ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Buoyed by robust foodservice, merchandise sales at truckstops nationwide soared 24% in the second quarter compared to the same period last year. The double-digit sales increase was driven by significant growth in hot and cold beverages, along with commissary, foodservice, dairy and deli sales.
The strong sales report highlights the second-quarter McLane-NATSO Index, which shows that sales of commissary, dairy and deli products jumped 23% compared with the same period a year earlier.
The index also reports a 22% jump in cold dispensed beverage sales, underscoring across-the-board growth in grab-and-go foods at truckstops.
Admittedly, not all the sales are going into retailers' pockets. The boost in coffee sales was, for instance, greatly influenced by rapidly escalating coffee bean prices, which jumped 50% between March 2010 to March 2011, forcing retailers to charge more for coffee or reduce their margins.
The McLane-NATSO index is geared to identify market trends within the industry by comparing the weekly wholesale sales of McLane to travel center convenience stores. "Our mission at NATSO is to advance the success of our truckstop and travel plaza members," said NATSO president and CEO Lisa Mullings. "This index allows our members to better understand customer buying trends so that they can better meet their customer needs."
Added Steve Brady, McLane's vice president of sales, military and convenience stores: "Consumers, including independent truck drivers, have a variety of options today on where and how to spend their money. For plaza owners who want to reach this audience with the right products--convenience merchandise, other non-fuel products and services--The McLane-NATSO Index is a valuable tool."
McLane and NATO aligned this past winter to form the McLane-NATSO Index, which tracks in-store performance of truckstops and travel centers in the United States. In addition to the year-over-year report, the index also offers more recent snapshots. For instance, it notes that the sale of hot dispensed drinks--coffee, cappuccino, tea, lattes--skyrocketed 54% for the three-month period, ending June 30.
McLane tracks its weekly wholesale sales for more than 900 truckstop locations nationwide. The complete index report, including regional breakdowns, is circulated free to all NATSO members.
Temple, Texas-based McLane, with more than $30 billion in annual revenue, provides supply-chain services solutions for grocery and foodservice customers across the United States. With 38 distribution centers and one of the nation's largest private fleets, McLane optimizes the purchase, flow and sale of products from thousands of suppliers to more than 50,000 locations. The company also provides Alcoholic Beverage Distribution in select states. McLane is a Berkshire Hathaway company.
The NATSO Foundation is the research, education and public outreach subsidiary of NATSO, Inc., formerly the National Association of Truckstop Operators, the trade association of America's travel plaza and truckstop industry.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.