Baking&Snack - March 2017 - 53

TRENDS
C-Stores

EASY Does It
Bakers target c-stores with
more premium, portable
products to further enhance the
one-stop-shop experience.
by Dan Malovany
While shop-'til-you-drop remains a favorite American
pastime, many people today consider it a luxury or just
don't have time for it anymore. That's because brick-andmortar can't consistently and comfortably compete with
the flick of the finger and click on an app that's defining the digital age. In fact, nearly as many consumers today would rather wash dishes - or so they say - than
hop in their cars to browse in-store, according a recent
global survey by the Capgemini Digital Transformation
Institute.
Despite the developing digital divide, c-stores continue to fill the gap that just cannot be done online, especially when it comes to consumers fueling their cars with
gas and their bodies with grab-and-go snacks.
Granted, cigarettes, beer, lottery tickets and Big Gulps
still account for the vast majority of inside c-store sales,
but as the price of petro has fallen and the pack of
smokes rises, an accelerating number of chains are seeking new ways to offset the slumping sales of their core
revenue generators.
They're doing that by further venturing into the
breakfast, lunch and inter-meal snacking occasions with
more enhanced alternatives for consumers. "Foodservice
options have been remarkable," observed Bob Swanson,
director of research for the National Association of

Convenience Stores (NACS). "There has been a concerted effort to increase the quality of food offered at convenience stores, and the reason for that effort is quite clear.
Foods and beverages are high-margin products for some
of the top-performing chains. Gas sales declined, cigarette sales slipped because of regulations and high taxes.
C-stores are looking at other categories for growth, particularly in foodservice."
Today, bakers and snack producers cite c-store chains
such as Cumberland Farms, WaWa and Sheetz, Inc. in
the mid-Atlantic and QuikTrip in the Midwest as setting
the standard when it comes to offering freshly prepared
food or more upscale options made on-premise.
The movement includes premium coffee service
that can rival Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks or even
McCafes. The kiosk or station often includes microwaveable - or to a lesser extent, freshly prepared - breakfast
and luncheon sandwiches, chicken and pizza that attempt to rival quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and even
some of the more upscale soup and sub sandwich shops.
"We partner with some pretty large c-store operators,
and they specifically target QSRs when working on their
store layouts and what they have to offer so that they can
provide a newer, higher level of service," noted Jerry Law,
senior vice-president, J&J Snack Foods, Pennsauken, NJ.
Just about a decade ago, the only "fresh" offerings
were hot dogs and Mexican taquitos perpetually turning
on the roller grills next to the cash register. "Today, you
have restaurant-style products that you can sit down and
enjoy," noted Jack Anderson, president and CEO, JSB
Industries, the Chelsea, MA-based producer of muffins,
bagels and other baked goods and a long-time supplier
to the c-store industry. "We're seeing products trending
toward popular items such as a quick sandwich or a bagel and cream cheese."

Many cookies and crackers
need extra-long shelf life to
avoid returns and compete in the
c-store channel.
Adobestock

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