Month: August 2023

McLane Co. launched its national trade show on Aug. 29 in Dallas under a new name — McLane Engage. The show took place over the course of three days, giving convenience store retailers and suppliers a chance to connect.

Educational sessions focusing on topics such as retail foodservice, the effects of federal and state policies, and teamwork and leadership in business gave attendees a chance to learn and engage with the industry in the mornings. In the afternoons, the expo was open for attendees to visit booths and chat.

On Aug. 30, the second day of the show, Al Paris, Gretchen Wilson and Jason Scheff entertained at Gilley’s Dallas with a concert.

McLane Fresh

At the expo, McLane showcased its newly revealed McLane Fresh. a foodservice at retail program for c-stores. To be launched soon, one of the services this end-to-end solution offers is a pizza program using a proprietary recipe. Farley Kaiser, senior director of culinary innovation, noted that much decision-making went into the process of creating the quality pizza, from the crispness of the pepperoni to the amount of cheese.

In addition to the pizza program, McLane Fresh includes the beverage program CupZa!, which offers a variety of coffee, tea and lemonade options. Customers will also have the ability to use flavor shots sourced from New Zealand to customize their beverages.

Once the pizza program and CupZa! launch, McLane Fresh will begin to relaunch Central Eats, its grab-and-go program.

The goal of the program is to help McLane Fresh customers build trust with their own customers through consistency and quality items, which is where the value of the program lies, Jon Cox, vice president of retail foodservice, remarked.

McLane Fresh serves as a flexible solution for c-store retailers and will meet retailers wherever they’re at in terms of foodservice.

At the show, attendees were able to sample the various items on offer.

Learning Opportunities

Speakers Daymond John, founder of FUBU and investor on “Shark Tank,” and Chet Garner, host of “The Daytripper,” spoke to attendees in general sessions.

Their stories and reflections were food for thought for the attendees.

“Don’t get so fixated on where you’re going and what you’re doing that you miss the fact you’re with people around you,” said Garner. “People are more important than the road.”

“State of the Union: the Economy, the Consumer, and the Convenience Channel” was one of two possible educational sessions that took place on Aug. 31. Nik Modi, consumer staples analyst, RBC Capital Markets, discussed the impact of inflation on convenience retail, how technology will shape the industry and which segments are hot-ticket areas.

“People are looking for value,” said Modi. Promotions, private labels and pack sizes are all areas of focus for c-store retailers to increase value for the customer.

He shed a light on what future technological and artificial intelligence advancements will mean for the convenience channel and encouraged attendees to think further about who is coming into their store and how they decide on their purchases.

McLane Engage ended on Aug. 31 with a lunch and the expo floor open for a final few hours.

Source: Convenience Store Decisions

Leaning into one of its core strengths — the willingness and desire to learn from one another — members of the convenience channel gathered at McLane Co. Inc.’s national trade show to get a taste of where the industry stands and where it is heading from a consumer perspective, operator perspective and product perspective.

Kicking off the McLane Engage convention in Dallas on Aug. 30, Daymond John, entrepreneur, author and TV personality on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” shared five key pieces of advice that help him succeed, or what he calls his Shark Points:

• S: Set a goal
• H: Do your homework
• A: Amor, or love what you do
• R: Remember your brand
• K: Keep swimming

He also noted that there are two ways to learn in life: through mentors and through mistakes.

His message came as the convenience store industry stands on the precipice of change: change in consumer behavior, change in competition, and change in how it does business overall.

Freshening Up Foodservice

One key area that hits all three is foodservice. As most of the c-store industry can agree, foodservice is no longer a nice-to-have offering, but rather a must-have.

To help convenience retailers get in the game, McLane unveiled McLane Fresh, an expanded foodservice at retail program designed for convenience stores, at the event. As demand for and sales of fresh and higher-quality food items increase, c-stores are  elevating their foodservice programs and in-store experiences to compete with fast-food and quick-service restaurants, the company noted. 

Speaking during an education session, Jon Cox, vice president, retail foodservice at McLane, explained that the company tapped into internal data, customer data and third-party data to reimagine its foodservice offering. As a result, McLane Fresh concentrates on “the center of the plate” or core items, he said during the “Fresh Perspectives: Navigating the Dynamic Retail Foodservice Landscape” session. 

As customers seek out a good slice of pizza or a cold sandwich, McLane is focused on helping retailers offer best-in-class programs. “Wherever you are on your foodservice journey, we want to be there for you,” Cox added.

According to Farley Kaiser, senior director of culinary innovation at McLane, it usually takes 12 to 18 months to present a fully vetted program that is consistent and that customers can trust, taking several drivers into consideration including customer feedback and trends.

What’s really important in the foodservice journey, Cox explained, is value. “People have different perceptions of value,” he said. “How do you tell the story that this is a high-quality item at a value that gets customers coming back for more?”

To develop McLane Fresh, the company worked with its 26,000 team members and formed strategic partnerships with outside companies such as Taylor Farms to build a national commissary of fresh sandwiches, salads and wraps; and Rich Products Corp. to develop a fresh pizza program, which will have a name unveiling at the 2023 NACS Show in October, according to Cox. 

The Foodservice Journey 

In addition to offering McLane Fresh, the company is providing solutions for retailers to roll out the new products to their customers — and this includes equipment and food safety solutions. 

“We want to come alongside our operators wherever they are,” Kaiser said. “We want to understand your hiccups. We want to understand your goals. We want to connect the dots between our strategic partnerships, McLane and our customers.”

Along the foodservice journey, convenience retailers will come up against competition, but the competition is largely coming from outside the channel, not from within, Cox noted.

“When you start thinking about share of stomach, the competitor is not in this room. The competitor is the QSR [quick-service restaurant]. It is the McDonald’s down the street,” he said. “I truly believe we are going to win together. Go to NRA [the National Restaurant Association show] or any of the restaurant shows and the people they are afraid of are in this room.”

The McLane Engage convention is taking place Aug. 29-31 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. The newly imagined trade show experience features booths from more than 160 exhibitors, as well as a new products showcase. The event also provides the opportunity to build meaningful connections with industry powerhouses, and learn from notable experts at a series of educational sessions. 

Temple-based McLane Co. is one of the largest supply chain services companies in the United States. Through McLane Grocery and McLane Foodservice, it operates more than 80 distribution centers and one of the nation’s largest private truck fleets, and provides alcoholic beverage distribution through its subsidiary, Empire Distributors.

McLane is a wholly owned unit of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Source: Convenience Store News

McLane Co. Inc. unveiled McLane Fresh today during its national trade show, McLane Engage, in Dallas. McLane Fresh is an expanded foodservice-at-retail program designed for convenience stores and intended to elevate the dining experience in c-stores.

Convenience stores are seeing an increase in demand for and sales of fresh and higher-quality food products from consumers seeking healthier on-the-go options. As a result, retailers are elevating their foodservice programs and in-store experiences to compete with fast-food and quick-service restaurants.

“Fresh-food programs present a tremendous opportunity for convenience-store operators of all sizes—from independently owned locations to nationwide chains. McLane Fresh provides a full suite of foodservice-at-retail solutions,” said Chris Smith, president of McLane Retail. “The exciting lineup of products and services introduced today are just the beginning of a comprehensive offering designed to meet the growing demands of consumers and provide retailers the products and services they need to be successful.”

During the McLane Engage event, 1,100 attendees, including McLane customers and suppliers, will have the opportunity to experience a taste of McLane Fresh with new products on display at the McLane booth. The new McLane Fresh family of brands includes CupZa!, a “reimagined” beverage program; a proprietary pizza program; and an expanded selection of McLane’s grab-and-go brand, Central Eats.

CupZa! features artisan coffees, cold brews, teas and lemonades with new flavors and drink styles, offering value and variety to retailers, McLane said. Central Eats’ new chef-inspired menu items will satisfy growing demand for healthier options on the go, it said. Attendees also are being introduced to fresh-baked pizza tailored for convenience.

“We are committed to being a strategic growth partner to our customers,” said Vito Maurici, customer experience officer at McLane. “McLane Fresh anticipates and seamlessly fulfills the dynamic expectations of today’s consumers, positioning convenience stores as hubs for culinary excellence on the go. This expansion underscores McLane’s commitment to delivering exceptional foodservice products and services for our customers wherever they are on their foodservice journey.”

Menu innovation for McLane Fresh will be led by accomplished corporate culinary chef Farley Kaiser, who recently joined the company as senior director of culinary innovation. Kaiser previously served as senior director of fresh food and beverage at GetGo Café + Market and brings extensive experience cultivating growth and culinary excellence through strategic initiatives as the corporate executive chef for leading convenience and restaurant brands, and culinary department chair at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.

In addition to a robust selection of on-trend items, McLane Fresh provides marketing support, merchandising, competitively priced equipment bundles and expert guidance to meet retailers where they are on their foodservice journey, McLane said. From independents to nationwide chains, McLane customers can differentiate their food offerings by using McLane’s commissary kitchen network to offer shorter shelf-life products with more frequent deliveries to ensure quality and freshness.

Founded in 1894, McLane Co. Inc. is one of the largest distributors in America, serving convenience stores, mass merchants, and chain restaurants. With headquarters in Temple, Texas, McLane has more than 80 distribution centers across the country. McLane is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

The McLane Engage tradeshow continues through Thursday in Dallas.

Source: Convenience Store Petroleum

McLane Co. Inc. is elevating the foodservice experience for convenience retailing with the unveiling of McLane Fresh at its national trade show, McLane Engage, taking place Aug. 29-31 in Dallas.

During McLane Engage, attendees can experience a taste of McLane Fresh, whose family of brands include CupZa!, a reimagined and revolutionary beverage program; a proprietary pizza program; and an expanded selection of McLane’s highly successful grab-and-go brand, Central Eats.

Convenience stores are seeing an increase in demand for and sales of fresh and higher-quality food products from consumers seeking healthier on-the-go options. As a result, convenience stores are elevating their foodservice programs and in-store experiences to compete with fast food and quick-service restaurants, McLane stated.

[Read more: 2023 Category Captain for General Merchandise: McLane Co. Inc. at https://csnews.com/2023-category-captain-general-merchandise-mclane-co-inc]

“Fresh food programs present a tremendous opportunity for convenience store operators of all sizes — from independently owned locations to nationwide chains. McLane Fresh provides a full suite of foodservice at retail solutions,” said Chris Smith, president of McLane Retail. “The exciting lineup of products and services introduced today are just the beginning of a comprehensive offering designed to meet the growing demands of consumers and provide retailers the products and services they need to be successful.”

CupZa! features artisan coffees, cold brews, teas and lemonades with new flavors and drink styles, offering unparalleled value and variety to retailers, according to McLane. Central Eats’ new chef-inspired menu items expand and satisfy growing demand for healthier options on the go. Attendees were also introduced to fresh-baked pizza uniquely tailored for convenience.

“We are committed to being a strategic growth partner to our customers,” said Vito Maurici, customer experience officer at McLane. “McLane Fresh anticipates and seamlessly fulfills the dynamic expectations of today’s consumers, positioning convenience stores as hubs for culinary excellence on the go. This expansion underscores McLane’s commitment to delivering exceptional foodservice products and services for our customers wherever they are on their foodservice journey.”

[Read more: McLane Showcases Technology & Foodservice Upgrades at In-Person Show at https://csnews.com/mclane-showcases-technology-foodservice-upgrades-person-show]

Menu innovation for McLane Fresh will be led by corporate culinary chef Farley Kaiser, who recently joined the company as senior director of culinary innovation. Kaiser previously served as senior director of fresh food and beverage at Pittsburgh-based GetGo Café+Market. He brings extensive experience cultivating growth and culinary excellence through strategic initiatives as the corporate executive chef for leading convenience and restaurant brands, and culinary department chair at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.

In addition to a robust selection of on-trend items, McLane Fresh provides marketing support, merchandising, competitively priced equipment bundles and expert guidance to meet retailers where they are on their foodservice journey. Both independents and nationwide chain customers can differentiate their food offerings by utilizing McLane’s commissary kitchen network to offer shorter shelf-life products with more frequent deliveries to ensure quality and freshness, the distributor said.

More information on McLane Fresh and other convenience store solutions from McLane is available here.

Temple-based McLane is one of the largest distributors in America, serving convenience stores, mass merchants and chain restaurants with more than 80 distribution centers across the country. McLane is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Source: Convenience Store News