What a Slush Machine Can Do for a Convenience Store
In many neighborhoods, gas stations and convenience corner stores provide some of the only hyperlocal options for food and drinks. Some even provide services, such as accepting utility bill payments. Elsewhere, they offer a vital outlet for road travelers. Since the 7/11 chain introduced its iconic Slurpee decades ago, they are almost everywhere.
Some customers may expect C-stores to offer frozen drinks as a standard. Even where that expectation does not exist, establishments can delight the after-work crowd, quench thirst on a hot summer day, and provide patrons an “anytime” treat through frozen drinks. To make that possible requires the right equipment. You need a device that consistently produces high-quality drinks with the perfect consistency, flavor, and temperature.
With FBD Frozen machines, gas stations and convenience stores can enjoy numerous benefits and the opportunity to generate better profits reliably. What makes a frozen drink machine so ideal for these establishments? Let’s take a closer look.
Enjoy a Low Cost Per Serving Metric
In frozen carbonated beverages, water and CO2 “air” (respectively) make up most of what goes into the drink. Syrup ratios range from only about 10% for carbonated drinks and up to 25% for uncarbonated drinks. Consequently, the cost for each serving of a frozen beverage is relatively low, with comparatively high profits.
Depending on your needs and business strategy, you can also adjust settings on each machine to stipulate how much a “serving” is by volume. Doing so can help reduce product waste without compromising on the generously large servings most consumers expect when they purchase frozen drinks at the gas station.
Offer Customers an Extensive Selection of Flavor Options
Catering to your customers’ tastes is a priority, and many convenience stores carefully observe their sales numbers to adjust inventory accordingly. Although the type of frozen drink machine you select determines which beverages you can dispense, it doesn’t limit which flavors you can offer. With a simple bag-in-box (BIB) syrup system, changing flavors on your machine is straightforward.
With the opportunity to offer 2, 3, or even four different flavors from one machine, you can give customers several alternatives they love. As you observe what‘s most popular, you can stock only the favored BIB syrups. With this strategy, avoiding unnecessary losses and waste on unsold product is easy.
Use Simple, Flexible Pricing Based on Demand
No one knows your business as well as you do, particularly pricing items. You can have various-sized cups at different price points. You could raise the price of flavors based on sales information and predicted demand. This pricing strategy enables to incentivize the purchase of bigger drinks worth more than multiple smaller ones.
Offer Drinks for Easy On-the-Go Refreshment
Most people who come into a convenience store for drinks want something “grab and go” that’s quick and easy. Good branding and in-store marketing are essential for highlighting your frozen drink options. If slushies are conveniently near the checkout area, it could encourage more impulse purchases.
Leverage a Product Offering That Stays Popular All Year
No rule says the slushie machine in a gas station is only for the summertime. Frozen drinks enjoy year-round popularity no matter the season outside. Why worry about changing an entire product lineup just because of the weather? A well-chosen frozen drink machine can generate consistent profits for a convenience store all year long. Not only does that mean more revenue flowing in, but it also means you recoup investment costs and start generating a positive ROI sooner.
Make Sure You Can Offer Customers a Product They Expect
A slush machine can be a great convenience store or gas station addition. With the opportunity to win new patrons and encourage repeat business, plus low operational costs for the machines, you can invest in a winning value proposition today. Speak with an FBD Frozen team member to investigate the unit that best suits your business.
