Eating healthy food is good for your customers, and selling healthy food is profitable for your convenience store.
Convenience store customers from all age groups are now eating more healthy foods. Are you offering healthy food options at your c-store? Providing healthy convenience store foods to your customers is easier than you might think.
The Food Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing community access to affordable, nutritious food. Their Healthy Corner Store Initiative includes programs that offer guidance to convenience store owners who want to provide healthier food. Bridget Palombo, Senior Associate for Community Food Retail at The Food Trust, said more people are looking for nutritious food options, so offering healthy foods can boost your c-store’s bottom line.
Before the pandemic, millennials and generation Z shoppers typically were the customers most interested in healthy convenience store foods. “Now, there’s more interest from older community members and seniors. More people want to improve their nutrition and health to boost their immune system,” said Palombo.
Don’t Miss: Convenience stores play an important role in providing food for their neighborhoods because c-stores may be the only place nearby that customers can buy healthy foods. The community around a store appreciates when healthy food options are available. “They view it as a sign that the store owner cares, and it builds up respect for the store owner and appreciation for the business in the community,” Palombo explained.
If you are not currently offering healthy foods, or if you only offer a few choices, jumpstart your healthy foods menu today with Palumbo’s top recommendations.
Here are the Top 10 Tips for Healthy Food Options:
Bonus: Offer healthy drinks, too, and display them prominently in your refrigerated section. Options include:
Best Bet: Ask your customers what healthy convenience store foods they want to determine foods that will sell best in your store. You’ll find that as you offer healthier options at your convenience store, customers will appreciate your efforts and reward you with more sales and repeat business which will boost your bottom line.
Smart Idea: Once you implement healthy food choices in your c-store, make it easy for your customers to pick up their order curbside. You can find out more information here: https://www.petrosoftinc.com/qwickserve-curbside-pickup/.
To learn more about offering healthy convenience store foods, download Why Sell Healthy Food. Find out more about The Food Trust’s initiatives in your area at http://thefoodtrust.org/what-we-do/corner-store.