Innovative twists on comfort classics, locally sourced ingredients and the use of different condiments and sauces to create different flavor profiles are whetting customers’ appetites for hot and cold sandwiches, retailers reported.
At Alltown Fresh, which has 16 locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and New York, Jac Moskalik, vice president and head of food, innovation and strategy, sees younger customers gravitating toward new twists on the comfort foods they loved as children.
“It could be a BLT or grilled cheese with an unexpected ingredient or a different kind of carrier like a croissant, pretzel bread or different wraps; Gen X and millennials like to combine the familiar with something new,” Moskalik explained. “To keep the menu new and fresh, we’re also coming up with a huge increase in limited-time offers with the help of our suppliers.”
She added that these younger customers like to hear the supplier stories behind the sandwich ingredients, such as ham and cheese, especially if they are locally sourced.
“We’re heavy on local ingredients,” she said. “Customers are also interested to know that we use clean ingredients.”
James Fry, foodservice director for Dandy Mini Marts, which operates 63 stores in Pennsylvania and New York, uses different sauces to develop unique flavor profiles for the stores’ sandwiches.
“Whenever possible, I’m using ingredients we already have in the store to avoid adding other PLUs (price look-up codes),” Fry explained. “Our customers like different flavors, but not too much outside the norms.”
Some customers at Dandy have been asking for keto-friendly wraps, so Fry said he is looking into those. Trying different breads will be a focus for the second half of this year to the first half of next year, he explained.
This year, both Alltown and Dandy are looking to expand their cold grab-and-go selections. Moskalik pointed out that Alltown is also working on strategies for leveraging sandwich sales into the evening daypart.
