Don’t let Memorial Day 2015 (Monday, May 25th) sneak up on you this year because it is one special holiday with a lot of revenue potential. Last year, an estimated 35+ million travelers set out for adventure over the much-anticipated holiday with their fat wallets in hand and they spent at least some of that disposable income in convenience stores. And what were they buying?
Perhaps not surprisingly, hot dogs were one of the items high on their Memorial Day purchase lists. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council notes that hungry consumers literally bought billions of their members’ products over the course of the summer. Given that along with the low costs, high profit margins and ability to expand product offerings, hot dogs should definitely be on your short list too when space allows. Speaking of product expansion, don’t regulate your c-store’s hot dog and sausage offerings to the predictable.
Test market artisan sausages, tofu dogs and gourmet buns before the holiday hits to see if your customer base will gravitate towards them. The list of great products to consider includes, but isn’t limited to green chorizo sausages, bockwurst, gluten-free buns, Andouille and Hawaiian sweet buns. And we all know what goes well with hot dogs and sausages. So, you better stock up on those condiments, toppings, pickles and beverages too.
While you’re test marketing meat products, consider surprising Memorial Day travelers with unexpected options like spicy mayonnaise and finely diced vegetables or artisan cheeses. See which ones your customers love the most and make sure that they stay in stock from Memorial Day straight through until November. After all, Labor Day is followed by Octoberfest and what do people like to eat during those events, sausage!
To learn more about successfully reaching out to Memorial Day travelers and pulling them into your store with great product offerings, please contact us today.