When it comes to driving snack purchases, familiarity is the name of the game. Consumers want to feel confident that they’re going to love whichever convenience-store foodservice offering they choose, and when deciding which snack to order, most shoppers (57%) say they look for brands they already know and love, according to Technomic’s 2021 Snacking Consumer Trend Report.
Recognizable brands can communicate quality at a glance—and with a little strategizing, retailers can leverage them to increase basket sizes, too. Cross-merchandising offers an opportunity to compound the sales-driving power of consumers’ favorite brands and can help introduce shoppers to new products they’ll come back for again and again.
Making a match
To craft a successful cross-promotion, retailers can look at which brands and products are winning loyal customers and pair them with compatible offerings their consumer base is likely to love as well. Try pairing a beverage and a food item, for example: According to Technomic’s Snacking report, 44% of consumers’ snacking occasions included purchasing both food and a drink. A food and beverage pairing featuring top brands is a great way to meet this demand with an easy all-in-one offering shoppers can choose at a glance.
Even for shoppers who aren’t necessarily entering the store with the intention of purchasing both food and a drink, cross-merchandising offers an opportunity to boost basket sizes. Half of foodservice snack purchases are unplanned, according to Technomic’s Snacking report, giving c-stores an opportunity to encourage larger orders as shoppers peruse the foodservice menu.
A winning pair
The top two snack types consumers say they’re purchasing more of are “salty” and “sweet,” according to Technomic’s Snacking report, and putting salty and sweet together can increase the craveability factor even more.
Try pairing ICEE® Frozen Novelty items with SUPERPRETZEL® Bavarian All-in-One items, for example: According to Technomic’s Snacking report, 37% of consumers who purchase baked goods as sides or snacks say they order pretzels at least occasionally, and 33% of consumers who purchase desserts as snacks opt for frozen novelties at least occasionally.
This pairing offers opportunities to mix and match, too. Grab-and-go ICEE® Freeze Cups are available in Cherry, Blue Raspberry and Frosted Lemonade, and ICEE® Float Cups add in a swirl of vanilla ice cream to the classic Cherry and Blue Raspberry cups. SUPERPRETZEL® Bavarian pretzels are available as classic Soft Pretzels, Jumbo Soft Pretzels and Soft Pretzel Braids.
Harnessing the appeal of iconic brands with crave-worthy snack pairings is a recipe for success. To learn more, click here.
This post is sponsored by J&J Snack Foods