When customers stop into c-stores for a snack, what they’re looking for depends on factors such as how hungry they are, what they’re in the mood for and what time of day it is. But one thing’s consistent no matter what: they want high-quality foods. And for c-stores, offering fresh, high-quality snacks may be associated with additional labor costs due to more prep work and preparing food on-demand. However, retailers don’t need to choose between fresh and high-quality options or low-labor choices—they can have both.
Snacking trends
According to Technomic’s 2022 Snacking Consumer Trend Report, 37% of consumers say they eat three meals a day with a few snacks between meals, 32% say they skip one meal per day or replace one meal per day with snacks and 10% eat three meals a day with many snacks in between meals. In short, consumers love snacks. Afternoon snacking is most common, with 71% of consumers saying they have a snack in the afternoon (followed by 45% who say they snack in the evening and 24% who snack in the morning).
When they reach for a particular food, the factors most important to consumers when choosing what to eat include flavor/taste, freshness and quality. For retailers, offering great-tasting snacks that are freshly prepared and made with high-quality ingredients is crucial to harness snack dollars—and finding low-labor options is key to keeping labor costs in check.
Soft pretzels offer a perfect solution
With J&J Snack Foods offerings, retailers find the perfect solution. SUPERPRETZEL® Bavarian Soft Pretzels, featuring the same traditional SUPERPRETZEL traits with an authentic, Bavarian dough are a quick, delicious option for c-stores. Thaw-and-serve or heat-and-serve options mean staff doesn’t need to do any extra work—no mixing, kneading, rolling, twisting or baking—and snacks can be ready in seconds. SUPERPRETZEL® Bavarian Soft Pretzels offer authentic flavor that’s soft and chewy on the inside and golden brown on the outside. With a product that includes everything in one case, such as serving sleeves and salt packets, retailers won’t have to worry about needing additional ingredients. Retailers can be inspired to serve them with or without dipping sauces for additional customer satisfaction and variety.
Customer satisfaction without stressing staff
By offering high quality soft pretzels from a trusted brand, retailers can feel confident in their snack lineup—and because they don’t call for additional training or equipment, soft pretzels provide an easy, low-labor option for their employees. Customers love soft pretzels—and by adding a low-labor product to the snacking options in c-stores, retailers position themselves to compete well against local restaurants that offer soft pretzels on their appetizer or snack menus. With reliably delicious soft pretzels from J&J Snack Foods, retailers can add soft pretzels to their menus without worrying about adding to their labor costs—and consumers are sure to return again and again for these crowd-pleasing snacks.
To learn more about SUPERPRETZEL® Bavarian Soft Pretzels and more snack options from J&J Snack Foods, visit www.jjsnackfoodservice.com/.
This post is sponsored by J&J Snack Foods