Quick Chek Suits Up for Super Bowl
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. -- Come 6:30 p.m. Sunday millions of football fans -- and some non-fans -- will gather around televisions across the country to watch the Green Bay Packers battle the Pittsburgh Steelers for the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLV.
And as fans of the two teams gear up to root their players on Quick Chek is gearing up to help keep the party going. But just like the pros, the locally headquartered convenience store chain doesn’t wait until the last minute to prepare for the big day. "We don’t wait until the week before," Bill Tencza, senior category manager, told CSNews Online. "We get everything ready the first week of the playoffs."
The playoffs proved to be a score for Quick Chek, with the New York Jets (who play in Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey) making it to the AFC Championship game, only to lose to the Steelers. "We saw a big bump in snacks and beverages when the New York Jets went as far as they did," Tencza said.
Frito-Lay and Wise are big promoters during the playoffs and the Super Bowl with large bags and multiple pricing, he explained. In addition, Quick Chek is doing a lot with Snyders of Hanover and the company’s new products. As far as warehouse snacks, the c-stores increase their inventory of snack mixes, such as Combos and Chex Mix, and Pringles, he added.
On the beverage side, Quick Chek sees the biggest movement in two-liter bottles and 12-packs of carbonated soft drinks. For example, Coca-Cola offers savings promotions: the more you buy, the more you save. And PepsiCo and Tostitos have teamed to bring a cross promotion to Quick Chek stores in New Jersey and New York with customers getting a free two-liter bottle of Pepsi when they buy two XXL bags of Tostitos, Tencza said.
On the foodservice side, Quick Chek does not see a big uptick in business even though it tries to do bundle items, like subs, chips and soda, according to Jennifer Vespole, senior category manager foodservice, but the company does not see a great return. She added that the category picks up slightly but catering is a small percentage of the overall business.
Tencza adds that the convenience stores really see a big spike in sales of take-home beverages and take-home snacks. And while the Super Bowl is not the busiest day for Quick Chek, he would rank it among the top days for those categories.
To help each location prepare for the playoffs and the Super Bowl, the company sends out Super Bowl Readiness Lists to all district managers. The lists break down what stores will need by category, like foodservice, snacks, beverages and bakery, he explained.
Now armed with snacks and beverages, the only thing left to do is root for your favorite team.