Curating the Future: 21st Century Convenience Stores
The convenience stores of yesterday got a 21st century makeover.
The convenience store of your childhood was a place to grab a candy, a beverage and depending on your allowance, a knick knack of some sort. But the convenience store of your adulthood is now a place to grab a gluten-free snack, an iced latte, and a fine bottle of wine, maybe with a cheese pairing. Oh and some dishwasher capsules too. One more thing, you don’t actually go to this convenience store. You order it all from your phone and get it delivered to you in under an hour.
WHAT IS A NEXT-GEN C*STORE? These sort of Next-Generation Convenience Stores—stocked with curated, better-for-you products alongside household essentials, all ordered from an app—are gaining serious traction across the country, fueled on by the pandemic no less. And here’s where food and beverage makers have a strong opportunity to get on the shelves (virtual and physical) and get in front of the all-important Gen Z demographic.
The leader of the pack is Foxtrot Market which began as a delivery-only app seven years ago, before opening physical stores/cafés in the Chicago area. While Covid-19 forced them to tweak their offerings since in-store experiences like a coffee shop and lounge area had to close, Foxtrot has soared with improved pick-up and delivery services and are continuing with expansion in Chicago, DC, and Dallas.
Other next-gen convenience stores are GoPuff which is solely online and available in many cities across the U.S. and Choice Market in Colorado, which is similar to Foxtrot in its hybrid physical-and-online store model. But even big players are getting into this space such as Amazon Go, DoorMart (from DoorDash) and 7-11, who are expanding delivery and pick-up options and investing heavily in their 7NOW app.
WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER NEXT-GEN C*STORES +Curated selections: The days of stocking only big food brands on the shelves are over. Buyers for these convenience stores are looking for different brands with clever packaging and new twists on old favorites. +Better-for-You products: Gluten-free, vegan, keto, paleo, CBD and other healthier options are in high demand, especially in the grab-and-go space, opening up a segment of products not typically found in convenience stores. +Constant Rotations: With quicker data streams, these stores are able to tell what’s selling and what’s not, and be able to diversify their offerings much faster than traditional grocery stores, meaning more opportunities to get a foot in the door. +Gen Z-Obsessed: More so than other grocery stores, next-gen convenience stores are laser-focused on the Gen Z demographic and will adapt to whatever these customers want. But since this is the next generation coming up with the most purchasing power, it’s good to get in front of them early. +The Future: The pandemic upended our shopping habits, forcing us all forward into the future of grocery shopping...which is online and delivered.
WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND Because of the curation process, these stores can be more selective than others. GoPuff uses RangeMe to source new products, but all buyers ultimately want the right mix of products, especially those that reflect the current healthy but satisfying zeitgeist.
Think of it as similar to the modern-day gourmet market, or even boutique clothing store, where well-known brands or product types don’t often make the cut. Neither do fresh out-of-the-box ideas.
Emily Griffith, founder and CEO of Lil Bucks, spent about two years tweaking her product with the goal of getting into Foxtrot Market. But her hard work paid off as she’s launched one SKU of each of her product line into Foxtrot Chicago and Dallas stores. The key to her success? Constant communication.
“When I launched Lil Bucks in 2018 I wanted to get in these stores sooooo badly,” she wrote on LinkedIn. “I'll say our products had some work to be done (like, getting out of the kraft paper bags and into printed bags, organic-certification, etc.). Whenever we made improvements I shared our brand with Foxtrot again (and again).”
7-11 actually does brand reach-outs with their Brands With Heart conference held every year in October. The upcoming one is virtual and applications are closed but definitely put this on your list for next year.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Scope out current inventory.
Clearly communicate your product's value.
Introduce, iterate, re-introduce, repeat.
And like all other things when pursuing omni-channel enlightenment, experimentation is the name of the game, especially when the playing field keeps changing as well.
"The future of alcohol is definitely delivered," said Beryl Jacobsen, the CMO of Flying Embers. "But there are extremely diversified and hybrid approaches to it. We are looking at all of them and the best ways to serve our customers."
The convenience store of your childhood was a place to grab a candy, a beverage and depending on your allowance, a knick knack of some sort. But the convenience store of your adulthood is now a place to grab a gluten-free snack, an iced latte, and a fine bottle of wine, maybe with a cheese pairing. Oh and some dishwasher capsules too. One more thing, you don’t actually go to this convenience store. You order it all from your phone and get it delivered to you in under an hour.
WHAT IS A NEXT-GEN C*STORE? These sort of Next-Generation Convenience Stores—stocked with curated, better-for-you products alongside household essentials, all ordered from an app—are gaining serious traction across the country, fueled on by the pandemic no less. And here’s where food and beverage makers have a strong opportunity to get on the shelves (virtual and physical) and get in front of the all-important Gen Z demographic.
The leader of the pack is Foxtrot Market which began as a delivery-only app seven years ago, before opening physical stores/cafés in the Chicago area. While Covid-19 forced them to tweak their offerings since in-store experiences like a coffee shop and lounge area had to close, Foxtrot has soared with improved pick-up and delivery services and are continuing with expansion in Chicago, DC, and Dallas.
Other next-gen convenience stores are GoPuff which is solely online and available in many cities across the U.S. and Choice Market in Colorado, which is similar to Foxtrot in its hybrid physical-and-online store model. But even big players are getting into this space such as Amazon Go, DoorMart (from DoorDash) and 7-11, who are expanding delivery and pick-up options and investing heavily in their 7NOW app.
WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER NEXT-GEN C*STORES +Curated selections: The days of stocking only big food brands on the shelves are over. Buyers for these convenience stores are looking for different brands with clever packaging and new twists on old favorites. +Better-for-You products: Gluten-free, vegan, keto, paleo, CBD and other healthier options are in high demand, especially in the grab-and-go space, opening up a segment of products not typically found in convenience stores. +Constant Rotations: With quicker data streams, these stores are able to tell what’s selling and what’s not, and be able to diversify their offerings much faster than traditional grocery stores, meaning more opportunities to get a foot in the door. +Gen Z-Obsessed: More so than other grocery stores, next-gen convenience stores are laser-focused on the Gen Z demographic and will adapt to whatever these customers want. But since this is the next generation coming up with the most purchasing power, it’s good to get in front of them early. +The Future: The pandemic upended our shopping habits, forcing us all forward into the future of grocery shopping...which is online and delivered.
WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND Because of the curation process, these stores can be more selective than others. GoPuff uses RangeMe to source new products, but all buyers ultimately want the right mix of products, especially those that reflect the current healthy but satisfying zeitgeist.
Think of it as similar to the modern-day gourmet market, or even boutique clothing store, where well-known brands or product types don’t often make the cut. Neither do fresh out-of-the-box ideas.
Emily Griffith, founder and CEO of Lil Bucks, spent about two years tweaking her product with the goal of getting into Foxtrot Market. But her hard work paid off as she’s launched one SKU of each of her product line into Foxtrot Chicago and Dallas stores. The key to her success? Constant communication.
“When I launched Lil Bucks in 2018 I wanted to get in these stores sooooo badly,” she wrote on LinkedIn. “I'll say our products had some work to be done (like, getting out of the kraft paper bags and into printed bags, organic-certification, etc.). Whenever we made improvements I shared our brand with Foxtrot again (and again).”
7-11 actually does brand reach-outs with their Brands With Heart conference held every year in October. The upcoming one is virtual and applications are closed but definitely put this on your list for next year.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Scope out current inventory.
Clearly communicate your product's value.
Introduce, iterate, re-introduce, repeat.
And like all other things when pursuing omni-channel enlightenment, experimentation is the name of the game, especially when the playing field keeps changing as well.
"The future of alcohol is definitely delivered," said Beryl Jacobsen, the CMO of Flying Embers. "But there are extremely diversified and hybrid approaches to it. We are looking at all of them and the best ways to serve our customers."
The convenience store of your childhood was a place to grab a candy, a beverage and depending on your allowance, a knick knack of some sort. But the convenience store of your adulthood is now a place to grab a gluten-free snack, an iced latte, and a fine bottle of wine, maybe with a cheese pairing. Oh and some dishwasher capsules too. One more thing, you don’t actually go to this convenience store. You order it all from your phone and get it delivered to you in under an hour.
WHAT IS A NEXT-GEN C*STORE? These sort of Next-Generation Convenience Stores—stocked with curated, better-for-you products alongside household essentials, all ordered from an app—are gaining serious traction across the country, fueled on by the pandemic no less. And here’s where food and beverage makers have a strong opportunity to get on the shelves (virtual and physical) and get in front of the all-important Gen Z demographic.
The leader of the pack is Foxtrot Market which began as a delivery-only app seven years ago, before opening physical stores/cafés in the Chicago area. While Covid-19 forced them to tweak their offerings since in-store experiences like a coffee shop and lounge area had to close, Foxtrot has soared with improved pick-up and delivery services and are continuing with expansion in Chicago, DC, and Dallas.
Other next-gen convenience stores are GoPuff which is solely online and available in many cities across the U.S. and Choice Market in Colorado, which is similar to Foxtrot in its hybrid physical-and-online store model. But even big players are getting into this space such as Amazon Go, DoorMart (from DoorDash) and 7-11, who are expanding delivery and pick-up options and investing heavily in their 7NOW app.
WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER NEXT-GEN C*STORES +Curated selections: The days of stocking only big food brands on the shelves are over. Buyers for these convenience stores are looking for different brands with clever packaging and new twists on old favorites. +Better-for-You products: Gluten-free, vegan, keto, paleo, CBD and other healthier options are in high demand, especially in the grab-and-go space, opening up a segment of products not typically found in convenience stores. +Constant Rotations: With quicker data streams, these stores are able to tell what’s selling and what’s not, and be able to diversify their offerings much faster than traditional grocery stores, meaning more opportunities to get a foot in the door. +Gen Z-Obsessed: More so than other grocery stores, next-gen convenience stores are laser-focused on the Gen Z demographic and will adapt to whatever these customers want. But since this is the next generation coming up with the most purchasing power, it’s good to get in front of them early. +The Future: The pandemic upended our shopping habits, forcing us all forward into the future of grocery shopping...which is online and delivered.
WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND Because of the curation process, these stores can be more selective than others. GoPuff uses RangeMe to source new products, but all buyers ultimately want the right mix of products, especially those that reflect the current healthy but satisfying zeitgeist.
Think of it as similar to the modern-day gourmet market, or even boutique clothing store, where well-known brands or product types don’t often make the cut. Neither do fresh out-of-the-box ideas.
Emily Griffith, founder and CEO of Lil Bucks, spent about two years tweaking her product with the goal of getting into Foxtrot Market. But her hard work paid off as she’s launched one SKU of each of her product line into Foxtrot Chicago and Dallas stores. The key to her success? Constant communication.
“When I launched Lil Bucks in 2018 I wanted to get in these stores sooooo badly,” she wrote on LinkedIn. “I'll say our products had some work to be done (like, getting out of the kraft paper bags and into printed bags, organic-certification, etc.). Whenever we made improvements I shared our brand with Foxtrot again (and again).”
7-11 actually does brand reach-outs with their Brands With Heart conference held every year in October. The upcoming one is virtual and applications are closed but definitely put this on your list for next year.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Scope out current inventory.
Clearly communicate your product's value.
Introduce, iterate, re-introduce, repeat.
And like all other things when pursuing omni-channel enlightenment, experimentation is the name of the game, especially when the playing field keeps changing as well.
"The future of alcohol is definitely delivered," said Beryl Jacobsen, the CMO of Flying Embers. "But there are extremely diversified and hybrid approaches to it. We are looking at all of them and the best ways to serve our customers."
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