This article is brought to you by Krispy Krunchy Chicken.
Convenience stores are one of the fastest growing foodservice channels, with foodservice accounting for 27.7% of store sales and 38.6% of store gross margin, according to the NACS State of the Industry® Data Report 2024.
“Food service is becoming increasingly relevant to convenience store operators. We have seen increasing competition between QSRs and convenience stores for customers. In fact, a recent study found that approximately 50% of QSR customers now have convenience stores in their consideration portfolio for hot prepared foods,” said Alice Crowder, director of marketing at Krispy Krunchy Chicken, citing the Intouch Insights Convenience Store Trends Report for 2024. “This is a big step forward from just a few years ago, and it’s directly attributable to the fact that c-stores have really upped their game and redefined customer expectations for what their customers can get.”
Offering catering services is a great way for convenience stores to increase sales. Additionally, partnering with third-party foodservice providers can help retailers expand their network and attract more consumers through brand recognition, on-demand products that meet their preferences, and online ordering, all in a way that may require fewer operator resources.
“Today’s customers expect convenience stores to offer high-quality, freshly prepared foods, but creating a foodservice program isn’t just a lever to pull and say, ‘We’re adding food now.’ Retailers need to have a menu they can execute, along with appropriate pricing and merchandise,” Crowder said, adding, “That’s where a turnkey program like Krispy Krunchy Chicken can help.” We figured out all these things for retailers.
The food service provider that c-stores choose to partner with can help increase their relevance to customers.
“Based on our research, customers who choose Krispy Krunchy do so for three reasons: high quality, high value and overall appeal,” Crowder said. “In other words, customers are going out of their way to buy food at stores that carry Krispy Krunchy. They will pass through other places for that chicken.”
Continue reading “Because You Deserve Better from a Restoration Solution” in the October 2025 issue of NACS Magazine.
