Food to go is a huge and hugely important category for a growing number of retailers and there’s plenty of support out there for those looking to make more of the opportunity.
Food to go has become a critical category for more and more retailers over the last decade, offering a great way to drive more footfall, grow sales and, ultimately, increase profits. The major challenge for retailers, however, can be the fact that introducing food to go can be a complex, expensive and labour-intensive business.
To help meet that challenge head on, Rustlers is helping small- and medium-sized stores drive food-to-go sales and profits with the launch of a new small footprint unit.
Designed to be a low-risk, low-commitment food-to-go solution, the units feature a digital screen for advertising, alongside the pre-programmed microwave seen in previous versions of the solution.
What’s more, the first 100 stores that introduce the machines in store before the end of the year will receive a free Rustlers food-to-go launch kit. These kits include a fridge full of stock, one light-box shop sign and access to social media support materials to help retailers advertise they have hot food available in store.
Machines are priced at just £2,500 and finance options are available – and Rustlers says that machines pay for themselves with just one sale per day.
Plug and play
The units are easy to set up, straightforward to clean and are powered by a single plug socket. All Rustlers Cook In The Box products are microwaved in packaging, minimising the risk of spills. The units also contain a small chiller underneath, which can store eight cases of Rustlers’ Cook in The Box bestsellers, saving valuable stockroom space and ensuring a straightforward shopper experience.
The machines can be used with all Rustlers’ Cook in The Box products.
Ross Davison, Head of Convenience at Rustlers, said: “With 51% of Rustlers consumed at lunchtime, the brand is already synonymous with being a market leader in quick food solutions on the move. The launch of our new food-to-go unit and Launch Kit demonstrates our commitment to helping smaller stores win their fair share of the growing lunchtime opportunity.”
Retailers interested in buying a new Rustlers food-to-go unit, or receiving a food-to-go Launch Kit to drive sales from a unit they already have should email foodtogo@kepak.com.
Box fresh
The Rustlers Cook in Box range mentioned above features a range of fast-selling lines including The Supreme Cheese Melt Burger, Peri Peri Chicken Tenders and All Day Breakfast Sausage Muffin.
Davison says: “The Cook In Box range features patented cooking technology that ensures the product is cooked perfectly crispy. With 51.4% of Rustlers already consumed at lunchtime, our Cook in Box range sees the brand expand beyond chilled ready meals and into the food-to-go fixture.”
Meal deals
Also focusing on helping retailers exploit the food-to-go opportunity is KP Snacks. Sales director Matt Collins comments: “The food-to-go market is rebounding with a return to pre-pandemic routines boosting footfall. 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.”
The key to unlocking growth, says Collins, is turning trends into trade. “Weekday lunchtimes are the most popular time for eating on the go, with 62% of consumers saying they enjoy picking meal deal combos [Mintel 2019]. It’s key that retailers offer the right core range in the right formats to capitalise on mealtime occasions, boosted with the right promotions and in-store merchandising.”
Collins advises retailers to create value by understanding customer expectations, whether that be through premium or value offerings. He explains: “53% of shoppers look for meal deals when buying food to go [IGD 2021] and 34% of shoppers say they would pay more than £5 for meal deals if the products were high quality [Harris Interactive 2019]. Many office workers have not gone back to the office full time. 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.”
KP Snacks’ portfolio features the top-three-selling meal deal SKUs and have a huge role to play, according to Collins: “Hula Hoops Big Hoops BBQ Beef is the top selling PMP in the convenience channel, worth £12.2m, and takes number one spot for best-selling Meal Deal choice [Nielsen Sep 2021]. McCoy’s Salt & Vinegar and Flame Grilled Steak are the number two and three bestselling 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.
“Fundamentally taste is the number one purchase driver and all of our brands across the portfolio offer big and bold flavours.”
