Finding Your Niche In Convenience Store Retail/Foodservice

In the convenience store landscape of today, foodservice has emerged as a critical component for operators, and recent industry insights underscore the extent of its evolution. Nearly all retailers surveyed in the 2023 Convenience Store News Foodservice Study reported offering prepared food and hot dispensed beverages, with prepared food accounting for a significant 54 percent of total foodservice sales.

With recognition of foodservice's importance widespread among operators, the challenge becomes differentiation — how to attract consumers when everyone has it? Diversifying foodservice options not only drives revenue, but also enhances the overall customer experience. Recent data has shown sharp growth in foodservice sales this year, with prepared foods contributing significantly to this growth. As such, operators must continuously monitor these new trends to understand consumer preferences and adapt their offerings in kind.

Consumers want the best-tasting food, priced fairly and available at their local c-store. C-stores need to tap into that as they approach food within the convenience store model, and that follows some of the newest trends in the industry. C-stores really believe they need to stay ahead on that and not only stay ahead, but really give the customers what they're asking for to stay ahead of the trend.