Dive Brief:
- EG America recently debuted three new foodservice concepts at a Cumberland Farms store in the Northeast, according to a company announcement.
- The program, which includes pizza, burger and chicken wing brands, launched in late September at a location in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
- This announcement comes just a few days after the company named its first vice president of food, dispensed beverage and QSR, Mendy Meriwether.
Dive Insight:
As convenience retailers look to foodservice for ways to stand out from competitors, EG America is testing three different ideas at once.
The three concepts are Alanza Pizza, which sells pizza, pasta and breadsticks; Burger Baby, which offers a variety of burgers as well as cheesesteaks and fries; and Wing Trip, which includes four varieties of wings, fries and chicken sandwiches. Customers can order food in store or through DoorDash.
The setup of this early test indicates EG America is eager to see how multiple food stops can work in a single location. The format also allows EG America to get a sense of which of the three new brands is most popular.
The company plans to grow the concepts to other locations soon, said Hannah Sigel, project manager for EG America, in an Instagram post promoting the new program.
Along with the new meal brands, EG America has new leadership at the top of its foodservice division. Meriwether took over her new role on Sept. 30.
“She will advance the company’s QSR brands and food service support teams, ensuring excellence across brand standards, development of core food operations, implementation of new and innovative initiatives, and execution of high-level campaigns,” the company wrote in its post announcing her appointment.
EG America isn’t the only convenience retailer trying new proprietary foodservice banners this year. In April, Onvo revealed Food on the Fly, its foodservice banner, and Rebel Convenience Stores debuted its Hatch Chicken Co QSR in September at a new store in Las Vegas.
Blackburn, U.K.-based EG Group currently has more than 5,500 c-stores across the U.S., Europe and Australia. EG America is EG Group’s largest operation globally, with 1,500-plus sites across 10 banners in 30 states, including Cumberland Farms, Fastrac, Kwik Shop and Tom Thumb.
