Many convenience stores are finding menu success with Hispanic foods, and the trend is expected to continue to grow in 2024.
Especially if Hispanic foods are a staple for a chain, offering variety and customization is key to attracting customer attention.
“Everyone loves tacos,” whether they’re filled with beef, chicken or even pepperoni and cheese, said Sara Wilson, foodservice category manager for Gate Petroleum Co.
And, according to findings in several research reports by Datassential, customers also love burritos, empanadas, quesadillas and other Hispanic/Latin foods.
“Many of the classic hallmarks of Mexican cuisine lend themselves well to ready-to-eat or handheld formats and are already ubiquitous both among consumers and within commercial menus,” elaborated Huy Do, research and insights manager for Datassential.
As consumers today are increasingly exposed to unique global dishes, they’re also growing more attuned to bright and bold flavors, including spicy and complex flavor profiles that combine sweet and spicy or sour and heat, he said. These are flavors inherent in most Latin American cuisines.
Sixty-two of Gate’s 69 locations in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina feature a wide array of Mexican items, including empanadas, mini tacos, tamales, burritos and roller grill tornados. Breakfast burritos are the stores’ No. 1 selling items in the morning. In the afternoon, chicken-and-cheese and beef-and-cheese burritos rule, Wilson stated.
The chain’s mini tacos and empanadas have also proven to be popular incremental items for customers who are buying pizza.
“Customers will pick up three or four of these items at a time,” Wilson added.
Customers Want Customization
Combining customizable burritos or tacos assembled to order with trending Latin-American flavors is a great strategy to drive interest, Do advised.
Also, different generations like their Hispanic foods to deliver different heat levels, Wilson pointed out.
“Jalapeño is more popular among younger consumers,” she noted. “Others prefer more spice than heat, and we can deliver that with chorizo or chipotle.”
For Gate’s Mexican items, the stores offer a condiment bar to invite customization. Available condiments include cheese, pico de gallo and jalapeños.
Gate has experienced year-over-year growth in this category. To expand it even further, the company will be exploring doing regular-sized tacos and Hispanic-style bowls with items they already have in inventory.
“For the foreseeable future, we expect Hispanic/Latin-American foods to remain a staple trend, gradually gaining new fans and further penetrating mainstream consumer tastes,” Do predicted.
“By nature, many classic Latin-American dishes are quick to prepare, handheld, portable and easy to eat, all the while carrying flavor profiles that are complex and craveable, making them ideal choices, especially for younger consumers who are more likely to value convenience.”