Customers used to view convenience stores as a place to grab soda and a candy bar. Today, they’re providing a quick yet delicious option for ready-to-eat meals on the go. C-stores have the advantage of having customers come to them for other reasons, like gas or cigarettes. Plus, they can be much faster than the drive-thru during the busy lunch hour. According to this year’s Convenience Store News Industry Report, the average prepared food sales per store has seen gains of nearly 25 percent.
However, impressive numbers like that don’t come without their challenges. Because changes have happened so quickly, many c-store operators aren’t equipped to properly handle demand. In order for c-stores to meet rapidly evolving foodservice needs, you must focus on freshness and food safety during storage, holding and transport.
Keeping Food Fresh
As c-stores continue to offer more prepared food, it’s imperative that ingredients are kept safe and fresh if you’re going to be able to sustain growth and compete with restaurants. First, you need to put your ingredients and prepped food in Cambro containers and then they need to be stored on rust-free Camshelving.
- Cambro Food Storage Containers: Chefs don’t call containers “Cambros” for nothing. CamSquares, Rounds, Food Boxes and more are created to hold food in a variety of different stages in order to keep them fresher and safer. Plus, Cambro containers are durable—to the point of being virtually unbreakable—and stain, acid, and odor resistant.
Sheetz, a regional chain headquartered in Pennsylvania, has developed a food program to provide customers with a menu to rival any quick-serve restaurant. They use a variety of CamSquares for food storage in their walk-in storage areas and the undercounter refrigerators behind the line.
- Mobile Camshelving: After storing food in Cambro containers, your job doesn’t end there. Ensure your food will be kept safely away from rust and corrosion by choosing Camshelving from the start. Not only is Camshelving made with rust-free materials, Camguard, an antimicrobial protection, is permanently embedded into its shelf plates to discourage the growth of bacteria.
Hold & Transport Food Safely
When you’re preparing fresh food, holding and transport is a completely different process. In order to maintain safe food temperatures and discourage cross-contamination, your kitchen needs to be equipped with these key Cambro products.
Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack
Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack: If you’re making or transporting items on sheet pans, you need the Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack. When you’re consistently using metal sheet pan racks, you get rust metal shavings and wobbly, corroded wheels. With the Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack, you get easy to clean rails, no shavings and rust-free wheels. Plus, they’re sturdy and lightweight. Basically, we took everything that’s wrong with metal sheet pan racks and made it right.
Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers
Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers: From hot subs to chicken Caesar wraps, store and maintain safe temperatures with Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers. Constructed with CFC-free, polyurethane insulation, Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers are able to retain hot or cold temperatures in the same cart, at the same time. Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers are available in 3 sizes to hold 8, 10 or 20 4” deep GN 1/1 food pans. Plus, electric Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers can save up to 30% on energy costs versus other brands.
Contact your local Cambro sales rep to get started today!
Visit Cambro at NACS in Las Vegas – Oct 2-4 at booth 5470.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT CAMBRO.
