Dive Brief:
- BP has revealed several new foodservice items it plans to debut across its U.S. convenience store network this year, according to a company announcement.
- The specials include a fresh pizza program at Thorntons and a Tex-Mex menu at TravelCenters of America, as well as a new selection of private label snacks at both retailers and BP’s Ampm banner, according to the announcement.
- BP’s latest foodservice efforts are part of the company’s broader plans to “continue developing exclusive food and drink offers” in the coming years at not only its U.S. locations but at its c-stores around the globe.
Dive Insight:
Regionality and local preferences are a central focus of BP’s new foodservice efforts, said Greg Franks, BP’s senior vice president of mobility and convenience for the Americas, in the announcement.
“Our aim is to give [consumers] the food they love and take advantage of our scale and worldwide expertise to expand our food offer even further,” he said.
This continues a run of foodservice experimentation for BP over the past year. Last summer, it launched the Dirty Horchata — a beverage that blends horchata and coffee in a frozen slush with a cinnamon flavor — at Ampm, where the drink sold five times as much as expected, according to the announcement.
Also last year, BP also replaced TravelCenters of America’s burger selection with a new roster of smash burgers, increasing the items’ sales.
Thorntons’ new pizza is made on site with hand-stretched dough, the company said. It’s set to roll out this spring. A spokesperson from Thorntons declined to comment when asked for additional details about the new pizza program.
Meanwhile, the new limited-time Tex-Mex menu at TravelCenters of America includes tacos, burritos, rice bowls and nachos. BP said it will launch another limited-time international menu at the chain this summer, which will feature chicken tikka masala and Cuban sandwiches.
The new assortment of private label snacks at all three chains features what BP calls “nibbles,” such as milk chocolate peanut butter peanuts and sour worms.
While foodservice has been a focal point for the c-store industry for years, innovation in the category has skyrocketed so far in 2024. Large retailers such as 7-Eleven, Arko and Twice Daily have beefed up their menus with new offerings, while smaller players like Onvo and Gas N Wash have debuted new concepts.
