{"id":812,"date":"2018-10-12T21:10:22","date_gmt":"2018-10-12T21:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/culinaryvisions.org\/trends\/?p=812"},"modified":"2019-02-03T15:54:45","modified_gmt":"2019-02-03T15:54:45","slug":"conference-beat-national-association-of-convenience-stores-nacs-las-vegas-october-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culinaryvisions.org\/trends\/conference-beat-national-association-of-convenience-stores-nacs-las-vegas-october-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Conference Beat\u2122 – National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), Las Vegas, October 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Every year the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show attracts more than 23,000 industry professionals who are there to connect, exchange ideas, and spot the hottest new products slated to reach the convenience store market within the next year.<\/p>\n

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Product Spotlight<\/h3>\n

Sparkling Hydration \u2013<\/strong> bubbly flavored waters came in a plethora of flavors, such as watermelon, dark Morello cherry and mandarin passionfruit, and some packed extra energy with extended-release caffeine<\/p>\n

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Packaged Protein \u2013<\/strong> products that pack a protein punch were abundant on the show floor, from mushroom jerky and dairy-free yogurt drinks to many iterations and flavors of meat jerky, like mojo, ghost pepper, pulled pork and sweet Italian sausage sticks<\/p>\n

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Incredible Eggs \u2013<\/strong> new flavors and bold colors brought renewed interest to pickled and hardboiled eggs, with flavors like beet-brined, buffalo-style and mustard<\/p>\n

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Getting Warmer \u2013<\/strong> updated warming and holding equipment makes foodservice operations turnkey with controls for humidity, temperature and multiple timers<\/p>\n

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Poppable On-the-Go Indulgence \u2013<\/strong> easy to eat formats of household favorites were prominent among new exhibitors, such as authentic crispy cheese curds, ready-to-eat \u201craw\u201d cookie dough, brownie bites with icing dippers, and other small format bites<\/p>\n

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Bowls Gaining Traction \u2013<\/strong> bowls are making inroads in both foodservice and retail. Hot flavors included BBQ chicken breast with cornbread croutons, nacho chicken with Spanish rice and cheeseburger with diced potato pieces, while cold smoothie bowls featured superfoods like acai and matcha topped with granola<\/p>\n

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Flavor Combinations \u2013<\/strong> several suppliers presented new products with flavor mashups, such as \u201cduos\u201d that share the same package or those that are split down the middle with two flavors colliding in one product<\/p>\n

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Coffee Cravings \u2013<\/strong> cold brew continues to be on-trend, now with functional ingredients like collagen and protein, with cleaner and all-natural options on offer<\/p>\n

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Foodservice Packaging Insights<\/h3>\n

Consumers want to make food choices that leave a light footprint on the environment. According to a recent Culinary Visions\u00ae<\/sup> study, 65% of consumers say that they are concerned about the environmental impact of take-out containers and to-go packaging.<\/p>\n

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Implications for Food Marketers<\/h3>\n

Changing Demographics \u2013<\/strong> the image of \u201cbubba\u201d as the typical c-store shopper is dissolving as new stores emerge in unexpected upscale formats, engaging new and different consumers.<\/p>\n

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Premium at a Value \u2013<\/strong> when it comes to favorites like sandwiches and roller grill items, customers are looking for more elevated toppings and specialty breads; they don\u2019t need c-stores to completely reinvent menu favorites to draw continued interest.<\/p>\n

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Convenience Meets Wellness \u2013<\/strong> consumers are becoming more informed about what goes into the foods they\u2019re eating. Suppliers should focus on the positive perceptions their products provide while communicating any negatively-perceived ingredients that have been left out.<\/p>\n

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Taste Talk Tweet<\/h3>\n

Twitter chatter included:<\/p>\n