Writer Ray Bradbury once said, “Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.”
The same can be said for attending the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show without planning what you want to accomplish. This year’s show, held in October in Las Vegas, was filled with fresh foods, new snack and beverage items, emerging technology and many opinions about the following great consumer trends.
This has become a go-to show for retailers and suppliers to share information and stay ahead of industry trends. But you had better be prepared for an information overload, or you will risk missing critical industry data.
One trend that continues to interest me is the growth of healthier foods. Convenience store operators are successfully driving traffic, sales and loyalty by continuing to upscale their freshly prepared food offerings. At the NACS Show, I came across the Freshly Prepared Foods Shopper Insights Study by the Acosta Group, which found that consumers are regularly purchasing freshly prepared foods to replace or supplement meals throughout the day, shopping for these items across all channels, from traditional grocery to convenience stores.
The Acosta study found that approximately 23% of customers purchase these items in c-stores, representing a significant opportunity for continued growth in the channel, said Kathy Risch, the senior vice president of Thought Leadership and Shopper Insights for Acosta.
Who is Today’s Fresh Prepared C-Store Shopper?
According to the Acosta report, freshly prepared c-store shoppers are young and busy, skew more male than female, live in larger households, and are likelier to have children.
Their snapshot includes:
- With a median age of 41, these shoppers are ten years younger than those not shopping for freshly prepared items in C-stores.
- 28% are men, compared to 20% who are women.
- 62% have children at home.
- A more significant proportion of Gen Z (22%) and Millennials (36%) make up this shopper base, often consuming freshly prepared foods on the go.
- 39% of these shoppers are eating these items away from home.
- 43% are more likely to order from online apps for convenience.
- 82% of Millennials and 60% of Gen Z are members of c-store loyalty programs, and 85% of Millennials subscribe to c-store retailers’ apps, according to Acosta Group’s proprietary fall 2023 Convenience Store Shopper Insights Study.
What The Fresh Prepared C-Store Shopper Wants
These shoppers have hectic lifestyles. Acosta Group’s recent Freshly Prepared Foods study revealed that they are making their food choices for health-conscious reasons and purchasing freshly prepared items to eat away from home or on the go.
- 39% of these shoppers eat their meals or food items away from home.
- 36% are consuming their freshly prepared items while at work.
- One-third of these shoppers consume items during outdoor activities like hiking, camping or fishing.
- 38% describe these items as better quality, supporting their choice to eat healthier.
Snacking Important To Fresh Prepared C-Store Shoppers
Snacking is part of almost every day for these shoppers, especially if the items are new, engaging and quick to access.
- Nearly 67% of these shoppers snack at least once daily.
- 40% are using freshly prepared meals or items for snacking, and 56% will immediately consume these items.
- 48% are open to trying new and exciting foods, compared to just 33% of those not shopping fresh prepared.
Snacks And Beverages A Priority For All C-Store Shoppers
Many c-store shoppers say they want to buy healthier sweet treats now more than in prior years and expressed an interest in natural/organic, gluten-free, and vegan options.
According to Acosta Group’s 2023 Snacking Trends study, 49% of c-store shoppers prefer healthy snacks, rising to 55% for Millennials.
Overall, salty snacks and refrigerated beverages represent 65% and 59% of the most commonly purchased items for all c-store shoppers. Store-made/self-serve beverages are also highly popular, the report found.
Key Learnings, Fresh Prepared C-Store Shoppers
Through its proprietary research, Acosta Group has identified three primary reasons fresh prepared c-store shoppers are purchasing more of these items at c-store than they did last year:
- 48% because the costs of other food and groceries have changed.
- 44% because more freshly prepared items are available.
- 43% because they don’t have as much cooking time.
C-stores that understand why consumers are looking for new options and continue to expand their freshly prepared offerings have an exciting opportunity to grow their sales.
The Acosta Group Shopper Community comprises over 40,000 demographically diverse shoppers across the U.S., is the company’s proprietary community for survey engagement, and offers excellent consumer insights. I encourage you to track the company’s customer research, which can be found at www.acosta.com.