Because choice in pricing is a key factor in creating a solution that works for every retail customer, Fresh Produce + offers mark up options associated with varying levels of product guarantee. Fresh Produce + is also fully compatible with McLane’s Premium Ordering Management Suite (POMS) and smart handheld technology, giving operators the ability to order fresh items just like any other SKU. Over the coming months the solution will integrate seasonal items and category management to ensure operators continue to grow their return.
According to an independent study, close to half of the nation’s population visits a convenience store each month. What’s more, 48 percent of Americans say c-stores are a place to buy fresh items. According to a 2015 NACS retailer sentiment survey, 50 percent of c-stores have expanded fresh fruit sales, while 30 percent have increased cut fruit and vegetable offerings.
“We recognized our customers wanted a consistent way to fill their consumers’ need for safe, fresh, better-for-you produce,” said Holly Veale, product director for foodservice at McLane. “McLane Kitchen’s Fresh Produce + solution makes fresh produce and cut fruit available to all our customers, regardless of size or location.”
In conjunction with the nation-wide rollout of McLane Kitchen’s Fresh Produce + solution, McLane recently announced its affiliation with The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), a nonpartisan nonprofit organization devoted to working with the private sector to ensure the health of the nation’s youth by solving the childhood obesity crisis within a generation. McLane is the first grocery and chain restaurant distributor to make a commitment to PHA.
“Consumers are shopping more and more at convenience stores throughout the week, and their demand for healthier options — regardless of where they shop — is not slowing down,” said PHA CEO Lawrence A. Soler. “We are proud that companies like McLane are stepping in and joining the ranks to provide thousands of Americans access to nutritious foods. This is a tremendous opportunity to reach customers where they are — in convenience stores, drug stores, mass retailers and restaurants.”
