preference.”
With more items available throughout the day—the Chopz line will be sold alongside Holiday-branded food including sandwiches, hot snacks, roller-grill items and more—Anderson says, “It really opens up the menu for all dayparts and offers unlimited choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
About 160 million Americans enter a c-store each day, and 53% of consumers say they’d visit c-stores more if there were healthier options, according to a NACS survey. Providing an array of options to suit the range of consumer tastes ensures that traffic can be maximized.
Drawing in new demographics
Beyond simply addressing changing consumer tastes, offering healthier options can help attract a broader range of demographics—in particular, women and millennials.
In Technomic’s 2016 Generational Consumer Trend Report, 32% of millennials say that they would be more likely to visit restaurants if they offered healthier options. By offering fresh, healthy MTO foods at c-stores, operators can capitalize on this trend and position themselves as competitors to quick-service and fast-food restaurants.
And, because more women than men are likely to choose a salad when they want a healthy meal, it’s ideal to offer customizable, fresh salads. Creating a balance of offerings—indulgent items like pizza and roller-grill snacks, as well as fresh sandwiches and salads—ensures that every customer will be able to find something suitable to eat.
Trackable sales mean easy integration
C-stores that are interested in adding Chopz to their lineup of food offerings will have the added benefit of Orion’s iGnG system, which allows retailers to track by daypart which foods are most popular. Anderson says, “We are excited to see the customer response. Orion put together a fantastic 12-week marketing plan to kick off the program in a big way,” noting that customers will be able to try signature items such as the BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad. “We will be carrying the full Chopz line, which includes Signature Subs, Wraps, Salads and Burritos, as well as the Sub and Wrap Party Platters,” Anderson says.
This post is sponsored by Orion Land Mark