Kum & Go Spices Up Foodservice Program

DES MOINES, Iowa — Kum & Go LC is teaming up with Lola's Fine Hot Sauce to add a kick to its foodservice program.

Customers can now find the family-rooted hot sauce brand in all Kum & Go stores, where it is featured on kitchen condiment racks to personalize their orders.

Lola's Hot Sauce is also featured in the convenience store operator's hot buffalo chicken and brisket taco bowls in Des Moines, Little Rock, Ark., and Omaha, Neb. The menu offerings are part of Kum & Go's new, fresh, made-to-order menu.

"Our new menu was inspired by the realization that a lot of fast, convenient food in the market isn't always fresh or different," said Tracy Ging, chief marketing officer at Kum & Go. "We're challenging the conventions of what convenience store food is by focusing on fast, fresh and unique, crave-able menu items. We use a lot of creative flavors and toppings in our new menu and Lola's is the perfect partner for Kum & Go, adding the perfect kick. Their Iowa roots and commitment to communities made this local partnership an easy decision for us."

Lola's Fine Hot Sauce started out in August 2015 with a recipe entrusted to Lola's CEO Taufeek Shah by his mother. After sharing it with others to grow demand, the Des Moines-based brand went from appearances at the local farmer's market to national distribution.

"Our brand is about family, rooted with love, and creating delicious foods. With [Kum & Go's] innovative culinary goals to bring a fresh perspective on cuisine, it made perfect sense for our two brands to collaborate and bring delicious umami flavor with the perfect amount of heat to a new space," Shah said.

Des Moines-based Kum & Go is a fourth-generation, family-owned convenience store chain with more than 400 stores in 12 states.