3 Ways C-Stores Can Bring in More Female Foodservice Customers

CHICAGO -- Of all the reasons to visit a convenience store, the grub does not top most women’s lists. Female consumers purchase proprietary c-store food about as often as they do lottery tickets, according to Technomic’s Spring 2018 Convenience-Store Consumer MarketBrief. With about 15% more men purchasing prepared c-store food monthly, c-stores still have some work to do to win over women.

Forget Bubba for a beat, here are three things c-stores can do to appeal to female foodservice consumers ...

While women might not be eating up c-store foodservice, prepared beverages are a whole other story. Females are most likely to purchase beverages from stores on a weekly basis, with more favoring foodservice beverages than a drink from the cooler. About 43% of surveyed women buy a noncoffee beverage at c-stores once a week.

Building out a strong delivery service is another way retailers can increase female purchase intent. Foodservice beverages are some of the most popular delivery items, second only to foodservice food, according to the report.

Keeping up appearances can also help diversify c-store’s customer base. Store and foodservice area cleanliness is the top food and beverage decision factor for female c-store consumers, according to the report.

Female consumers’ top four decision factors when it comes to purchasing c-store foodservice items have nothing to do with the taste of the food. Following store and foodservice area cleanliness, women care about the quality and freshness of the item, appearance of the item and then the cleanliness of bathrooms. Additionally, women are looking for expiration dates on all prepared food items at significantly higher rates than men, the report said.

Although c-stores might not have foodservice quality in the bag, they outrank restaurants in a couple key metrics. More than half of female consumers say that c-stores have faster service than other foodservice locations, according to the report. About 38% of women say c-store prices are better, too. By ideating foodservice items that are quick and competitively priced, c-stores can earn more sales from women.

More frictionless options, such as delivery, in-store pickup and loyalty programs, can also build upon women’s view of c-stores as cost-effective and convenient.