Dive Brief:

• Texas Born (TXB) Stores, formerly known as Kwik Chek convenience stores, is rolling out a new line of private label food, beverages and apparel in all its stores. 
• The new products are sourced, manufactured, produced and packaged in Texas — TXB’s home state.
• The launch is part of the TXB’s larger initiative to “Leave ‘Em Better” by providing guests with Texan hospitality and fresh-made food at value, the company said in a statement.

Dive Insight:

Although it can be hard to beat the variety offered at national or larger regional chains, their inventory is often more standardized. By selling curated local products, regional c-stores like TXB can draw more shoppers who want a taste of home, as well as lean into sourcing from the community to keep products on shelves as larger supply chain issues persist. 

For TXB, the new private label line offers products from a state with deep-rooted Texas pride. The line will include over 20 new items, mostly in the beverage category. Its drinks are broken into three categories: juices and teas, craft soda and coffee. The juices and teas include Goodflow Honey Green Tea, Cedar Creek Unsweet Tea, Poteet Strawberry White Tea, 100% apple and orange juice, Fredericksburg Peach Tea, Burleson Honey Lemonade and Sugar Land Sweet Tea. 

On the soda side, there’s a variety of flavors such as blood orange, cherry limeade, strawberry limeade, homestyle lemonade, blueberry lemonade, root beer float, fruit punch, pineapple cream and ginger beer. For coffee, TXB is offering a house blend and southern pecan roast, available in freshly ground bags or single-serve pods with eco-friendly biodegradable packaging.

For its snacks, TXB will offer Teriyaki Jerky; Fajitas, which are offered in steak and chicken; and various salsas, such as salsa roja, mambo combo and salsa verde.

In its new apparel line, TXB will offer hats, shirts, and custom-branded shoes. 

TXB is also debuting its new reloadable gift card, which will be used for the company’s giveaways, including free gas for a year.

TXB’s new private-label launch comes at a time when c-stores saw fewer transactions in Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 due to high prices, while more consumers purchased private-label brands during this time as well, according to a study from Skupos. For example, Circle K’s private-label brands jumped 21% during this most recent quarter as consumers transitioned from premium to budget brands amid inflation, Brian Hannasch, president and CEO of Circle K, said during the company’s fiscal Q1 2023 earnings call on August 31.