Convenience Store Decisions, September 2018

Foodservice Coffee on demand delivery and a striking brick and mortar experience to meet consumers shopping needs for quick quality goods and foods Foxtrot Market features local ingredients on their menu artisanal items such as fresh pastries from neighborhood bakeries a bevy of wines microbrewed beers healthy waters other convenience merchandise and locally brewed coffee The chain also offers a selection of house made sandwiches and other foods When it comes to coffee Foxtrot Market has garnered a loyal following among city residents based partly on its employment of baristas In the last few years the company has also expanded its coffee offerings which has boosted its bottom line said Spencer Young the c stores retail manager With the addition of our Wicker Park location we have seen despite the somewhat anticipated summer slump for hot coffee sales an overall growth within that space said Young Each summer we see a rapid expansion of our cold brew and iced coffee sales However including our espresso bar hot coffee transactions are consistently high across all of our locations In its quest to become a coffee destination the company has made its stores as inviting as possible with Wi Fi spacious seating and healthy snacks Foxtrot Markets coffee strategy has been to provide an elevated coffee experience on par with dedicated third wave cafes within our convenient retail space said Young It creates a Third Space which differentiates us from other local c stores in that we are encouraging customers to stick around and work relax or otherwise enjoy our offering All of this is served through our baristas as we do not have any self serve coffee options Young said Foxtrot Market has plans to tweak its coffee program going into 2019 We are in the process of expanding our partnership with our coffee roaster for a selection of exclusive and new offerings as well as expanding our current retail coffee offering to see a new rotating menu of additional coffees and coffee roasters Young said CSD The Foxtrot Market menu features local ingredients and artisanal items to complement its coffee offering It employs baristas which has earned a loyal following tently tination fee curcoffee Finding a Coffee Roaster Convenience stores can often model an authentic coffee offering by contracting with a local roaster Here are some tips retailers should be aware of when doing their due dilligence to find a great roaster partner 1 Find a roaster that knows the market and has either a successful track record of coffee programs in the market or at least an educated understanding of the customer profile 2 If you dont have an in house service department ensure the roaster has a service department that can service your equipment in the event of an emergency Some experts say theres no faster way to lose your customers than by not giving them their morning cup of coffee 3 Determine water quality Your roaster should be aware of what your stores water profile looks like It will affect the way your coffee tastes and over time affect the way your equipment operates 4 Consider how in step the roaster is with the retail industry The better the roaster knows your business the more he can take what he knows from his own field and effectively implement it into yours Source WB Law Coffee Co 54 Convenience Store Decisions September 2018 cstoredecisions com