Busy consumers seem to just keep getting busier. And with so much happening—work, errands, etc.—many consumers opt to eat on-the-go. Meals that can be enjoyed while en route to consumers’ next destinations—in the car, on public transportation or even walking down the street—have become popular. Portable meals and snacks offer the convenience that on-the-move consumers desire and can be eaten with ease, right from their packaging without being messy. For convenience retailers, offering portable, hand-held eats can be a big benefit.
Consumer preference for grab-and-go options
According to Technomic’s Q1 2024 C-Store Consumer Market Brief, 52% of consumers consider foods that are easy to eat on-the-go to be one of the most important attributes of convenience store foodservice snacks. They also find these types of portable snacks to be more appealing at c-stores versus other locations, which makes c-stores a good option for carryout snacks and meals any time of the day.
Technomic’s C-Store Consumer Market Brief further states that 39% of consumers are satisfied with the quality of prepared food and beverages at c-stores, 34% like the taste and 31% like the selection. As a result, 43% of consumers make c-store foodservice purchases at least once a week.
Portable foods with convenience and flavor
Many Mexican dishes are popular portable food choices among consumers, as these options have the capability to be eaten on-the-go and offer bold and trending flavors. And menu items that are pre-prepared offer consumers quick and convenient meal options. According to Technomic’s Q1 2024 C-Store Consumer Market Brief, 47% of consumers purchase pre-prepared, warm grab-and-go items not on the roller grill, and 45% of consumers purchase items from the roller grill.
In terms of flavorful foods found at c-stores, Technomic’s recent Flavor Consumer Trend Report found that 36% of consumers are likely or extremely likely to try new flavors from convenience store prepared foods areas, so for retailers looking to expand their offerings, portable foods with new and exciting flavors are a safe bet.
Offering what consumers crave
Ruiz Foodservice offers bold flavored menu items for consumers who are on-the-go and need a portable meal option. Products from Ruiz Foodservice—such as El Monterey® and Tornados®—are ideal hot to-go meals or snacks that are presented in serving sleeves that can be enjoyed any time of the day, wherever consumers are.
Ruiz Foodservice products are a good choice for c-stores and c-store consumers, as they don’t require buns or condiments. They can be served from warming display cases, warming trays or roller grills, and Tornados®️, Empanadas and Mini Tacos stay crispy for up to four hours in warming units.
Some of Ruiz Foodservice’s best-selling Mexican-inspired choices include:
Tornados®:
Spicy Queso Beef Tornados®—Made with spicy, melty queso and seasoned ground beef inside of a zesty, crispy shell.
Cheesy Pepper Jack Tornados®—Crafted with jack cheese and jalapeños, and a crispy, seasoned shell.
Empanadas:
El Monterey® Beef & Cheese Empanadas—The flaky, handmade shell is filled with classic seasoned beef and melty Monterey jack cheese with zesty peppers.
Mini Tacos:
El Monterey® Mini Tacos—The crispy, seasoned shell is filled with savory, taco-seasoned ground beef.
Panadas:
El Monterey® Cheesy Pepperoni Panadas—Hand folded and crafted with savory marinara sauce, real melty cheese, flavorful Italian-style seasonings, zesty pepperoni and a deliciously flaky crust.
For more information about Ruiz Foodservice and how to update c-store foodservice menus to cater to busy consumers, visit https://ruizfoodservice.com/
This post is sponsored by Ruiz Foods Products, Inc.