inStorebuyer - December 2011 - 14

foodserviceretail
APPETIZING IDEAS FOR PREPARED FOODS

of convenience store chains on many fronts. Here are some of the biggest headlines of the year. QuikTrip bolstered its branded lineup of foodservice products sold under the QT Kitchens line of fresh sandwiches, salads and wraps that are delivered fresh daily to every store. Each chef takes the freshest ingredients available, crafts delicious combinations, and then sets his highly trained staff to making them for any of 580 QuikTrip stores in 10 states. Perfect for lunchtime, dinnertime, or anytime shoppers want a fresh meal without the wait, QT Kitchens sandwiches and wraps are handcrafted and available at every QuikTrip. High-quality, freshly sliced meats and cheeses are combined to create a variety of fresh sandwiches and tortilla wraps. Their most popular is The Triple Stack, with smoked turkey, maple ham, roast beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato on honey wheat bread. In the bakery, QuikTrip chefs and bakers tested hundreds of different ingredients to come up with the best recipe for each item. Every baker’s rack in every QuikTrip touts a display of fresh donuts including traditional glazed, cinnamon rolls, apple fritters, and more. Customers also find a sweet selection of muffins and the ever-popular fresh-baked, chocolate chunk cookies. Kroger-owner Kwik Shop recently opened its newest store in Newton, KS, featuring a Real Time Café. Shoppers can satisfy their

cravings with a sweet or salty snack at any of 130 Kwik Shop stores in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee and Mississippi. Real Time Café menu choices include mini cinnamon rolls, breakfast burritos, sausage, egg cheese biscuits, ham, egg and cheese croissants, breakfast pizza, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, lunch burritos and personal pan pizzas. Speedway SuperAmerica LLC, the fourth largest company-owned and–operated convenience store chain in the U.S., earlier this year announced its official corporate name change to Speedway LLC. The Speedway name is largely recognized by consumers in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Kentucky as a premier source for quality fuels and merchandise items. With the Dec. 1, 2010, sale of 166 SuperAmerica locations, primarily located in Minnesota, the name change reflects the current brand make-up of the company’s approximately 1,350 gasoline/convenience store locations. Tony Kenney, president of Speedway, said, “The name change solidifies our identity within the convenience store industry and leverages the inherent strength of our Speedway brand.” Speedway’s brand strength has been recognized in 2009 and 2010 by the EquiTrend Brand Study conducted by Harris Interactive. In both consumer brand awareness studies, Speedway has been the highest ranked retail gasoline brand in the U.S. in terms of overall brand equity.

Wawa Inc. this summer announced that as part of its title sponsorship of Wawa Welcome America!, the convenience store chain hosted a Hoagie Day celebration of enormous proportions. Welcome America! is Philadelphia’s 4th of July celebration that, for 11 days, showcases all that America’s birthplace has to offer. Fittingly, this year’s Hoagie Day was held at historic Independence Mall in front of the Independence Visitors Center at 6th and Market Street. Beyond the 4/12 ton Hoagie salute, the event featured a letter writing station, inviting guests to write a letter to U.S. troops to be inserted into USO care packages. Earl’s Court, a convenient new concept from acclaimed restaurateur and entrepreneur Robert Earl in November opened its first location at 90 John Street in downtown Manhattan. Earl’s Court is a gathering of great food concepts all under one roof: Earl of Sandwich, The Original SoupMan, Billy’s Bakery, Sushi Express, Greens, ShakeBar, Lavazza, Italy’s Favorite Coffee and Libations 101. The reinvention of the traditional food court, Earl’s Court brings together iconic restaurant brands with new concepts creating a high energy environment designed to meet the modern dining tastes of the vibrant John Street neighborhood—from grabbing breakfast on the run to relaxing over cocktails after work at Libations 101, Earl’s Court has something for all tastes. 

| 14 | inStorebuyer | December 2011 |

inStorebuyer - December 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of inStorebuyer - December 2011