Consumer habits are shifting, and convenience stores are no longer just about snack, smokes and last-minute essentials. Whether it’s a quick breakfast, a grab-and-go lunch, or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, convenience is increasingly rising to the occasion with branded as well as proprietary food-to-go (FTG) ranges.
For convenience retailers, this isn’t just a trend, it’s a golden opportunity to drive footfall, increase basket spend, and build customer loyalty, even evolving as a destination store.
And the best part is that this sector holds the potential for immense growth.
By 2028, the UK FTG market is projected to increase in value by almost 40 per cent compared to 2019 levels (IGD). While all the four sectors (cafes, food specialists, fast-food joints, supermarkets and convenience) will see growth, it is the convenience channel (along with food specialists) that are expected to steal share from other sectors, mainly due to being accessible and possessing strong value positioning.
According to the recently released SmartView Convenience (SVC), a market tracker for the independent convenience sector, FTG is one of the three categories that saw value growth in the convenience sector in 2024 in stark contrast to the overall decline in overall value sales in the channel.
Clearly, with categories like tobacco in sharp decline, and alcohol sales also underperforming in convenience channel, it is the food-to-go section that can be a saviour for many.
With branded snacks, meals and drinks to in-house freshly prepared hot food, the possibilities here are endless
For stores like Baba’s Kitchen in a suburb of Glasgow to Londis Harefield in Uxbridge, starting their own FTG station turned out to be a blessing.
With a regular breakfast menu along with baguettes, sandwiches, chips, beef burgers and baked potato, retailer Umar Majid has managed to evolve Baba’s Kitchen as a “food store with a bit of convenience”.
On the other hand, Londis Harefield’s snacks, served hot and fresh at the store’s “Curry in a Hurry” section, are known for miles around. From freshly made croissants to samosas to hot dogs, the store, run by retailer Atul Sodha, pulls considerable footfall through this section.
In Wellingborough, Budgens Berrymoor’s mini food court complete with in-house bakery offering a range of sandwiches, Costa Coffee machine and slush machine attracts a lot of footfall.
Meanwhile, at The Old Dairy – Pydar Stores in Truro (which operates under SPAR fascia), the food to go now forms “20 per cent of the business”. The store under retailer Judith Smitham and her husband Roger has extensive offering including a takeaway breakfast, exclusive meal deals and is planning to grow evening offer this year.
These success stories bring forth how a well-looked after food-to-go section can be a total game changer for a convenience store.
Industry leaders too believe that FTG remains an important mission and scalable channel and is rebounding with a return to pre-pandemic routines boosting footfall.
Stuart Graham, Head of Convenience and Impulse at KP Snacks, is optimistic about the category.
“We are confident about the future of the category, having already seen significant recovery in the sector, and our portfolio is well-placed to capitalise on and drive singles recovery,” he says.
“At KP Snacks, we are continuing to excite and interrupt with innovation, having the right brands in the right formats.
“This means that we are focused on acting in a more socially responsible way in every part of the business, whether it be through packaging reductions, healthier products, and promoting healthier lifestyles.”
Rachel Wells, Commercial Director at St Pierre Groupe, agrees with Graham, saying that food to go is a major opportunity for independent retailers.
“Consumers have got used to convenience stores’ food to go and snacking offerings being a core part of these outlets’ propositions.
“The way shoppers work has normalised too, leading to stabilised, regular shopper visits. People have settled back down to going to their workplaces full time or flexi working from home, with both presenting growing opportunities for retailers to sell food and hot drinks to go,” she says.
Bakery
When it comes to stocking bakery items for on-the-go consumption, retailers widely report Country Choice as the top supplier.
In fact, Country Choice is often attributed for making it easier for retailers to take advantage of the hot snacking opportunity by bringing together an exciting range of grab-and-go products.
With over 35 years of experience, the company has established itself as a leading supplier to the convenience store sector, offering high-quality frozen, chilled, and ambient products, along with equipment, on-site training, and point-of-sale materials.
As indulgence is a major factor in bakery purchases, the category continues to benefit from consumers choosing premium options.
In the wider bakery category, the move towards premiumisation is showing no sign of slowing. The trend can be tapped by stocking quality brands like St Pierre to give consumers an opportunity to “trade up” and elevate everyday meals.
Wells from St Pierre Groupe states, “In sweet bakery, our individually wrapped food-to-go range and take-home multi-packs are quite popular.”
Offering the St Pierre range makes sure that consumers can enjoy an “upgraded” menu with continental-style breakfasts, brunches and lunches.
The St Pierre food to go range comprises of Caramel Waffles, Millionaires Waffle, Butter Croissants, Chocolate Filled Croissants and Brioche Waffles.
In fact, morning goods and sweet snacks from quality brands like St Pierre complement hot drinks perfectly as sweet treats at any time of day. Therefore, they should be merchandised alongside hot drinks machines, creating a great opportunity for retailers to increase basket spend.
Retailers in residential areas can give their bakery sales a boost by making their store’s bakery offer highly visible to customers.
St Pierre’s morning goods in multipacks for elevated breakfasts include Brioche Swirls, Chocolate Chip Brioche Swirls, Brioche Rolls, Chocolate Chip Brioche Rolls, Chocolate Filled Crepes, Vegan Croissants and Vegan Pains au Chocolat.
St Pierre’s Brioche Buns and Hot Dog Rolls are popular lunch options.
The St Pierre range stands out on shelf in its instantly recognisable branded packaging. Wells feels that seeing the range on the bakery fixture plants the idea in consumers of coming back on days when they are working from home.
Snacks
Snacks, particularly savoury snacks, cater to a huge part of on-the-go consumption in the convenience channel.
Enjoyment is the number-one driver when buying crisps and snacks, so retailers are recommended to offer well-loved core brands such as Quavers, Wotsits and Monster Munch.
These brands continue to drive sales in the channel and work alongside a wide range of taste-led NPD, helping to maximise sales.
Nic Storey, Senior Sales Director, Impulse & Field Sales at PepsiCo says, “To cater to this demand, we have launched a number of taste-led NPD over the last year, which more recently includes two new Doritos flavour innovations as part of the brand’s A Minecraft Movie partnership.
“The new A Minecraft Movie-inspired flavours – The Creeper Vinegar and The Ghast BBQ – are reminiscent of key characters and available in custom 180g A Minecraft Movie-themed packaging.
“Through this, Doritos is supporting retailers in attracting gaming fans to the brand and driving trial of products that will transition into permanent offerings post movie launch.”
To further support impulse retailers in making the most of this growing opportunity of spicy segment of snacks, PepsiCo recently launched Doritos Dinamita exclusively into the UK convenience market.
Following a series of fiery launches from PepsiCo over the last year, the new rolled tortilla chip joins the existing Extra Flamin’ Hot portfolio, which includes Walkers MAX, Doritos and Wotsits Crunchy.
Rolling out solely in a price-marked pack (PMP), the launch will allow retailers to continue to boost their to-go snacking sales by offering exciting new product developments in a popular format that offers shoppers value.
Rob Pothier, Head of Marketing, Portfolio Campaigns at PepsiCo, comments, “The last year has seen us unleash the heat with Extra Flamin’ Hot in the impulse channel, but now it’s time to turn things up another notch.
“We know that Gen-Z are driving the demand for bold and exciting flavours, so we have been on a mission to support retailers in catering to these shoppers through our Extra Flamin’ Hot brand, effectively working to futureproof the category with new and innovative offerings.”
And the KP Snacks portfolio covers everything.
Hula Hoops Big Hoops BBQ Beef is the top selling PMP in the convenience channel, worth £12.2m, and takes the top spot for best-selling meal deal choice.
The Hula Hoops brand is worth £215.8m and growing at +14.3 per cent. McCoy’s Salt & Vinegar and Flame Grilled Steak are the second and third best-selling meal deal choices, perfect for livening up lunch.
Meanwhile Tyrrells is perfect for customers seeking a more premium snack. This award-winning hand cooked English crisp brand, has 91 Great Taste awards, more than any other crisp brand on the market.
“Tide me over” is an increasingly important on-the-go snacking opportunity.
"Whether it be during the school run, evening commute, or the lunchtime zoom call, 64 per cent of consumers eat snacks to keep their energy up throughout the day while 53 per cent eat snacks to satisfy hunger between meals,” Graham adds.
While tasty snacks are a hugely important part of this mission, there has been an uplift in healthy snack sales as shoppers look for energy boost throughout the day.
Exempt from HFSS legislation, nuts are seeing huge growth.
Packed with protein and fibre which is highlighted through its labelling, KP Nuts is the number one brand in nuts, nearly five times bigger than the nearest branded competitor, worth £101.4m RSV and growing at +2.2 per cent.
Coming in at under 100 calories per serving, suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and with a third less fat than the market leader, popchips also provides a more permissible snack option without compromising on big flavour.
In 2022, the entire popchips range was reformulated to be non-HFSS, informs Graham.
When it comes to snacks to grab and go, retailers should not overlook the sweet snacks category. If the range is healthier, it is even better.
Gemma Allanson, Field Sales Manager at World of Sweets, says, “At Hancocks we have a range of products that are suitable for on the go in our ‘Healthier at Hancocks’ range.
“These include protein snacks, energy bars, sugar free sweets and functional drinks. New to our healthier range are the new Sponge Bob sugar-free lollies, RRP £1.49,” she adds.
Meals
The more varied the food-to-go section can be, the better it will be for the store sales.
With many FTG consumers looking for tasty alternatives to traditional sandwiches, Rustlers, the leading chilled ready meal brand with annual sales of more than £118 million, is another great option to stock.
Ross Davison, Head of Convenience at Kepak (Foods Division), home of Rustlers, says, “The opportunity is boosted by the fact that the vast majority of food-to-go shoppers has access to a microwave, either at home or at work.”
Also, with “quick and easy” and “treat” ranking highly in purchasing decisions for shoppers who buy food to go products, Rustlers presents a huge opportunity for retailers.
The rising cost of living has also increased the number of food to go shoppers looking for products which they regard as “not too expensive”, highlighting the appeal of Rustlers core products which are all available as price-marked packs (PMP).
Rustlers is further fuelling growth in the FTG market with its Cook in Box range, featuring patented technology which is driving demand for Rustlers beyond chilled ready meals into the food to go sector.
With pre-programmed to cook Rustlers SKUs, Rustlers-branded food to go units featuring microwaves are enabling c-stores to meet growing consumer demand for hot snacks on the move.
The microwaves can also be used to cook other products in store, providing a cross-category, self-serve, hot food to go solution.
The bestselling line from Rustlers further includes The All Day Breakfast Sausage Muffin, Quarter Pounder, the Cheeseburger, along with chilled snacks and energy drinks.
Furthermore, Rustlers arm the c-store retailers to meet the rising demand for quick, convenient meal solutions among young adults.
Stocking Rustlers range is wise when a store is located near college campuses, universities or in general younger demographic area. With only 54 per cent of 19 to 22-year-olds claiming to have learnt about cooking at school, Rustlers can be their saviour.
Davison further advices retailers to use social media to promote their food to go offering among so-called Gen Z shoppers.
“This is the place where they expect to hear from the brands they love, with two thirds (67 per cent) claiming to ‘often hear about food or drink on social media’ while 63 per cent claim to ‘often talk about food or drink with their friends’,” he adds.
While on-the-go consumption tends to remain throughout the day, its demand peaks around meal time, particularly in stores around office areas and high streets.
To make the best of it, retailers should make sure to offer the right core range in the right formats, boosted with the right promotions and in-store merchandising.
Graham from KP Snacks suggests retailers to create value by understanding customer expectations, whether it is through premium or value offerings.
“53 per cent of shoppers look for meal deals when buying food to go and 34 per cent of shoppers say they would pay more than £5 for meal deals if the products were high quality.
“Hybrid workers may view food-to-go as more of a treat if purchasing less frequently and will likely be willing to spend more, meaning there is opportunity to create premium lunch deals catered to part-time office workers,” points out Graham.
Drinks
Just like snacks, soft drinks and juices are consumed on the go in the convenience channel. Increasingly joining the two lines are energy drinks which have become increasingly popular among Gen Z and millennial.
Needless to say, the chiller should be well-stocked with the bestselling range along with a good sprinkle of NPDs. Very often, the sight of drinks kept chilled trigger impulse sales, increasing the basket spend.
While Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Red Bull, Robinsons, Schweppes, and Irn-Bru should be in stock as well as in the chiller, having Monster, PRIME and Rockstar will only add further value to the range.
Along with soft drinks, juices and energy drinks, the chiller should also have ready to drink (RTD) chilled coffee in the on-the-go format.
Over the past 12 months, a handful of clear trends have led the way within the RTD chilled coffee sub-category, namely focus on health and wellbeing, rise in flavour trends and at-home consumption.
Arla has been tapping all these trends with perfectly-times and curated Starbucks ranges.
Tapping into the protein zeitgeist last year, Arla launched its debut protein offer, Starbucks Protein Drink with Coffee, as part of RTD range (RSP £2.75).
Adam Hacking, head of beverages at Arla, says, “With the delicious flavour you would expect from the UK’s number one RTD chilled coffee brand, with the added benefit of being a convenient, high-protein beverage, this innovation can be enjoyed on the go to support active lifestyles.”
Last year also saw the launch of Starbucks Frappuccino Caramel No Added Sugar. Offering a delicious blend of Starbucks signature espresso roast coffee, creamy milk and buttery caramel, it provides the same great taste as Starbucks Frappuccino Caramel.
To continue this spirit of health-led innovation, the popular Starbucks Chilled Classics range has recently been treated to a refresh with two new tasty beverages- Starbucks Oat Based Cappuccino and Oat Based Caramel Macchiato.
Hacking adds, “Consumers are buying into the category primarily for taste and this is reflected in our ethos for flavour quality and innovation.
“Across the ready-to-drink chilled coffee category, we have seen sweet flavours continue to grow in popularity, with chocolate and caramel being the fastest-growing flavours.”
Multiserve is the fastest-growing segment in RTD coffee as shoppers look to new consumption occasions and uses the product more as a take-home drink, he adds.
The Starbucks chilled coffee Multiserve range (750ml sharing size formats) now has four core SKUs- Starbucks Multiserve Skinny Latte, Starbucks Multiserve Caramel Macchiato, Starbucks Multiserve Caffè Latte and Starbucks Multiserve Cappuccino.
Noteworthy here is that Starbucks chilled coffee portfolio also includes dairy free, vegan and no added sugar options to help broaden consumer appeal.
January saw the launch of the new Starbucks Blissful Retreat Limited Edition Chilled Classic (MRRP £2.00) and Starbucks Frappuccino Sip On Sunshine Limited Edition (MRRP £2.10).
Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, consumers are still investing in rewarding treats.
Shoppers are still seeking small moments of joy and solace, but they're doing so through budget-friendly ideas. This is driving significant growth in categories like premium milk drinks, which are up +28.4 per cent year-on-year.
YAZOO, the number one flavoured milk brand in the UK, is now selling a staggering two bottles every second. It is available in four core flavours, chocolate, banana, vanilla and strawberry. The bottles are available in £1.29 PMPs, allowing retailers to stock prices that they trust will perform in store, whilst communicating value to shoppers.
Adam Tidbury, Category Manager, FrieslandCampina UK Ltd, says, “YAZOO’s iconic portfolio taps into two key trends, a pick-me-up in between meals and a treat for relaxing at home.”
The brands on-the-go 400ml bottle is perfectly positioned to cater to the growing demand for a convenient pick up between meals.
This month, the brand launched YAZOO Inspirations, tapping into the growing “treat culture” trend and providing consumers with an even more indulgent experience.
“Recognising the importance consumers place on taste when treating themselves and seeking to maximise impulse purchases, Yazoo invested 12 months researching flavour trends, running focus groups, and taste tests to create two flavours and packaging with proven consumer appeal,” informs Tidbury.
The two-product range includes the flavours Birthday Cake and Caramel Blondie, both available in 300ml format for £1.5.
Another great option here is Chocomel which has been demonstrating strong consumer interest in the premium adult milk drink category.
Tidbury adds, “The continued success of the brand has led to Chocomel becoming the UK’s number one best-selling premium milk drink in convenience, highlighting the opportunity for retailers to stock these convenient, sweet treats.”
Another must-stock item in the on the go section is RTD iced coffee range from Barista.
The UK’s iced coffee market has experienced significant growth over the past three years, and as the fastest-growing RTD coffee brand, Barista has firmly established itself as a key player within this category since launching in 2019, and growing 99 per cent in the last year alone,” says Tidbury.
“We recognise in today's challenging economic climate; consumers are increasingly seeking value without compromising on quality. That’s why we've maintained a steadfast price of just £1, ensuring consumers can continue enjoying a convenient, affordable coffee drink.”
Stocking Barista allows retailers to meet this burgeoning demand and attract new customers seeking convenient iced coffee.
Furthermore, the flavoured milk category is thriving in the convenience sector, with sales now valued at £328m. The convenience channel alone represents 44 per cent of the total flavoured milk market, which has reached £737.2m.
This growing category also offers exciting opportunities for retailers, particularly in chocolate-flavoured milk, which saw a 17.6 per cent sales increase to £150.1 million, remaining a firm consumer favourite.
The Mars Chocolate Drinks & Treats (MCD&T) milk drinks range has achieved impressive growth in the UK convenience channel with annual sales up 39.4 per cent and over 12.3 million units sold through convenience stores.
Kerry Cavanaugh, general manager at Mars Chocolate Drinks & Treats, explains, “Our growth in the convenience channel reflects the strong appeal of our trusted brands and the increasing popularity of flavoured milk drinks as a top pick for impulse buyers seeking convenience.
“With strong branding, trusted quality and an array of popular flavours, the MCD&T portfolio continues to be a key player in the flavoured milk category, helping convenience retailers capitalise on this growing market.”
The MCD&T range includes Mars, Mars Caramel, Maltesers, Milky Way, Twix, Snickers, M&M’s Brownie, and Galaxy, all suitable for vegetarians and containing no added sugar.
While many flavoured milk drinks are ambient for easy stock management, chilled options remain crucial to attracting customers seeking a quick, ready-to-drink refreshment.
Apart from the bestselling and premium options, it is best to keep the shoppers curious by offering NPDs too. Also, retailers should make sure that “free-from” range of drinks is also on the offer.
To cater to this demand, wholesaler Hancocks has exclusively partnered with Sneak Energy in the UK. The brand is known for no added preservatives, no refined sugars, no artificial colour and no artificial flavours.
Allanson informs, “We are stocking its range of 500ml energy drinks including Sneak Energy Tropikilla, Sneak Energy Purple Storm, Sneak Energy Raspberry Lemonade and Sneak Energy Blizzard Lemonade.”
Tips and tricks
When it comes to on the go consumption, the right approach can transform stores into go-to destinations for busy shoppers looking for fast, fresh, and affordable food.
Shoppers want variety, but they also want reliability. Offering a well-balanced mix of classic favourites and new trends is the key.
As recessionary conditions prevail, operators need to stock trusted and familiar brands and offer the right product and price mix to deliver and demonstrate great value.
PMPs have seen significant growth in the last number of years, with the format expected to continue increasing in both relevance and popularity.
Graham from KP Snacks acknowledges the role of PMPs in impulse lines.
“We’ve seen a recent increase in grab bag and large PMP sales as people are tempted by the bigger packs.
“Not only do PMPs offer consumers great value for money, the clear pricing also gives them assurance that they are not being overcharged. PMPs are a hugely versatile format that caters for multiple missions and occasions, whether that be hunger fill or sharing.
“70 per cent of shoppers purchase items on impulse and PMPs drive these sales through clear messaging and displays,” he tells Asian Trader.
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Meanwhile, Wells from St Pierre Groupe recommends retailers looking at the food-to-go opportunity take cues from foodservice and think about who their likely customers are, and “how to engage them and provide reasons for consumers to choose their outlet”.
Retailers and forecourt operators need to think of the hot drinks machine and the bakery fixture as a “food- and drink-to-go destination”, she adds.
Additionally, retailers should focus their FTG offerings on two key missions, the morning run and lunchtime.
Wells says, “The morning run presents a clear opportunity to merchandise a range of morning goods near the hot drinks dispenser and use the strength of the St Pierre brand to draw shoppers back to the store on repeat visits and increase their linked food to go sales in other product categories during these occasions.
“With traditional mealtimes blurring, the lunchtime mission extends from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, widening the window of opportunity for food to go sales.”
Depending on their customer profile, retailers should also keep in mind the needs of vegans. With rising demand, it is best to stock more plant-based food-to-go choices.
Retailers should position food-to-go near the entrance and checkout areas for maximum visibility.
They should also keep in mind the labelling requirements as well as Natasha’s Law.
… and go!
With the convenience channel overall slipping slightly in market share, leading retail experts are calling for retailers to pump up their food-to-go offering.
Retail and wholesale data expert Tom Fender from TWC vouches for food to go, keeping it as one of the five Fs, the mantra for success, with the rest four being “fresh products, full shelves, fast and friendly service and fit-for-purpose range”.
Convenience retail industry expert Scott Annan has been vocal about the role that proprietary fresh, day-part food can play in the uplifting of convenience channel.
Food-to-go is no longer just an add-on; it’s a key revenue driver for convenience stores.
Shoppers are actively looking for quick, high-quality, and affordable meal solutions, and the stores that get it right will see higher footfall, larger basket sizes, and repeat business.
The competition is fierce, but those who invest in variety, and value-driven deals will stay ahead.
