Day three of the NACS Show featured education sessions about some of the industry’s most pressing issues. A common theme that echoed throughout the trade show floor and the education sessions was foodservice and its growing importance for c-store retailers.
In a session titled, “Fundamentals That Make or Break a Foodservice Program,” Weigel’s Vice President Beth Hoffer and Sprint Mart Senior Director of Food Service Ryan Krebs took the stage to share 10 “non-negotiables” for c-store retailers looking to launch a foodservice program.
These non-negotiables were:
- Start Small, Scale Smart
- Plan for the Learning Curve
- Fit the Footprint
- Build for the Whole Fleet
- Keep the Menu Simple
- Make Food Safety Non-Negotiable
- Standardize for Consistency
- Win Operations Buy-In
- Partner with Purpose
- Invest in the Story
Both Hoffer and Krebs agreed that planning and preparation are crucial to ensure the success of a foodservice program. That begins with testing.
“As you’re testing, really follow the data and make sure that whatever you’re testing is actually able to be executed,” said Krebs.
Simplicity is also crucial — an overcrowded menu not only creates confusion for store employees, but it also increases SKUs and complicates out-of-stock practices.
“Everything that’s new has a problem,” said Hoffer. “You really have to take your time, figure it out and not get too caught up about the waste.”
Another important point Krebs and Hoffer each noted is that foodservice solutions and offerings should be scalable across all locations, not simply one-off sites. For their first foodservice introduction, Hoffer suggested that retailers start with something that can fit in a small space and be rolled out to all stores at once.
In another NACS session titled, “A Tale of Multiple Media Networks,” moderator Matt Riezman, partner at NexChapter; Joell Robinson, director of retail media network at Circle K; Tommy Greenberg, GM of Love’s Media Group; and Dan Seymour, business leader at 4Court Media took the stage to discuss the advantages of owning or participating in a retail media network.
“Step one before you even get to inventory is making sure you have organizational alignment around your retail media network,” said Robinson, underscoring the importance of both employee buy-in and standard operating procedures.
Each panelist agreed that any retailer can be involved with a retail media network, regardless of store count. That can come in three ways: building, partnering or joining, according to Riezman.
“One of the biggest misconceptions in our industry is that you have to be a certain size to participate in a retail media network, and that’s just not true,” said Seymour.
When evaluating a retail media network, Greenberg emphasized that it needs to be “additive and in a place that isn’t disruptive.”
The NACS Show continues through Friday, Oct. 9.
