Convenience Store Decisions, July 2017

FOODSERVICE offer fresh cut fresh fruit cups and veggie cups Visiongain business information portal estimated that the global gluten free foods and beverages market will be worth 512 billion in 2017 due partly to the number of people diagnosed with gluten intolerance or celiac disease The demand for these products is further increased by the growing number of non gluten sensitive consumers who perceive gluten free products as healthier and better for you the company noted Pilot Flying J and its proprietary brand PJ Fresh Marketplace is always adapting to meet consumer demands Gluten will soon be eliminated from PJ Fresh Marketplace brand soups salads and entrées whenever possible without sacri cing the quality of the products but gluten will still be included in places where you would expect to nd it such as bread and pizza said Shannon Johnson the companys vice president of food innovation To give customers more meal and snack choices both Seven or eight years ago the consumer call for more healthful dining options was thought to be a fad but instead has became a robust trend To keep up with evolving eating trends c stores are adding the means to offer diverse healthy foodservice options which are drawing more U S consumers to c store locations In turn demand for healthier options is boosting sales for convenience retailers that are competing with other channels indulgent and BFY PJ Fresh Marketplace will begin offering made to order sandwiches in some Pilot Flying J stores this summer Presently Pilot Flying J operates at least 750 stores in the U S and Canada the majority of which offer fresh food options according to Johnson The company is also planning to open 17 new food locations two thirds of which will be in brand new stores by the end of the year An open kitchen format was set to be introduced in these new food locations starting this June These locations also feature an extensive toppings bar for grab and go sandwiches and salads This way guests can add extra dressings pickles peppers and other ingredients to add more vibrant avors or they can skip those ingredients they dont want Johnson said We dont want to be the food police we just want to offer the widest possible range of fresh options to our guests In some stores Pilot Flying J also has a hot food program While BFY is a broad based descriptor and can be interpreted in many different ways Johnson de nes it as food that hasnt been manipulated and is clearly fresh and recognizable PARTNERING PAYS OFF For chains that dont have the capability to offer proprietary food or made to order sandwiches salads and pre cut fruits and vegetables Dzwonczyk suggested partnering with one or more good suppliers to provide premade items Retailers wont have to make the investment in inventory and labor to offer these items he said With the right supply partners all the retailers need to provide is some open space in the cold case display The partners will actively manage the category in the stores just as direct service delivery suppliers of salty snacks and other c store items do Coffee Cup Fuel Stops which has nine stores in South Dakota North Dakota and Wyoming partners with Subway in four of its locations The partnership is in its sixth year said Tom Heinz president of Coffee Cup Heinz who has been in the c store industry for 36 years noted that prior to partnering with Subway Coffee Cup had operated a proprietary foodservice program We found that we couldnt meet our food costs and customer expectations to provide the quality of affordable food that we wanted to offer to our customers on our own Heinz said With Subway the healthful customizable sandwiches so many of our customers want are available 24 hours a day As an international brand Subway brings a bigger presence to the Coffee Cup stores in the stores marketplaces The franchisor also provides nutritional information such as calorie counts for its sandwiches something that would be nearly impossible for me to do on my own with any kind of accuracy Heinz said He pointed out that the training Subway offers to the staff would be cost prohibitive for Coffee Cup to handle on its own Their support is priceless Heinz said Regular in store inspections by Subway ensure that the program is being operated correctly Subways discipline extends all the way to how ingredients are handled by its suppliers to mitigate the chances of foodborne illnesses he said We have con dence that the ingredients we receive are healthful and safe Coffee Cup Fuel Stops also partners with Pizza Hut Beverages ranging from a basic cup of joe to dessert worthy creations are available in store from Caribou Coffee CSD CStoreDecisions ecisions com 40 Convenience Store Decisions l July 2017