Six Quick Commissary Considerations
DENVER — Are you thinking of adding a commissary to centrally produce finished foods, such as breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, salads and burritos?
A production kitchen can decrease food costs, increase consistency and quality, and increase margins and profitability for convenience stores, according to Bob Derian, a chef, traditional restaurant operator, convenience store foodservice director and partner in the Business Accelerator Team.
"Having a central commissary also takes the staff focus off food and puts it on guests," he said during the "Practical Strategies to Optimize Your Foodservice Growth" session at Convenience Store News' 2025 Convenience Foodservice Exchange event.
[More coverage from the 2025 Convenience Foodservice Exchange: Does Your Store Pass the Generation Taste Test?]
Derian shared six imperative steps for convenience foodservice retailers to get started:
- Start with the menu — pick 10 SKUs. Everything flows from the menu, noted Derian, who is also the current owner of a multi-award-winning food truck and restaurant. He suggests starting small with just 10 items that can be assembled. "Think cold cuts, burritos and then keep tweaking until you love it. Start small and work on the process," he said. "Mixing and cooking can come later."
- Run through "needs vs. wants" logistics. Based off the menu, operators should decide what they need vs. what they want. Consider ingredients, equipment, storage prep and warewashing. Find out what the current costs are, and consider seasonality and how to bring down the costs. This is also the time to examine transport logistics — what truck you're to use, where to park it, cross-dock it, etc.
- Spend research time in your stores. Get feedback from guests, but also team members, about your current food items, Derian advised. For each item, ask if it looks appetizing; does it stay fresh; is it selling out; what is the waste; and what are the margins? Operators should look at all the numbers for a week at a time, consider what works and what doesn't, and then compare that to their 10 SKUs.
- Look at established commissaries. Evaluate established commissaries for your needs, such as schools, churches, dinner-only restaurants, lodges and clubs. Operators should take into account the space they are using and what they might be able to share, including equipment, parking and a refrigerated production room, which is key, according to Derian. Find out when they're there and when they're not.
- Create standards and processes. Establish a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) food safety program and understand what your responsibilities are to the public. "You don't want anybody sick or worse," Derian said. "Food safety is always No. 1." Operators must incorporate traceability (i.e., where did the food come from, where did it go, what were the temperatures on the truck when it was transported, etc.) and certify that their team is following guidelines from the U.S Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture. "Follow up, follow up, follow up, follow up," he emphasized.
- Do the math, then tweak and start over. Figure out menu costs and add lease, labor and expenses. Set extended financial goals that project out six months, 12 months and 18 months. Revisit return on investment, projections for cost, labor, production units, waste and more, he advised. "Be nimble and be open to make changes. It's important that you listen to the math," Derian said. "Follow the money. What makes the most money for you?"
He cautioned c-store retailers not to get caught up in emotional decisions. "The numbers alone determine what stays and what goes, and what changes you need to make," he concluded.
The 10th annual Convenience Foodservice Exchange event, held May 8-9 in Denver, was an exclusive networking and experience-focused conference that gave attendees actionable knowledge and research to strengthen their foodservice business.
Sponsors of the 2025 Convenience Foodservice Exchange included gold sponsors Hunt Brothers Pizza, Johnsonville Foodservice, Krispy Krunchy Chicken, LSI Industries, Steritech, Stuffed Foods, Sugar Foods, SupplyIt by Jera Concepts and BOHA!; silver sponsors J&J Snack Foods Corp., Vollrath and Chester's Chicken; and Innovation Zone sponsor Upshop.