Focusing on fresh snacks
As any closet snack fiend knows, c-stores are nirvana for indulgers who prefer their pick-me-ups in bags or wrappers, vis-a-vis turkey jerky, Slim Jims, chips or candy. Restaurants rely on prepped food, usually in sizes smaller than a typical lunch or dinner serving.
Now, the parent of Circle K (another giant of convenience retailing) is trying to erase those differences to land more of the between-meal indulgers. Alimentation Couche-Tard is using Circle K’s sister c-store brand, the recently acquired Holiday Stationstores, to test small plates, minis and popper-type bites as snacker bait.
“We try to create items that are both portable and craveable,” Tara Anderson, lunch daypart category sales manager for Holiday, told CSP.