Pizza is a popular foodservice item at convenience stores, and continues to be a go-to choice for consumers. Having a successful pizza program can be very beneficial for c-store retailers, increasing revenue and encouraging repeat customer visits. A successful pizza program that combines convenience and quality can provide many benefits, including eliminating additional labor, increasing customer satisfaction and boosting the bottom line.
Consumer pizza trends
Many c-stores offer a wide variety of hot case items, but pizza is one of the items leading the pack—Technomic’s October 2022 C-Store Operator Update Report finds that 64% of convenience stores offer pizza.
It’s popular among consumers, too—47% of consumers say they eat pizza at least once a week, according to that same report.
Offering pizza amid labor challenges
Staffing and labor continues to be a concern for many retailers, with 94% saying they are concerned about the ability to hire enough workers at store level and 86% saying they are concerned about the ability to retain current store level employees, according to Technomic’s 2022 C-Store Market Annual Report.
A streamlined pizza preparation process is convenient and fast. It cuts down on labor as extensive training isn't required, and it makes it easy for stores to offer fresh, high quality, delicious pizza that meets both consumers’ and retailers’ needs.
Freezer-to-oven pizza
McLane’s freezer-to-oven pizza program, Prendisimo, is designed to meet the needs of c-store retailers. It allows workers to get pizza from the oven to the shelf within minutes, ensuring customers can always find what they’re looking for when they’re hungry. The new program combines convenience and quality into one package with great tasting pizza hand-selected by a trained chef with over 25 years of culinary experience. The preparation process—from freezer to plate in minutes—produces consistent quality pizza effortlessly, freeing up staff to focus on other store tasks. The pizza is formulated to bake quickly in a smart technology oven, making it easy to execute with perfectly melted cheese, tender but crisp crust and high-quality toppings. In addition, McLane provides comprehensive support, branded marketing, merchandising, competitively priced equipment bundles and expert guidance. With Prendisimo, retailers have an opportunity to boost sales and deliver a popular food item that will keep customers coming back for more.
Offering a quality product without additional labor is a breeze with McLane’s Prendisimo pizza program. Customers will love being able to pick up a fresh whole pizza or on-the-go pizza slice whenever they want it, and it’s an easy way to boost the bottom line at all mealparts while increasing customer satisfaction. Pizza can also be sold frozen and ready to bake.
For more information on Prendisimo pizza from McLane, click here.
This post is sponsored by McLane Company, Inc.