Nearly two-fifths (39%) of consumers said they would purchase more prepared foods from retailers if the value were improved, according to Technomic. There are many ways to increase the value of these options, such as implementing more sales and promotions and increasing variety and freshness of the ingredients. Serving bigger portions can also help, said Jessica Williams, founder of c-store foodservice consultancy Food Froward Thinking LLC, Louisville, Ky. This means increasing portion sizes as well as the size of each item during the cooking process, she said.
“People want to start their morning off feeling full,” Williams said. “Lots of c-store customers order two 8- or 10-ounce burritos because they’re about to mow yards or work in a factory and don’t want to be hungry later. They may go six or eight hours without eating and want bigger portions.”