Consumers’ definition of what constitutes a “snack” is becoming broader as time goes on. For retailers, this presents an opportunity to innovate with snack-time offerings—even at the coffee bar.
For the majority of consumers (61%), a snack is defined mostly by consumption outside of a typical mealtime and less by the type of food itself, according to Technomic’s 2020 Snacking Consumer Trend Report. Many look for certain benefits in their snack—“energizing” is the most appealing snack attribute, according to consumers. It makes sense, then, why 38% of consumer report vising a coffee shop to purchase a snack at least occasionally; what’s more energizing than a cup of coffee?
This intersection of snacking and coffee-buying occasions gives retailers a chance to give afternoon sales a boost. And to gain a competitive edge on the market, offering a range of craveable flavors is key.
Sweet deals
Most consumers take their coffee with cream, according to Datassential, and 85% say that personalizing their cup is important. What’s more, flavors that cater to snack-time cravings can help keep afternoon sales going strong.
Confection-inspired flavor options at the coffee bar offer a great, low-labor way for retailers to ensure shoppers can craft the perfect cup to satisfy their sweet tooth. Fun and indulgent creamer flavors from Coffee-mate®, including as M&M’s® and Snickers® flavored liquid creamers, bring the brand appeal of classic candy to an energizing, convenient cup of coffee—with far fewer calories than the original candy.
Boost retention, cart averages
In addition to keeping labor low, stocking the self-serve coffee bar with a range of flavor options gives shoppers a chance to mix and match and encourages them to keep coming back to try new combinations.
Snack time also gives retailers the opportunity to boost basket totals when shoppers add food to their order. Encourage add-ons with LTOs and mouth-watering combos: Offer warm churros with Mexican Mocha coffee made with Coffee-mate® Cinnamon Vanilla Crème, for example, or Pumpkin Spice creamer with a bakery item as a seasonal LTO. The opportunities for creative combos are endless, which helps keep the menu fresh and exciting for occasional and frequent shoppers alike.
From conventional dayparts to snack-time coffee occasions, retailers can ensure quality and consistency by turning to a name their shoppers recognize and trust, such as Coffee-mate®. In fact, 73% of consumers who regularly enjoy coffee as an afternoon snack say they would be more likely to purchase coffee from a location that offered a selection of Coffee-mate® flavored creamers rather than just milk or cream, according to Datassential.
“Coffee is the perfect snack, and flavor personalization is important to consumers—it’s one of the reasons we introduced our Snickers® and M&M’s® flavors,” said Patricia Poole, Coffee-mate® brand manager at Nestlé Professional Beverages. “C-store coffee bars enable coffee drinkers to flavor their coffee exactly the way they want it and offering a variety of creamer flavors from their favorite brand can really make a difference.”
With an array of both classic and craveable flavors and recipes suited to a diversity of consumer needs and preferences (including sugar-free, Kosher and non-dairy options), Coffee-mate® can provide the answer to any and every shopper’s cravings for an afternoon pick-me-up. To learn more, click here.
This post is sponsored by Nestlé® Coffee mate®