4 Tips To Elevate Your Roller Grill Offerings (Tyson Foodservice)

From Tyson Foods News & Insights

In its article published March 26h, the Tyson Foodservice team recommends that you’ll want to “periodically take stock of your c-store offerings” to stay current with what customers are looking for, and references two Technomic reports: One which indicates 43% of consumers “want more options with unique ingredients” and another that reports “62% of consumers prefer their product’s flavor to come from a combination of ingredients, seasonings and sauces.”

To meet these expectations, Tyson Foodservice suggests 4 tips:

1. Introduce Novel Flavors

2. Respond to the Trends

3. Menu a “Must Have” for Big Cravings

4. Plan Ahead for the Busy Travel Season

To help you Introduce Novel Flavors, Tyson Foodservice “has a wealth of recipes” that’ll help convenience store retailers compete with restaurants.

In order to Respond to the Trends, capitalize on the flavors customers are excited about. Much like the bacon mania of the late 00s/early10s, Technomic’s 2023 Flavor Consumer Trend Report tells us that more than a third of customers are currently looking for “smoky-and-spicy” and 41% are looking for “savory-and-spicy”. Tyson has great options, including the Hillshire Farm® Jalapeno Mesquite Smoked Sausage that combines spicy and smokey.

But don’t forget about the classics: Menu a “Must Have” for Big Cravings that features “those hearty, satisfying offerings” that customers know and love.

And remember, Plan Ahead for the Busy Travel Season and “Make sure you have what you need by planning ahead for your roller grill offerings—so you have a fully stocked roller grill for your hungry guests,” Chef Young says.

Read the article in full at Tyson Foodservice.

Refreshing the Roller Grill (CStore Decisions)

Posted to CStoreDecisions.com by Marilyn Odesser-Torpey

In her article, Odesser-Torpey how hot dogs and sausages are integral to convenience stores foodservice experiences, but that customers are also looking for “new flavors and seasonings.”

She reports:

Hot dogs and sausages are two of the roller grill’s most popular items. Total hot dog sales rang in at $2.99 billion and 896 million pounds, reflecting slight decreases (0.1% and 1.2% respectively) in 2023 over 2022. Total dinner sausage sales increased a bit (0.2%) to $5.3 billion and decreased 0.2% in pounds to 1.2 billion, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.

She also relays that Eric Mittenthal, president of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, has noticed that brands have been introducing “favorites reformulated with a reduced fat content or increased protein content (and) … new products in flavors such as honey and brown sugar, barbecue, Cajun, spicy, and teriyaki”, so don’t discontinue making sure that you’re offerings appeal to a wide range of tastes!

Read more at CStoreDecisions.com

How Do I Make My Foodservice Stand Out? (CStoreDecisions)

Written by Marilyn Odesser-Torpey for CStoreDecisions.com

In her article for CStoreDecisions.com, Odesser-Torpey provides a number of insights for independent convenience retailers to keep in mind when offering foodservice to their customers, and how best to make sure customers are aware of those offerings. Key tactics include: Signage at the pump, a menu available on your website, and signature items.

She also highlights a opportunity that c-store operators have for foodservice over more traditional or quick service restaurants (QSRs):

Bundle foodservice items with other popular products throughout the stores such as chips, soda or cookies. Place signage in those areas promoting the bundles to emphasize your fresh food offerings.

Read more about how to make your foodservice stand out at CStoreDecisions.com

Benefits of Offering Roller Grill Food Items (CSP Daily News)

From Ruiz Foods

Image: Ruiz Foodservice

Roller grills are a classic convenience store foodservice offering. They make a great, low-cost way to offer a variety of flavors without the need for a full-fledges kitchen-based foodservice program.

Ruiz also notes that the roller grill is:

• Perfect for adding trending flavors to the lineup without maxing out the food budget

• Low-labor, which is ideal for labor-crunched stores

• Beloved by consumers—no matter what’s available to them, many consumers still gravitate toward the classics

Read more at CSPDailyNews.com

Listen to Customers, Make LTO Permanent (CSP Daily News)

Written by Chuck Ulie for CSPDailyNews.com

In this article, Ulie discusses the importance of listening to customer feedback, as exemplified by the choice of Dunkin’ to heed the call from customers to make their annual limited time offer coffee flavor Butter Pecan Swirl a regular offering:

Requests from customers and employees to make the flavor a regular offering were “staggering,” Dunkin’ said. “We’re thrilled to finally grant their wish.”

So take note: If your customers love an LTO item that you’re offering on your roller grill, consider making it a permanent addition to your grill’s planogram.

Read the entire article at CSPDailyNews.com.

Quality, Variety Drive Roller Grill Sales (C Store Decisions)

Posted to CStoreDecisions.com by Marilyn Odesser-Torpey

Odesser-Torpey reports that the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council says “hot dog sales were up 12.9% over last year” dollarwise, equating to more than $3 billion in sales. To capitalize on these increased sales

“… many convenience stores are building out new units with expanded roller grill capacity, and consumers appear to believe that the roller grill can still deliver fresh and quality products,” (John) Benson (partner in the restaurants, hospitality and leisure practice at AlixPartners consulting firm) explained. “Promotions that bundle roller grill items with a drink or another snack especially appeal to value-focused customers and impulse buyers who may not be otherwise visiting with the intent of purchasing prepared foods.”

Continue reading at CStoreDecisions.com.

Bundling, Variety Could Buoy Roller Grill Sales in 2022 (C Store Decisions)

Written by Marilyn Odesser-Torpey for cstoredecisions.com

“I think they have a bit of an uphill battle relative to other c-store foodservice offerings because consumers are increasingly looking for c-store food offerings that are prepared on-site and customizable such as pizza, tacos or burritos,” (Ann) Golladay (associate director on the content team at Datassential) said. “Roller grill items have often been an impulse and value play.”

Odesser-Torpey writes that early 2021 saw a 41% increase over 2020’s for roller grills, as reported by C-store operators. In order to continue driving sales, retailers should consider new bundle deals for the roller grill that include drinks, sides, or even desserts. There are “opportunities to differentiate (yourself) from other stores in the community withy fun promotions and bundles … for a value price.”

Read the entire article at cstoredecisions.com

How Can C-Stores Better Market Their Roller Grill Offers (C Store Decisions)

Written by Isabelle Gustafson for cstoredecisions.com

…like all offers, (the roller gril) can easily become stale if it’s not regularly updated and given proper consideration.

In addition to reminder retailers that a roller grill must be kept spotless to ensure customer satisfaction (particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic), Gustafson also points out that it’s imperative that a c-store have “a solid offer – whatever that means for your store.” Different locations will need to meet different customer expectations and tastes, but variety is vital.

It’s also incredibly important to remember to communicate to your (potential) customers. Outdoor signage is just as important as indoor signage and messaging on the grill: You need to be able to lure customers in to he store who might otherwise just pay at the pump for their gas and leave.

Having an online presence is also a key component to driving customer traffic; just make sure everything online looks as appetizing as possible.

Read the entire article at cstoredecisions.com.