Today, nearly half of operators consider how a new food item will be packaged as part of the development process. This percentage must grow, however, to keep foodservice humming, considering takeout and delivery have taken a serious chunk of dine-in share since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. Operators are dealing with historically high costs and struggle…

The past couple of years have been unprecedented for the U.S. foodservice industry. When COVID-19 shuttered nearly all of the U.S. economy in March 2020, c-stores were one of the few places left where consumers could escape for a quick snack or a break from home lockdown. As we enter September 2022, there are still…

The COVID-19 pandemic fueled a two-year spike in the already growing demand for portable, deliverable food. As local lockdowns occurred across the U.S. (and globally), national and multinational convenience store chains developed systems and approaches to provide safe, portable food to customers regardless of the pandemic’s status. A major component of this adjustment was packaging. Foodservice…

Sales of prepared foods in retail segments are expected to grow, and c-stores are angling to maintain a piece of a growing pie. By Tim Powell As retail professionals, many of us realize the historic stigma of c-store food. In 1980, Clark W. Griswold in Vacation set back the evolution of the segment with the…

Macroeconomic drivers might help spur sales of grab-and-go foods in 2017. By Tim Powell Convenience stores should feel optimistic about 2017 considering the overall conditions of the U.S. economy thus far, especially when it comes to opportunities in foodservice. In our latest research, Q1 Consulting found that all convenience store retailers expect grab-and-go foods to…

Regional differences exist when it comes to what c-store customers consider healthy. By Tim Powell Two decades ago it would have seemed ridiculous to consider finding a healthy item in a convenience store. Convenience store shoppers have historically looked to these venues for cigarettes, frozen slushees, beer and Slim Jims. However, this is no longer…

Q1 Consulting analyzes what consumers really want when it comes to prepared foods. By Tim Powell Q1 Consulting recently finalized its in-depth research into the convenience store prepared foods channel. The study investigated both retailers and shoppers, and tested many of the “truisms” of convenience stores—such as foodservice perception, freshness and any changes in the…

To succeed at better-for-you food sales, retailers should consider some requirements consumers hold true.  By Tim Powell There are few topics that garner as much attention, disagreement and misunderstanding in the c-store foodservice channel than the idea of “healthy” food. The common belief in foodservice as a whole is that consumers request one thing and…

By Tim Powell, Vice President of Consulting, Q1 Food and Beverage Practice As c-stores continue to develop foodservice programs, putting themselves in more direct competition with traditional foodservice operators, c-store operators and suppliers need to constantly consider issues regarding consumer perceptions about the stereotypical c-store. One of the most important of these issues is foodservice packaging…

Strategies to attract new users, upscale stores and expand must incorporate Hispanics By Tim Powell, Vice President of Consulting, Q1 Food and Beverage Practice A few years ago, Walmart dabbled in copying Target’s “upscale” success by catering to a higher income segment. Walmart implemented many of the same strategies as Target throughout its furniture, apparel…