Aside from fueling up at the pump in the morning, consumers are also looking for a c-store that can provide them with a plethora of well-made, high-quality coffee options.
Coffee is a significant part of most c-store beverage offerings, especially in the morning, as more consumers seek that boost of energy to get their day started.
Eighty-four percent of American coffee drinkers have their brews with breakfast, while 35% have coffee in the mid-morning, 17% with lunch, 22% in the afternoon, 7% during dinner and 10% in the evening, according to the National Coffee Association’s (NCA’s) “Spring 2024 National Coffee Data Trends” report.
To keep coffee customers engaged, satisfied and returning for more, and to ensure dollar sales keep ticking upward, convenience store retailers are continuing to make changes to their coffee areas.
Here are five tips from convenience store operators and experts that have helped them to see growth in coffee sales.
1.) Implementing/Improving Bean-to-Cup Offerings
Bean-to-cup coffee continues to be one of the top choices consumers seek out when purchasing coffee at a c-store. Over the years, retailers have been making sure they have updated equipment and have begun to use high-quality coffee beans to ensure great-tasting coffee with each cup purchased.
“We installed bean-to-cup in all of our stores in 2023 and 2024,” said Paul Servais, vice president of food service at Kwik Trip, operator of 850-plus stores across six states. “The goal of this is to provide our guests with a fresh cup of coffee every time they visit.”
Servais also mentioned that Kwik Trip will be adding Highlander Grogg coffee to its bean-to-cup offerings at all c-stores this fall.
At Cliff’s Local Market, operator of 21 c-stores in New York, Derek Thurston, director of food service operations, is adding more coffee flavors to Cliff’s bean-to-cup section.
“We work with a local roaster (Utica Coffee), and through this partnership, we offer a new limited-time-offer (LTO) coffee flavor every two months,” he said. “We (finished) our Neapolitan Dreams, our featured flavor in July and August.”
The c-store chain transitioned to Utica Coffee’s The Great Pumpkin in September and October, followed by the LTO Mint Chip in November and December.
2.) Providing Different Coffee Flavors/Sweeteners
The holiday season is near, so more consumers are seeking seasonal coffee flavors and creamers to help get them into the holiday spirit. The different flavors also allow consumers to make their coffee in a way that fits their cravings and lifestyle.
“Our Coffee Trends Report found that 52% of coffee drinkers in the U.S. like to add sweeteners or syrup, and 63% add milk, a creamer or a milk alternative,” said William Murray, president and CEO of the NCA. “It’s important for convenience store retailers to make coffees customizable to suit individual tastes.”
LTO cappuccino flavors at Kwik Trip continue to do well, according to Servais. “Blueberry Lavender in the summer, Pumpkin Spice in the fall, Peppermint around Christmas and Crème Brûlée in the winter,” he said.
Cliff’s Local Markets is always on top of ensuring its flavor enhancers are fresh and exciting. The c-store chain offers flavored creamers along with flavor shots in multiple varieties.
In the spring, Cliff’s offers an Eggo Waffle with Maple Syrup creamer that coincides with New York State’s maple-producing season. In the fall, Cliff’s provides Pumpkin Spice creamer. It offers Frosted Sugar Cookie creamer during the holidays.
“We encourage our customers to use our flavor enhancers to create coffeehouse-style drinks at a much more affordable price point,” said Thurston. “This fall, our stores have point-of-purchase displays to show how customers can make a pumpkin latte using our various creamers and flavor shots.”
“The wonderful thing about coffee is that there’s something for everyone — it’s popular across all age groups, venues and regions — that’s why it remains America’s favorite beverage,” said Murray. “The key thing retailers need to offer is a wide variety of coffee types for customers.”
3.) Offering Deals, Coupons and Promotions
Inflation is not only affecting snacks, candy and food; it has also made its way into the coffee segment. To keep sales rising, retailers have seen a massive impact in offering coupons and deals for coffee.
Cliff’s, for instance, provides its customers with monthly coupons for coffee. With the coupons, customers can get coffee at a discount or a free coffee.
“We want customers to come in and get high-quality, great-tasting coffee at a discounted price and build habitual behavior and repeat visits by encouraging customers to stop in and get a deal,” Thurston explained.
Along with the coupons, Cliff’s offers combo deals that usually include a medium-sized coffee and a breakfast sandwich.
“We currently offer a croissant breakfast sandwich with a medium coffee for $4.59, and we offer a breakfast combo with our waffle breakfast sandwiches and a medium coffee for $4.99,” Thurston continued. “We promote these deals with point-of-purchase displays at the coffee bar and grab-and-go sandwich area.”
Promotions, too, play a massive role in how Cliff’s keeps its coffee sales climbing. The c-store does collaborative social media posts with Utica Coffee and advertises on radio, local magazines and billboards, along with donating coffee to local charities, schools and events.
“Many times, we will set up and engage with our customers while offering them free coffee,” said Thurston. “We recently donated over 500 cups of coffee to Utica Heart Walk and Run. We love to connect with the local communities in which our stores operate.”
4.) Focusing on Cold-Brew and Nitro Coffee
Nitro and regular cold-brew coffee are making their way into c-store coffee bars due to high demand.
Based on NCA’s “Spring 2024 National Coffee Data Trends” report consumers enjoy cold-brew coffee for a variety of reasons, including that cold brew can make a wide variety of beverages (48%), drinking cold brew is a cool/trending thing to do (48%) and because cold brew is easy to make at home (41%).
“Beverages like cold brew have also seen a phenomenal rise in popularity lately, having been virtually unheard of 15 years ago, which illustrates the importance of keeping up with the latest trends and ensuring they are readily available for your customers,” said Murray, “It’s an exciting time for the coffee industry, and it’s evolving and innovating more rapidly than ever before while adding $343 billion to the economy annually.”
Kwik Trip plans to add more flavors in its stores in 2025 to keep up with the cold-brew coffee trend.
5.) Emphasizing Freshness and Convenience
Last but not least, c-store retailers prioritize the freshness of their coffee and make sure consumers get it in a timely manner.
“Because consumers have many choices for their out-of-home coffee, one of the most important things that drives a coffee program is the freshness of the coffee itself,” said Murray. “Consumers have become more sophisticated in their coffee tastes in recent years; more are drinking specialty coffee than ever before, and ensuring that your customers are getting a fresh cup of coffee is absolutely crucial.”
Kwik Trip still offers drip coffee in shuttles 24 hours a day for those customers who are in a hurry and don’t have the time to wait for bean-to-cup coffee.
Cliff’s ensures that its coffee is always hot and fresh by recording and tracking hold times and discarding coffee as needed.
“By utilizing our Food Service Daily Experience Checklist, we ensure our coffee bars are ready to go for the morning customer rush by ensuring everything is fully stocked and there is ample space available for our customers to create their own coffee concoctions,” said Thurston.
