"When consumers think of convenience stores, food quality [image-nocss] isn't the first thing that comes to mind," said Eric Giandelone, director of foodservice research at Mintel. "Improved quality--not just for products but for service, location and marketing communications--is needed to bring in or bring back consumers for whom c-stores aren't top-of-mind choices."
Of those who don't purchase processed food at convenience stores, 64% said they never or rarely consider purchasing food from a c-store. Meanwhile, 32% say the food was not appealing to them and 26% cite high prices as a deterrent; 35% reported that there were better food options nearby.
"Convenience stores are always going to face competition from restaurants, especially fast-food establishments," added Eric Giandelone. "Luckily, convenience store foodservice suffered less than restaurants did during the recession, and we forecast this $22.8 million dollar industry to experience 4.1% growth in 2011."
So what foods are consumers purchasing when they visit c-stores? It seems c-stores are most popular for their beverage options: 58% of consumers say they purchase fountain beverages, 52% purchase coffee drinks and 44% purchase "slushies" or other frozen beverages.
When it comes to consumers who purchase c-store food, hot dogs (38%) and pizza (33%) are the most popular choices. Additionally, 28% go for made-to-order sandwiches, 26% grab nachos and a quarter of shoppers opt for chicken wings or tenders.
Chicago-based Mintel is a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence. For more than 38 years, Mintel has provided insight into key worldwide trends, offering exclusive data and analysis that directly impacts client success.
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