Today’s busy consumers are looking for more when they stop into convenience stores for a quick bite. Of course, convenience is still king, but shoppers are looking for excitement too—global flavors, interesting formats, familiar favorite flavors and more. For retailers who want to expand their foodservice offerings, prepared items pack a big punch. They save on labor because they require only minimal prep work (i.e. heat-and-eat), they reduce waste since they can be prepared quickly and on-demand; and they allow for stores to serve up a variety of options without having to keep dozens of ingredients on hand. When fleshing out foodservice offerings in c-stores, it’s crucial to know what consumers are looking for, though—and what products can best meet those needs.
Today’s consumers want more variety
According to Technomic’s recent Retail Foodservice Consumer Trend Report, 62% of consumers have purchased prepared foods from convenience stores, with 71% of those consumers saying they make those purchases at least once a month. What’s more, 21% of consumers say they are purchasing prepared foods from c-stores more often now than they were a year ago.
As for what they’re looking for when they make a retail foodservice purchase, 32% of consumers say improved variety of items offered would drive repeat purchases. For retailers, this is a key piece of information. By expanding foodservice options to include more variety—globally inspired menu items, as well as a mix of entrees and appetizers/snacks, for instance—and showcasing all of those options in a visually appealing way can help encourage purchases.
To offer broad appeal, consider a mix of handheld snack options such as mini tacos and taquitos, mozzarella sticks and five cheese or mushroom-herb arancini, as well as more substantial options, such as burritos, chimichangas, and vegetable fried rice—which can be combined with menu items like potstickers to make a complete meal.
Retailers need convenience as much as customers do
While consumers want convenience and variety, retailers need to be able to support their foodservice programs. Offering a complete foodservice program with ready-to-eat heated items doesn’t have to be a daunting or labor-intensive effort. By choosing easy-to-prepare menu items, retailers can skip hiring foodservice-specific staff and simply train existing workers on how to heat up food options.
Ajinomoto offers an array of heat-and-serve foodservice options that are just what c-store retailers need. Items can be prepared on-demand, so there’s little to no waste, and with a vast catalog of product options ranging from Asian favorites, like potstickers, wontons and spring rolls, to American comfort food appetizers to gastro-pub-inspired bites to Latin-Mexican specialties, retailers can tailor their menus to include everything their customers want—all without worrying about labor costs.
Offer variety that meets the demand—without the extra labor
Ajinomoto is proud to offer c-store retailers the foodservice products they need to create a successful foodservice program. With foods ranging from familiar favorites to new and exciting choices that’ll be instant classics, there’s no question whether customers will be able to find something they’ll enjoy eating. And because the foods are not only easy to prepare, but also easy to store, retailers can easily plan ahead to ensure they have enough food on hand to meet consumer demand. With Ajinomoto, retailers no longer have to worry about how to build a foodservice program that offers both convenience, great taste and low labor requirements. To learn more about Ajinomoto’s c-store foodservice options, visit www.ajinomotofoodservice.com.
This post is sponsored by Ajinomoto