Market Express, a division of Brewer-Hendley Oil Co., has added Naughty Chile Taqueria, a licensed Mexican food concept for convenience stores, in the Market Express Shell Station in Wesley Chapel, N.C.
The c-store chain was eager to tap into the increasingly heated market for authentic, fresh and flavorful Mexican food.
“I was introduced to Naughty Chile Taqueria at the NACS show, and the vibrant colors immediately caught my eye,” said Jay Sergio, food and beverage director for Market Express. “We were looking to replace an outdated food concept that wasn’t drawing customers like it used to, and as soon as I tasted the Naughty Chile Taqueria menu, I knew the product would be a hot seller.”
Four other North Carolina Market Express stores also use the Naughty Chile Taqueria concept for a limited-menu offering. Using its “Quickie Burrito Mixes” for breakfast and lunch, a foodservice clerk can prepare burritos, commissary style, for each upcoming daypart. The fresh, foil-wrapped burritos are stocked in the Market Express hot merchandising units for quick pick-up by customers in a hurry.
“Working with Jay and the Market Express team has been fantastic. We were easily able to convert the old brand with minimal equipment expense,” said Shultz Hartgrove, CEO of Naughty Chile Taqueria. “With the Mexican food market on fire, our concept addresses different store layouts and turns old brands into a new exciting one.”
In addition to Naughty Chile’s great taste, Sergio was drawn to its bold, old Mexico styling.
“I knew the product’s eye-popping colors and signage would grab customers’ attention and appetites from the moment they come into the store,” he said.
With diligence, Market Express evaluated and tested other brands before making a final decision.
“We narrowed our search, and it was obvious that Naughty Chile Taqueria was the tastier and more authentic Mexican product by far,” Sergio said.
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Denver, Naughty Chile Taqueria is a licensed Mexican food concept scalable to any size convenience retail location. With a low labor model and easy-to-execute operations, Naughty Chile’s three daypart menu features authentic street tacos, burritos, bowls, quesadillas and nachos prepared with bolder recipes using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Consumers can find Naughty Chile Taquerias throughout the U.S. including Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Kansas, Oklahoma, Washington, North Carolina, Texas and Florida.