With the demand for convenience and quick-service restaurants (QSRs) increasing, c-stores have become a popular go-to for many people looking for convenient and affordable snacks and beverages. Whether it’s picking up a coffee to-go or grabbing a cold beverage during a work-break, c-stores offer consumers the convenience and variety they need.
However, with the success of convenience stores also comes an immense amount of competition and change. As more beverage options become available, c-stores face the challenge of staying ahead of the game and understanding how certain trends might affect their customers’ preferences. With that said, it’s important for convenience store franchisors to stay informed and utilize top-notch data and insights to continue to maximize their success.
At Brizo, we take a data-driven approach to help franchisors understand the convenience store beverage trends of today. With the help of our data and insights, franchisors can use our insights to better understand customer preferences and changes in the industry, as well as understand what’s best for their business. This guide will provide all the information needed to understand and stay informed on the best convenience store beverage trends for franchising in the foodservice market.
What are the top convenience store beverage trends?
The top trends in convenience store beverages vary from year to year, but some have emerged as the most popular choices in convenience stores across the country. These include coffee, tea, carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), bottled water (both still and sparkling), sports drinks, energy drinks, ready to drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages, and grab-and-go smoothies and juices.
For coffee, both hot coffee and cold brew have become incredibly popular in convenience stores, and are the most requested beverage in QSRs. Similarly, RTD alcoholic beverages are becoming more and more popular in places like gas stations and convenience stores; in particular, hard seltzers and canned cocktails have started to go mainstream. Tea is also a popular option; green tea in particular is gaining traction, as it’s a healthier alternative to many of the sodas already on the menu. Bottled water continues to gain popularity with US consumers, and energy drinks have also seen a resurgence in popularity.
Other popular trends include grab-and-go smoothies and juices, as well as other functional beverages, such as kombucha, which contains probiotics for gut health. With rising health concerns, more and more people are opting for functional drinks that offer additional benefits beyond simply hydration.
What’s driving these convenience store beverage trends?
There are a number of factors driving the new convenience store beverage trends. One of the most important drivers is the increasing demand from consumers for convenience and variety. People want to be able to get what they need conveniently, and c-stores offer the perfect solution. Moreover, with the increasing demand for healthier options, many beverages are emerging that offer additional health benefits beyond simply hydration. These beverages are becoming increasingly popular in convenience stores.
Furthermore, technological advancements are also driving changes in convenience store beverage trends. With the emergence of new machine-learning technologies, c-stores can customize menus and offer consumers just what they need, when they need it. This helps c-stores stay ahead of their competitors and meet the growing demand for convenience.
Finally, the emergence of new flavors and trends is another driver of convenience store beverage trends. Trends such as hard seltzers and alcoholic cocktails, flavored juices, and hot and cold coffee drinks have become incredibly popular and are key drivers of the convenience store beverage industry.
How to analyze convenience store beverage trends in the foodservice industry
When it comes to understanding convenience store beverage trends in the foodservice industry, it’s essential to use data-backed insights. Brizo provides a comprehensive suite of data and insights to help franchisors better understand consumer preferences and trends. Our insights include in-depth menu data and restaurant tech coverage, sales prospecting insights, marketing insights to attract, convert, and close more leads, and data enrichment to enhance systems with more comprehensive market insights.
Brizo’s data and insights can help franchisors better understand customer preferences and make decisions with confidence. Through our platform, franchisors can streamline production innovation and strategically expand their brand using foodservice market intelligence. With data-backed insights, franchisors can gain a clear and comprehensive view into the convenience store beverage trends of today and make the most informed decisions for their business.
To conclude, convenience store beverage trends are shifting rapidly to meet the demands of the ever-evolving foodservice industry. It’s important for franchisors to stay informed and utilize data-driven insights and analytics to remain ahead of the competition and maximize success. With the help of Brizo, franchisors can have access to the in-depth and comprehensive data they need to understand convenience store beverage trends and make the best decisions for their business.
