Convenience Store Food Trends: Attracting Healthy Shoppers

Attracting Healthy Shoppers to Your Convenience Store

Consumers have been spending more on prepared foods than on groceries for cooking at home for a few years now, and more and more frequently, people are looking for healthier options to eat on the go. Perceptions of c-stores are also changing, which provides the perfect opportunity to attract healthy shoppers to your store.

According to a Food Navigator article, “53% of consumers said they would visit c-stores more if healthier foods were more available.” This trend will only continue to grow in our increasingly health-conscious culture. Here are some ways you can capitalize on the demand for healthier foods:

- Set aside space in your store for prepared salads or a salad bar. Even fast food outlets have expanded menus to offer salads. If you hope to compete, get in the game with super fresh ingredients and customizable options, such as a variety of cheeses and other toppings to make your selection superior.

- Provide healthier meat and protein options. As more consumers limit red meat consumption, they’re looking for other protein sources. If your store still caters to a lot of grab-and-go purchases, consider displaying alternative items on your hot dog roller grills. You can offer turkey sausage or vegetarian sausages – just be sure to keep these apart from traditional hot dogs.

- Combine health and convenience with prepackaged snacks. Snack consumption continues to rise, but this can often conflict with consumers’ desire to eat more healthful foods. Turn your store into the solution to this problem by making healthier packaged snacks available in addition to the usual potato chips. 7-Eleven has created their own snack bars – try attracting healthy shoppers by offering private label granola, trail mixes, and lightly flavored popcorn.

- Capture the breakfast food market. Arguably the most important meal of the day, breakfast is also frequently skipped due to lack of time. Compete with fast food locations by offering egg sandwiches and lighter fare like yogurt parfaits and granola bars that patrons can grab on their way to work.

As convenience store food trends turn more toward healthy options, prepared foods, and items traditionally found in grocery stores and even restaurants, you can make sure your store is at the forefront of the move toward high-quality, lower-calorie foods, and you’ll soon be attracting healthy shoppers.

Once you’ve drawn in more customers, you’ll want to keep them and generate additional sales. Use these ideas to sell more c-store snacks.